2020 Lake Osakis Fishing Reports

[mnwild]

Hey thanks. We tried up in that area last year in about 15-20FOW with no luck, showed on the vex but they didnt want to bite. We will give it a try again..

[Finlander]

"Lookers, no takers" is the trend on Osakis this year as the fish show up on the locators looking to take your hook only to leave you hanging! No pun intended!

[mnwild]

We fished from 4-10pm with no luck not even one bite. The house we were fishing in only managed 1 northern for the whole day. Been fishing this lake since I was 12 and its getting worse year by year in my mind. Will I still go there, heck yeah.

[Finlander]

Osakis is just going thru a high small perch cycle this year. It started last year really. When trolling last summer for walleyes with Rap's, hardly any pike were caught. And Osakis always had tons of 2-3lb. pike that were hard to keep off your line.

When the pike population is down, the perch population booms and that makes plenty of food for the gamefish and fishing tough. Start fishing for perch as they seem to be all over the lake this winter.

[timjones]

Perch is all I have been pulling up this winter no matter where I go. Anywhere from 4 to 12 inches in size. Haven't pulled a single walleye up through the ice this winter.

[Chad Peterson]

Boy, Osakis sounds like Reno now. I know that there is fish, but with that much forge they do not need our presentations. LOL

Sniffer

[Fishinguy40]

I'll be heading up Saturday with a couple friends. We are renting a house from Head of the Lake Resort but plan on moving around during the day. Just wondering how the action has been and if anybody has some "general" information that may get us started in the right direction.

[Chad Peterson]

You will see the houses.............start drilling and look for fish.

Sniffer

[timjones]

Most of Head of the Lakes houses look like they are in Manthey's Bay. At least last week they did. Might be some pan fish action going on there. As far as moving around goes, it could be difficult depending on what you are moving around with. Manthey's bay should be easy getting around because that see's a lot of traffic. Even west of there down towards Buck Point may not be too bad if you stick to the plowed roads and the well traveled areas. Once you get south of Buck Point it gets a little tougher going because there has been less plowing going on. There was a guy that plowed a road looks like from the Buck point area all the way down to the rock pile off of Moon Bar a couple weeks ago but I think that may have drifted in because I saw another guy with a plow come on at Battle Point and he had to open part of it back up to get to his house just south of Battle Point. Need four wheel drive for sure if you venture off from where it has been plowed. Travel might improve a little by Saturday with this warm weather. Might get the drifts and deeper areas to settle a little.

[Hammertime0802]

Fished Osakis last weekend and there are a good amount of houses but the fish are small. Fished a couple hours in the morning and only caught one keeper.

[crappiekid]

fished all weekend, 50 plus holes one crappie. Worst i have ever done....

Marking fish but wont bite..They are not hungry! Lake is tough to travel now as well.

[Chad Peterson]

Keep getting out crappiekid, they will turn on soon.

Sniffer

[Finlander]

Anybody do any good out on the big "O" this last weekend?

[HFM]

Personally my best opener on Osakis ever..... 1 northern and a few perch

[creepworm]

1 19 inch Walleye and a half dozen or so nice sunfish. Did not see anyone catching any Walleyes and talked to a few people at Matt's bait and there were no good reports.

[pushbutton]

First year in many i did not make the opener, but can say the best years for me were when the water temps were at least in the upper 50's, if not lower 60's. The lake seems to have a switch turned on at these temps.

[JIvers]

Personally my best opener on Osakis ever..... 1 northern and a few perch

Yup, that sounds about right for opener on Osakis.

There's a reason I haven't fished that lake before Memorial Day in more than a decade, and don't plan on doing so any time soon. Gin clear water and short weeds do not make for good fishing on Osakis.

I'm not saying you can't catch walleye this time of year on Osakis, but in my experience you have to work for them. I prefer to wait until the second half of June when the algae blooms, and walleye fishing on there gets much easier.

[creepworm]

The water was actually pretty dirty this year, I think because of all the wind. I agree with the need for higher water temps. Last year we did awesome, this year, not so much.

[Finlander]

Osakis is always a late start for walleye's to start biting. Cold spring = slow opener! My brother caught 3 pike trying to catch walleye's which is normal.

[Sportfish1850]

Sounds like staying home to finish up some tasks so I could be free for 6 days around Memorial day was the right choice. I've never caught more than an 8" walleye on opener on Osakis. But I have to say I usually do great for the pickling size Northerns prior to Memorial. Then come June the Walleyes are usually starting to get more active.

Going up Friday to get the boat ready then will see you guys out there again the following weekend.

I need a new Starter battery this year. Tired of replacing this thing every 18 monnts or having issues with my electronics (GPS/Sonar staying on during a start due to low voltage). Days of buying Walmart or Mills Fleet Farm house brand batteries are over. Any suggestions ?

[timjones]

I have to agree with people here about Osakis being a late starter. I haven't gone out yet myself. Water is still pretty cold. With the warm temps and wave action the last couple days it should be coming up a few degrees. Finally saw a few minnows in shallow yesterday.

[Chad Peterson]

I have to agree with people here about Osakis being a late starter. I haven't gone out yet myself. Water is still pretty cold. With the warm temps and wave action the last couple days it should be coming up a few degrees. Finally saw a few minnows in shallow yesterday.

That is a good sign that the walleyes will be in the shallows. Thanks for the information.

Sniffer

[pushbutton]

Retired, do you have any idea what the water temp is.....thinking about heading up next weekend.

[fishinbum]

That is what I was wondering as well. Does anybody have the current water temp of Osakis?

Thanks

[timjones]

Water temps were running in the low to mid 50's this morning. Need some warmer weather.

[Sportfish1850]

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm struggling to find the walleyes this year. My 4 or 5 early go to spots are without fish and I was assuming its the fact the lake is full for the first time in a long time. So I went two or three feet shallower and stil finding nothing.

Looked near weeds this weekend in 5'-7', got lots of Northern, but no walleyes, looked deep (18-24ft) at the base of a break or drop and and nothing at all.

Found some perch in 13-15ft at the top of a drop off but that's it.

Maybe the bait isn't working yet (leech rigs and leech spinners) and I should go back to jigging. Got to believe with the warm temps now the surface temp is up to 72 its going to take off soon but am I the only one struggling to find them?

Its weird not seeing many pencil reeds out of the water on June 7. Last year they seemed 12" high on opener.

[Wayne Ek]

Sportfish, you may want to try pitching long shanked light jigs (1/8th to 1/4th) with a gulp minnow to the edge of the old pencil weeds. It's working else where in the area.

[pushbutton]

Sportfish, you may want to try pitching long shanked light jigs (1/8th to 1/4th) with a gulp minnow to the edge of the old pencil weeds. It's working else where in the area.

Someone turned me on to this last year on Osakis, early in the year when the water was cold. Could not believe my eyes, pardon the pun. 5 ft of water, broad daylight, eyeballs and norts just sitting there stacked up. Got to get them to bite though

[Nydds]

I'm finding eyes and pike shallow on a few lakes I fish. When they ignore the jig, Rat l Traps have been deadly on getting the fish to snap.A deadly tactic for sure.

[kt]

2 of the last 3 times i've been out bass fishing with my partner, we have been able to bring home 4 nice eater walleyes each time. All coming from water less than 7' deep. last weekend got 4 on jerkbaits fishin for smallies over shallow gravel/rock. Last night got 4 on rattle traps on the edge of a flat with scattered cabbage. They are still quite shallow and active on our area lakes.