2020 Lake Osakis Fishing Reports

[EsaysFISHON]

These are some great, helpful tips(and links) folks. Thanks for the specific baits and structure suggestions, sounds like this should give all of us some great starting points for finding fish! Kudos again for the info, looking forward to fishing the lake for the first time myself during the week leading up to the 4th and it seems like I can always gleen some great starting tips from the helpful folks on FM for a (personally) unknown lake. Good luck to everyone on the "Big O" this summer!

[alaskadreamin]

Was out Monday and had luck in the 12-18 ft with Crawlers and leaches......one to small and 8 beauties 15.5 - 17.25.....mmmmmm they were yummy......18 inch smallie had us going expecting a big eye and he popped up....nice fight....

Then the pike were hammering on the south end....good action small, kept a couple to pickle 24 inchers.....

Heading up hoping the bite is still on.....but weather looks like tough for fishing...good for a sun burn...should be interesting....

[EyeGuide]

Great report HH!

[EyeGuide]

Heading up hoping the bite is still on.....but weather looks like tough for fishing...good for a sun burn...should be interesting....

The weather actually looks great for fishing! Anytime you get consistent weather like this, the fishing should be very good! I hope you don't prove me wrong so good luck.

[MikeB2205]

Anyone use much for bottom bouncers? Or just mainly trolling rapalas, lindy rigs, or slip bobber for walleyes! Haven't heard many people talking about bottom bouncers or jigging much.

I'm trying to figured out the best method to use as I'll only be up there for 4 days. Kinda limited on time, like to boat fishing consistantly. I envy all you people in Minnesota, you live in the best state in the country. What I'd give to have a decent lake in Iowa.

Thanks for all the help guys and gals!!

[carpmanjake]

mike- a decent lake in iowa!? iowa is a great fishing state!

my neighbors are from iowa, try okoboji! they lived there and they have caught many trophy fish out of that lake, and off easy to get to areas (bill is handicapped and he has to use a walker or a wheel chair)

[mace1975]

Just spent a week on the Southern end of Osakis and had great fishing. Bass are biting on the reed edges. Pike are hitting on raps in 10' of water if you want them. Walleyes are on the bars in 15' to 20' of water biting on leeches, crawlers and red tails. Pan fish are there also if you look for them.

[MikeB2205]

carpman, I know there's a few decent lakes in Iowa. I'm just jealous of all the lakes you guys have in Minnesota.

[elkrivermn]

Sunday I had a better day a few walleye 10-13" I only caught one keeper. I caught 2 in 32 fow on leches and fatheads off of 2 mile and 4 mile. I caught one small northern in 13 fow. Sunday evening on 2 mile was the ticket, anchor fish with a bobber just as it was getting dark lots of fish but they were small. today it was windy I could not catch a thing

[Finlander]

Elkrivermn, please don't fish the 32' of water, all those 10-13" walleyes you caught are DEAD now!

Here is what I posted earlier in this thread:

Let's be smart from the get'go! Don't fish deeper than 30'!

Try 27' max to be sure not to kill all those cigar size walleye's. And almost all those walleyes at that depth are under 15" which is under the slot, why bother! Do your self and everybody else a favor, leave those little cigar walleye's alone so they can turn into 16-17" eaters in a few years.

[elkrivermn]

Thanks for the heads up Finlander, I did not realize the survival rate was diminished in the deeper water. They seemed to have swam fast after i released them into the water. I will keep that in mind what you said the next time I fish Osakis.

again thanks for the info!

Elkrivermn, please don't fish the 32' of water, all those 10-13" walleyes you caught are DEAD now!

Here is what I posted earlier in this thread:

Let's be smart from the get'go! Don't fish deeper than 30'!

Try 27' max to be sure not to kill all those cigar size walleye's. And almost all those walleyes at that depth are under 15" which is under the slot, why bother! Do your self and everybody else a favor, leave those little cigar walleye's alone so they can turn into 16-17" eaters in a few years.

[JIvers]

So what are the water temps and weed situations like on Osakis? Will the algae bloom happen this week? If not, it should happen next week, if the weather forecast is close to being right.

I am heading up there this weekend for seven days, and am trying to get an idea of what to expect in terms of water conditions.

[UKCM]

The water temps were 61 on Friday last week warming up to the around 64 on Saturday. I suspected they continued to go up on Sunday as it was a nice day. The water clarity is changing. Some of the times the shallow water was actually quite dark from algae other times not so much. But it was not like it gets quite yet. I suspect it is now or certainly will be by the time you leave.

The walleyes were still hitting plugs in the evening. Not necessarily a ton but my neigbors and I were at least able to pick up a few in the 8-10 foot range trolling shallow cranks above the weeds. No monsters but one guy caught a 22 and a 20 doing this.

I have not tried sunnies yet but I always look for people fishing for them and there did not seem to be a lot of sunny fishing going on. However they spawn closer to 70 degrees so maybe that will start soon. One of the 'old timers' up there informed me I just had to wait for them to come in shallow.

[carpmanjake]

The water temps were 61 on Friday last week warming up to the around 64 on Saturday. I suspected they continued to go up on Sunday as it was a nice day. The water clarity is changing. Some of the times the shallow water was actually quite dark from algae other times not so much. But it was not like it gets quite yet. I suspect it is now or certainly will be by the time you leave.

I have not tried sunnies yet but I always look for people fishing for them and there did not seem to be a lot of sunny fishing going on. However they spawn closer to 70 degrees so maybe that will start soon. One of the 'old timers' up there informed me I just had to wait for them to come in shallow.

the sunnies are up shallow. my fav spot is still producing some 8+"ers from what i heard.

[shake and bake]

Heading up to Osakis Saturday with the family...looking to get some sunnies for the kids and get into some walleyes for me...where would be some good spots to start? Thanks for any info!

[carpmanjake]

Heading up to Osakis Saturday with the family...looking to get some sunnies for the kids and get into some walleyes for me...where would be some good spots to start? Thanks for any info!

send me an email, ive got a good spot for you. but i dont wanna share it here.

[email protected]

[elkrivermn]

Sunday my Lowrance read 69-70 degrees on Monday when it was windy the rteadings were 65 degrees. The water by the town dock was very clear, once i boated out from shore there was a good bloom going on

[alaskadreamin]

Last weekend Walleyes were going good.......Went out last night Tues.....rough....fish shrunk.....got three eaters (16 inchers) then lots of little ones.......

Last weekend....looked in 13-17ft of water......little deeper yesterday.....about 21......didn't seem to matter what you used....Crawlers, Leaches, Shads....all about the same....

[JIvers]

We have been at Osakis since Monday--I slipped in to Alex. to check my e-mail...

We are doing very well on walleye--a lot of eaters and shorties, with a few nice fish mixed in. I released a 26" this AM. Live bait on the weed edges is producing most of the 'eyes, along with the usual compliment of Northern.

The algae bloom is here, surface temps are in the low seventies. Prime Osakis fishing conditions, in other words.

[carpmanjake]

and here are some bass from "not so secret spots" in osakislol

2lber on a live pointer

beautiful, FAT largie by the 4way

another beauty

2lber right at sunset

another beauty

[Coach]

I am going to Osakis for the 1st time, July 2nd-5th. I have been reading all of the posts, thanks for all of the help already, but what would be the depths I should start with for walleyes? Are the sunnies in the reeds? In the morning/evening, what depths should I focus on for trolling for walleyes for this time of year? Thanks for the help.

[carpmanjake]

I am going to Osakis for the 1st time, July 2nd-5th. I have been reading all of the posts, thanks for all of the help already, but what would be the depths I should start with for walleyes? Are the sunnies in the reeds? In the morning/evening, what depths should I focus on for trolling for walleyes for this time of year? Thanks for the help.

i have never gone for walleyes there. but i have seen alot of posts saying dont troll deep. im not sure the exact depth.

the sunnies and crappies will be along cabbage or other weeds. trolling weed lines would be a good idea to get a mixed back of walleye, bass, pike. be sure to stop every once in a while to cast for panfish

tight lines

[walleyeaddict]

Not looking for specifics guys. Anyone been out recently? What methods produce best on this lake this time of year? Any certain depth walleyes seem to frequent now? Fishing for the first time in many years this week any info as always is appreciated.

[JIvers]

I'll be on Osakis again from Friday through Tuesday--probably my last trip up this year.

I'll be targetting walleye--my strategies, in order, are to fish leeches on slip bobbers with shiners ready if leeches don't produce, troll cranks on the deep weedlines, and drag crawlers on spinner rigs.

I hardly ever use crawlers on Osakis, but July 10-14 is a bit later in the summer than I usually fish the lake. So, I have some crawler harnesses ready (I use 'em a lot for walleye on the Mississippi) if the feeding patterns have changed.

[Coach]

Was there last Friday-Sunday, best luck was off the humps in 18-20 feet, lindy rig and slip bobber with leeches, morning and evening. Caught and released several 13-15's but still got a meal of keepers. FYI, most were sucking it in fast, setting the hook quickly so you would not kill the slot fish.

[UKCM]

Fished almost every day for the last two weeks for bass. Somedays I caught more some less but there is always a bass bite on this lake. Most of the bass were caught fishing Senkos next to the reeds. The trick is to find which section of the reeds on is holding the bass on a particular day. Some days it seems like I fished miles of reeds catching nothing and then me and my boatmate wood cathc 4 bass in a 20 foot section. I have yet to figure what makes them bunch up (might eliminate the fishing of so much unproductive water) but it sure is fun when you find a pocket of them.

There are also a fair amount of bass hanging out by the docks though most of those were 14 inches or less.

I also had some luck fishing surface lures early in the morning and just at sunset. Some of these happened next to the reeds, others over weed flats in 4 - 7 foot of water. It was a blast but I have to admit I had many more strikes than fish in the boat.

The spinnerbait bite seemed to pick up by the end of the two weeks with white being the prefered color. My 12 year old nephew thought he was Roland Martin when he caught an 18 1/2 bass on the spinner bait.

Note to carpmanjake. Fishing Yum Dingers (Senko style) was good for a bowfin about every other day. Most in the 2-4 lb class but I caught one I swear was over 6 lbs. My nephew caught one about 3 lbs and thought it was cool to catch something that ugly.

[bigbucks]

We've caught a lot of doggies (bowfin) over the years fishing walleyes, most of them seem to be about 6 lbs. Not sure why. Just one so far this year, on a plug.

[glojig]

headed to osakis for the weekend to a buddies cabin to try to get a few walleyes i have not been there for a few years wondering if anybody has any suggestions on the best presentation to be using this time of the year out there any help would be appreciated

[JIvers]

We fished Osakis from Friday night to Monday night (yesterday). The walleye are still hitting on the weedlines--deep edges for numbers of fish, outside edges of the pencil reeds for size.

We caught a lot of 10"-17" walleye on leeches in around 15'; last night they preferred shiners. I almost didn't get any minnows, but last night showed why I toated them around. I was doing good with live bait, so I didn't do any trolling this trip.

When I went shallow, I only caught two walleye, but their size (24" and 19") made it worthwhile. Both those bigger 'eyes were released. I also caught Northern, largemouth, and bluegill while fishing off the pencil reeds. We went home with possession limits of 15"-17" walleye, so I would call it a successful trip.

[efgh]

We fished the big O Thrs.- sun last week. advice, follow the wind and fish in front of the weedline or just in the start of the weeds. good luck.