2020 Lake Osakis Fishing Reports

[dbonnema]

Hello,

 

I am thinking about making my first trip to Osakis next Friday, the 15th. This would be my first trip to Osakis, so if anybody wants to give me any hints or tips that would be great! Will be targeting walleyes, but if we can't find walleyes would be happy catching crappies as well. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[timjones]

Saw the first boat launched at Battle Point access about 2:00 this afternoon. Three guys were out for about an hour and came back and took the boat out. Don't know if they fished or just checked to see if any ice remained on the lake.

[Mike89]

Little O really lost the ice today!!!!!!!  won't be long now!!!!

[BobT]

Drove past Osakis on my way home this evening and it is pretty much ice free. 

[Dash 1]

Anyone been on Osakis recently? Thinking of heading there tomorrow and looking for any recent reports. I just need a day on the water to relieve the stress. 

[Dash 1]

Made it out on Wednesday. Water temperature around 65. Not real busy on lake and fishing was decent. Managed a 16 and 19 inch walleye. Lots of little bites on crawlers, perch and sunnies. Better with leeches, but the bait shop I went to only had small and large and the large were too small to me. Need to find some jumbos somewhere. Any ideas?? 

[srlmn]

was on the big O June 1st and 2nd.....lots of pike.....everywhere...no skill needed........some overs.....some slots...and lots under......  found one eye off 1/2 mile.......reports of panfish going off docks.....in shallow....sorting needed but limits to be had.  

[srlmn]

Sunnies and Crappies in shallow off docks...confirmed......lots of sorting....but lots of fun for kids, and grandpa's,  and can get some meals....recommend getting a stick to the size you want them to keep....burn through lots of bait...but cheap fun for all...and some nice ones mixed in.....

[BobT]

Was out on Osakis yesterday evening on some midlake humps using 1/4oz jigs with leeches in the hopes I could find a few cooperative walleyes. I was getting pestered by what I thought were perch stealing my leeches. I'm a slow learner so it took too long for me to finally downsize my presentation until my dozen leeches were nearly gone. I finally downsized to 1/8oz digs and caught fish. It was 10" sunnies that were stealing my bait. Once I figured that out, I grabbed my crappy/sunny rod with a flu-flu jig and proceeded to have a pretty good time catching sunnies. I had a container of crawlers with me and just cut them up to tip the jig. Kept five for a meal but could have easily filled out. 

 

They were near the bottom in 18' of water.

[Borch]

We were out Thursday and found nice gills in 15-21 fow.  Some schools on the bottom and others cruising 10-12 feet down.

 

Caught several eyes in 11-15 feet of water but all were small.

[Borch]

Funny how fast things change on Osakis.  Gills are off the midlake bars and back in shoreline weeds. 

 

Tried Reno for the morning and found a few smallmouth, gills and a lonely 16" walleye.  Guess there's a good bass bite and a weededge bite for eyes.  Just wasnt going Friday morning. 

 

Slow fishing but still managed a couple fresh meals of fish.  Still a good day in my book. 

[Borch]

Wife and I went camping out of Head of the Lake resort last weekend.  The plan was to hit some slab crappies with some eyes mixed in.  Found some good schools of crappie suspended over deep water.  Problem was they were really tough to get to bite.  Got a couple to hit a crappie minnow under a slip bobber.  But it was slow and the usual jigging approach didn't get touched.  Decided to see if the sunfish were still working shoreline weed beds and more cooperative.  They were and if you moved around there were some dandies in there.  A small jig with plastics,  hair or a worm got bit pretty regularly.   There were a few schools of crappies cruising the weedbeds as well.   Found a few walleyes on the outside edge of deeper weedbeds.   A jig minnow combo did the trick for some if them.

 

Water temps were hanging in the low to mid 60s.  

[mrpike1973]

Hello,

 

Can any one tell me the access address on the north end that is maybe a county access or people use for a winter access cannot find it on the map. Going up on the first of the year. Thanks

[Mike89]

there's plenty of water on the ice as of yesterday afternoon...  hope to know more later this week...

[Tom Sawyer]

1 hour ago, mrpike1973 said:

Hello,

 

Can any one tell me the access address on the north end that is maybe a county access or people use for a winter access cannot find it on the map. Going up on the first of the year. Thanks

 

Sure Brett, it's at the end of 145th Ave, less then a mile past Head of the Lakes. Good Luck!

[Mike89]

right now be ready for water too.................

[mrpike1973]

thanks so much for the advice & help.  not sure if we will go now.  Might be too far to drive. 

[Mike89]

talked to some folks last night and yes lots of water, but still fishable...  head of the lakes pulled all their fish houses off...  granted they only had spear shacks out but they did not freeze into the lake at least....

[mrpike1973]

We are thinking of going up on Friday hopefully the slush will have froze more by then Thanks for the updates greatly appreciated! 

[Borch]

Conditions have improved a lot in the past few days. 

[Mike89]

yes they have, still some water/slush here and there..  some wheel house's out there too!!  not sure on much ice.. will hopefully learn more tonight..    

[smurfy]

9 minutes ago, Mike89 said:

yes they have, still some water/slush here and there..  some wheel house's out there too!!  not sure on much ice.. will hopefully learn more tonight..    

Another happy hour.

[Mike89]

ya got that right!!!!  

[IceHawk]

I was fishing up there and this is what I found. IMO conditions are pretty good up there better than I expected .  The ice thickness is 10-12 inches with some slush pockets mostly on the S SE shoreline. A few crazys with vehicles on there but I definitely would not advise that. There are quite a few wheel houses and people but this is the Norm for the lake in the winter. Good luck if you go!

[BobT]

I would be a little hesitant or extremely cautious about pulling any wheel house out there just yet. I would expect the ice thickness to be unpredictable and variable. Just my thoughts.

[mrpike1973]

Went on Friday did OK on the gills fairly short walk but not to fun. Thank you all for the info!!!

[IceHawk]

Pike I was up there Friday myself to bad we didn't cross paths would of been fun to shoot the hay a little again been a while. Glad to see you back on the forum bud!

[IceHawk]

7 hours ago, BobT said:

I would be a little hesitant or extremely cautious about pulling any wheel house out there just yet. I would expect the ice thickness to be unpredictable and variable. Just my thoughts.

Have to agree with you BOB 100 percent. We had a burger over at HOL Friday and they were telling me they cut a spear hole and there was only 6 inches of ice on his side in a spot. I know the ice is thinner and bunches of slush on that end. Hopefully somebody doesn't find the thin areas running around with vehicles. 

[mrpike1973]

Thanks Icehawk glad to be back! I wish I knew to would have enjoyed chatting to

[smurfy]

I went up to see Mike89. drove around the west side of the lake. man oh man where there a pile of houses an people out in front of head of the lakes resort.