2020 Lake Osakis Fishing Reports

[russ]

Talked to Head of the Lakes today. They said some have been doing really well while others had lots of lookers but finicky biters. Lake conditions are good for driving. I'm gonna give it a shot.

[NELS-BELLS]

My son and I finally made a return trip to Osakis yesterday. We had been there once before about a month ago and done good on the crappies so we thought we would target Gills this time instead.

The Gills were finicky, like usual. They definately had a color and jig style preference and unfortunately my son had the only jig like it. I tried to match his as close as I could and that helped but man he schooled me. We caught plenty and kept enough for meal.

We also caught some crappies but noticed that they where smaller then the last time we were there. Maybe it was because we were in a different area then before and using smaller jigs.

Due to the nice weather and all the vehicles going on and off, the landings were deteriorating fast and it won't be much longer before you can no longer get a vehicle onto the ice. The ice was still plenty thick though.

All in all just an awesome day to be ice-fishing with my son. Glad I remembered the sunscreen.

Nels

[Borch]

A group of us went out Saturday and it was tough going but ended up with a couple meals worth in the end. Many of the crappies were cruising right under the ice and the sunfish were in the bottom half of the water column. For us the best bait but far was the impulse 1" natural mayfly on a linty toad. Kinda looked like freshwater shrimp. Both my son and I had our faces beat up by the sun but the next day my son looked like he got punched in the face with a lot of swelling.

Wish we hadn't forgot the sunscreen.

[IceHawk]

Was up there on Sunday and as stated you really had to work for them but the rewards were defiantely worth it. Me and another got our limit of nice gills for the fry pan and a couple of craps to boot. As stated jig preference was huge a purple and pink # 4 Fiska and a # 4 Fiska black and white with a orange bottom were my go to colors. Small seems the key up there now these fish have seen a ton of pressure this yr. I did find fish shallower 10 ft or so but 15 ft seemed to be the ticket.

[pushbutton]

Fiska black and white with a orange bottom

Thought that was my little secret

[huntingislife]

What access did you go out of? Hoping to drag the wheelhouse with on Thursday and wondering about the access points.

[IceHawk]

I have been using Head of the Lakes access and its a little rough front is kind of open but road goes off on both sides. I think most of the wheel houses were using the public access in Mantheys bay but not sure on its condition.

[huntingislife]

Thanks for the update. Any word on Hill Access?

[IceHawk]

Not sure where hill access is? You might be thinking of the public acess.

[pushbutton]

Was thinking what you were thinking of what he was thinking Yeah, can't help you out much Huntingislife, as have always been fortunate to have private access, and really don't know much about what is going on in the Manthey's area. Would probably try calling Head of the Lakes or the General Store and ask them if they have any updated info. Will be headed up this weekend, for probably the last hurrah on this ice season. Can say I am planning on walking out.......

[huntingislife]

The public access by Holiday Resort. Hoping it holds for the weekend. Should be no problem once a guy can actually get on the ice.

[Borch]

Hoping to make it up for Saturday. Will see what the access is like but given the forecast I'm thinking it'll be locked up again by then.

[mt1017]

Heading up there on Sunday near battle pt. Wondering how much snow that area got today

[Mike89]

zero

[walleyepro13]

How much snow did they get up there on monday? Are the accesses still holding up ? Can you drive off the south end access? Battle point access ?? Crappies biting off battle point still ??

[timjones]

No problems as far as snow cover goes on the lake. Crappies are still biting. People still driving on off of Battle Point access. Not sure what the other access points are like, haven't been by them lately.

[Borch]

Fishing was very good Saturday afternoon. Ice was still driveable but it's losing ice each day. Had 30-34" of good ice where we were fishing. That's about 7" less than last week. Caught fish in 12-20 fow. Move around until you mark a school of fish. Lots of nice punish and crappies. The crappies required more sorting. The nicest ones were way high in the water column. Both euros and plastics took fish. Can'tbuy a fish on anything red though.

[pushbutton]

Where Stick and I fished, we did not lose any ice since I was last there a couple of weeks ago....maybe even gained some. Was surprised the ion with an extension was still nearly bottoming out with no soft ice at all. Likewise travel was no problem....thought we might have had to hoof it, but other than a 1/2 inch or so of water it was smooth sailing. Saw people were even driving out to four mile now. Not nearly as much traffic outside of Mantheys as I expected for such a nice day. Bite was about the same.....we are admittedly lazy fisherman ....me more than him though ....and parked on a good spot and waited for some nice fish to swim by, some small fish to swim by, some medium fish to swim by, and the always fun flurry of activity toward dark....leaving with a very respectable gaggle of fish. Looks like I may get at least one more shot at it next weekend. Landings may take a beating the next few days though......

[Ice camper]

Went out on Mantheys with my son yesterday. Could not believe how many people were out there for a Monday. The weekend must have been crazy busy. Access got pounded pretty good with trucks and wheelers. I am guessing you will need to walk the plank in the next couple of days if you are going to venture out. There was open water about 3 feet from shore to the ice shelf when I got off last night with the wheeler. Watched a couple of pickups leave right before dark and it looked like one of them dropped his front end through a bad spot in the ice. He was shooting some nice rooster tails of water while his buddy was pulling him out. Glad he made it off. Caught lots of fish, but definitely not the size we were looking for. Enjoyed hearing the birds sing on shore well after dark. Spring is here!

[live4chrome]

Hoping to be able to get out next Monday have friends coming out from sweeden who want to catch some fish

[IceHawk]

Was out there today drove my 4 wheeler out of Head of the lakes resort. Hats off to the owner for letting me park my rig at his resort! Did a lot of searching and found fish all over but the key was searching until you found active schools. I did well and was quite happy with size of fish I had. I released two gills at 11 oz and 1 at 12 ounces along with a pile of smaller crappies. Small number 4 chartreuse fiska wolfram jigs did the job today. Key depths were 6-7 ft early and gradually as the day went on 10-14 ft.

[live4chrome]

How was the shore ice?

[IceHawk]

It was real good today. I know yesterday they were driving trucks out today only wheeler and foot traffic so things change fast! On a side note talked to two different locals out on the lake today and supposedly someone caught a 2 lb gill the other day. If true all I can say is wow what a beast!! I have fished this lake for years and I know it has the potential and does give up some giants at times. If caught what a trophy!

[Borch]

That would be a beast!

[sartellangler05]

Highly doubt a 2 lb sunfish. I could see a respectable 16-20 oz...if so I'm sure we would see it in the upcoming outdoor newspaper.

[pushbutton]

I think it's very possible...but I also am convinced this was a yeti standing a few feet from my fish house earlier this year

[mt1017]

How r the landing holding up will it b possible to get out with a wheeler this weekend

[efishsport]

I think a 2 lber is very possible--the dnr survey shows a 12 inch sunfish in the gill net.

[UKCM]

Wonder how long a 2 lber would be. I have weighed numerous sunfish on Osakis a postal scale and am sure you have to get to 10 inches to be an honest pound. After that I have no clues as I have yet to catch one larger.

[pushbutton]

Hard to run a calculator on the gills, lots of variability on "plumpness" and could account for some wide swings in actual weight, especially with a fish that big.....but would probably think your looking at somewhere between 13 1/2 and 14....or more. Like you, have caught very few over 10 up there, and always seems the 9 inchers are fatter than the 10's. Not saying it is not possible, it is a fertile lake, but would like to see a non blurry pic before being a believer