Big Watab Lake

[nevercatchguy]

Anyone fished big watab this year? Hows the ice and hows the fishing? I would guess the sunken islands are good spots to fish. I have never fished in winter on big watab. Thanks for the comments.

[steeplechaser2]

Haven't been out this year...tough winter lake....we've managed a few winter trout, but they seem pretty random...small pike...the odd panfish....open water seems like an easier plan...Does anyone know if there is an access point for icefishing the far south end??

[bassNspear]

I have never been on this lake before. Can someone fill me in on history of this lake? Water clarity. Fishing reports. Housing ect.

If you don't want to post here please email me. I am looking for a place to live on a lake in the area so most information I can gather the better

Thanks

[LundProAngler]

I was out there last monday. I tried the sunken bar on the north side of the lake by all the other houses. I saw a few small pike, and a few rainbow trout, but none were interested in biting.

The lake is extremely clear and very deep. There is a hole at mid lake that hits 120' deep. Most of the winter fishing takes place in shallower water, I think.

In summer, the lake gets hit hard by the trout fishermen. There are many trout stocked each year and are caught with ease when you find them.

Overall it is a beautiful lake with great fishing at times, a real gem in Central MN. If summer swimming is your thing, I can't think of no better lake to jump in!

[leech~~]

There are many trout stocked each year and are caught with ease when you find them.

I love that! Ha,

I have fished the lake summer and winter and there is nothing about ease catching the trout in this lake! It's not like your stocked pond that gets fished out days after they put them in. Good luck out there!

[bassNspear]

whats the clab and eye population. i drove by today, and didnt see any houses on the lake, but i was only at the landing, so not sure on the other side of the lake.

[LundProAngler]

Don't know where you are looking, but there are 10-15 houses in view from the public access as you look across the lake.

Head out there and cut a few holes.

Hope you have better luck than I did a few days ago.

I had 10" ice where I was.

[bassNspear]

i must not have been able to see them with the snow fall yesterday.im going ot try it out there once i get back form my cass lake trip.

im going to try and spear it, and then fish it towards night into the night and see what happens.

[Roger N]

Big Watab is a trout lake, so I don't think you can spear on it.

[leech~~]

Big Watab is a trout lake, so I don't think you can spear on it.

Not sure about spearing there, but Big Watab is not a *designated trout lake

If you look on the DNR web site it does not have the little asterisk by its name saying it is a designated trout lake.

Trout lakes list

Also see listing of Minnesota's designated trout lakes and trout streams (as listed in statute)

*designated trout lake **special regulations ***located in BWCAW

[Guest]

It has alot of structure which is nice. We fished a hump out there the other night. and with the front that had already moved in it slowed the fishing down but we had alot of marks. The nice thing about using my fl-20 for ever is I knew exactly what Kind of fish it was by the mark. Sounds stupid but when you bond with your vex 5 days a week in the winter you come to learn what alot of different marks are by the way they appear on your screen haha I know we had tons of trout come threw, walleyes were hugging on bottom and the crappies were 7 feet below the ice. Crappies bit very very well but I cant say so for the walleye and trout.

[bassNspear]

How clear is water. Iv heard 10-12 feet

[JwP1]

Fished out there last weekend on could watch my jig go down 26 feet. Managed a few nice walleyes at sunset and for about an hour after. Blue Hexi fly jig with glow white and pink on the back tipped with crappie minnows. Saw a ton of fish on the Marcum just a tough bite with the cold front we had. 31fow. Finding the scatterd weed clumps seemed to make the difference.

[efishsport]

Spearing is allowed on Big Watab Lake and has always been allowed. It has always been an extremely clear lake. The trout can be pretty difficult to catch. Guys have the most luck during the early morning hours I believe. There are some big pike in the lake.

[bassNspear]

how big are the trout

[Garett Svir]

All sizes and year classes of trout are available. A friend of mine landed one around 20" a few years back. I have had the best success for trout sight fishing in 6-7 FOW. This lake has also produced some MONSTER pike over the years. They pack on the pounds fast feasting on rainbows. Good luck!

[leech~~]

All sizes and year classes of trout are available. A friend of mine landed one around 20" a few years back. I have had the best success for trout sight fishing in 6-7 FOW. This lake has also produced some MONSTER pike over the years. They pack on the pounds fast feasting on rainbows. Good luck!

Garett Svir, although he hasn't been on the site for a while. Your post almost sounds like a Trout fishing on Grindstone lake report for Rinehard1 Along with the "Good luck" at the end!

[Garett Svir]

Did I give a similar report? I want to find it now.

[bassNspear]

I'm going to try it wed I think. Are they driving trucks out?

[JwP1]

I was driving a z71 out new years weekend and pulling my wheel house. We went to the south half of the lake on 13 inches.

[bassNspear]

Thank

[Dooley87]

Got out of work early today and figured I would drive by the lake on my way home since I've never been on this lake before, ran into a guy at the access who is spearing and said all he has seen out there this winter is one crappie and two northerns about twice as long as his decoy and his decoy is 6" long.

I would like to spear out there tomorrow and maybe try and angle some rainbows but this report doesn't encourage me at all.

[bassNspear]

did you get out

[Dooley87]

This little guy is all I saw.

[bassNspear]

how deep where you, looks very clear

[mille lacs muskie bum]

see any trout? im gonna hit it up in a few weeks and have never been on the lake. i looked at t map of the lake and picked out a few spots that look fishy

[Dooley87]

how deep where you, looks very clear

I was in 6-7 feet, the guy at the access I talked to who wasn't seeing anything said he was in 10 feet and he was positive he needed to go shallower but I think if I were to do it again I would try deeper cause its just that clear, at one point while setting up I had both doors and all 4 windows open in my house and I could still see the bottom very clearly

[Dooley87]

see any trout?

Unfortunately no trout which was a let down. Just have to keep trying new spots I guess.

[Guest]

10 and shallower is the way to go from what I hear as well. I have some friends that do it once a year and they pound them in shallow water with a slip and minnow. I have personally never done it my self yet but its a yearly thing for them so it must produce.

[Rymann]

Shallow is the name of the game for winter stream trout. Some will cruise in deeper water, but it will rarely be any deeper then 7 ft down. Find some structure such as dead trees and points. They love that stuff. I've done very well out there when I stick to that plan.