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Anyone been up to or around Bowstring over the weekend? Curious whether the wind helped to open it up.

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I was at the North Landing on Bowstring Saturday morning around 8:30. There were about a dozen rigs at the landing. The ice was out to the first break line.

I went back to the same landing at about 7:30 PM and it looked like about 80 percent of the lake was off. That North wind really did a job on it.

I didn't check but I would think the South landing is piled up with ice.

I alos went to Jessie and Winnie. Jessie landing had about 2 1/2 feet of ice piled on the landing. Winnie was open aropund the Dam. I went to Tamarack Point and the ice was close to shore. I'm sure the wind did a job on the ice there as well.

By this coming weekend I would venture a guess that these lakes will all be open.

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I saw boats fishing the north side of Bowstring on Saturday. Ice pack had moved south far enough I guess.

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Fish have been very,very shallow,fished saturday and sunday mid day didn't even take a boat ,fished friends dock, I was about 15ft from shore casting out had limit both days, yesterday was in 45 minutes.Males are still full of milk, spawm still going on.

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I am really looking forward to getting on Bowstring this coming week. I have fished it each of the last two late July's and managed to catch a few. But wouldn't rather be jigging???

All my fish have been on spinners/crawlers mid.summer. Should we fish it the same as winni, & leech with fav.jig and shiner? Also I have caught all my eyes in the NW structures and 18ft break. Any help would be appreciated!

Hope to see you out there!

FHK

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I am really looking forward to getting on Bowstring this coming week. I have fished it each of the last two late July's and managed to catch a few. But wouldn't rather be jigging???

All my fish have been on spinners/crawlers mid.summer. Should we fish it the same as winni, & leech with fav.jig and shiner? Also I have caught all my eyes in the NW structures and 18ft break. Any help would be appreciated!

Hope to see you out there!

FHK

Years ago before the deepfinder age everyone thought Bowstring was shaped like a big bowl but there is alot of structure in the lake from bars,weeds and rock piles.There are many area's around the lake to fish. If you have access to a GPS with some kind of lakemaps SD card would give you them if not a good lake map would give you a good idea for area's.I have aways thought of Bowstring as a mini Winni and favored the windy side of the lake as long as it is fishable wind. I have had as good of luck fishing with chub minnows or rainbow chubs,shinners to me are spendy and die easy. There is a high number of smaller northern in the lake to which the DNR has raised the limit to 9 with a slot limit you may keep.
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I'm jealous. Today was tough. Talked to quite a few people who struggled. I personally did not see a fish caught. Probably more to do with post-cold front and the walleyes transitioning than anything.

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Thank you for your insight! I noticed Bowstring was one of the first classic walleye lakes open in that area this spring, I am hoping to hit some hungry shallow water post spawn shiner chasers!

Will be staying on Portage, and will be fishing all of the major walleye lakes for the week.

Regards,

FHK

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Please take some Northerns too. Lake is invested with them. They are good pickled, and you don't have to worry about taking out the y-bone.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Four of us are heading up to Bowstring tomorrow for a week and was wondering how the fishing is? Thank you for any replys!

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Sounds like the mid lake humps are producing w/ a jig/minnow or rigging leeches and crawlers.

Brian

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Not Bowstring but just back from a week + on Sand & did well rigging leeches in 9-17 fow.

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Thanks for the replys...we are doing pretty good on the humps, corkin leeches...(in between the storms and power outages).

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  • 6 months later...
Not good to hear, I was planning on trying it in a couple of weeks. Have to revert to plan B again.
you stay away from my honeyhole!!!!!!! madcrazywinkgrin
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here is the latest info I received from a co-worker that was out on bowstring this past sunday. said maybe 8 houses on the whole lake. still slushy with about 14-16 inches of ice. he did say it was good ice, not honeycombed. when they do go out they go in 2 trucks. when the first truck gets stuck they use the following truck to pull the other one out.

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Speaking of honey holes, I used to have a few lakes I could always seem to go to and have some action but over the years they sure have changed. It's not from me taking fish from these spots as I don't keep many fish. And there never seemed to be much fishing pressure on these lakes either but things sure change over the years. And getting stuck, get pulled out, get stuck, get pulled out, etc. is not fun for me. Plan B sounds better. Even plan C, play cards and have a few brews, sounds better than the stuck thing. There will be better days ahead!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Any new reports for ice conditions/ drivability or fishing reports sence this last cold snap? Any info helps hoping to come up from the cities in about a week or so.

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  • 4 months later...

My wife and I are headed up to Bowstring on Sat. 6/14 and was wondering if anyone has recent reports they'd like to share?

Thanks, Steve

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I can't help you with Bowstring but I've been on Sand since 6/9 PM. I'm finding fish on the offshore humps & bars just a little deeper than I thought.Anywhere from the weededge,13'-18', out to the 1st break.I have yet to try a jig & minnow but seen a boat last night doing good using it.I've been rigging chubs & leeches,no crawlers or jigs yet.Got just about enough for a meal,most are going back as they need to grow up.Surface temps 66-68 & bring your bug spray.Tight lines!!

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We were out on three different lakes this last week and everything we got was 10 to 12 feet. We did try Bowstring and picked up a few in ten feet. Haven't made it to Sand yet maybe next week when I'm back up. Overall fishing got better each day we went out. Good luck!!

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On bowstring today. Windy!!! Found some walleyes. Had the best luck pulling lindys with shiners in 17-21' got a couple with leeches too same depth.

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Just got back yesterday and had a pretty good week. Stayed at Bowstring Shores, super nice owners and cabin was very nice, clean with comfortable beds, great family oriented resort. The fishing wasn't great but we picked up walleyes every day with Friday being our best day with 7. All 7 came along the south shore along a drop off in 19 to 21 FOW with a crawler harness. The rest of the walleyes came on the offshore humps, most on fatheads with a couple on leeches.

Also caught tons of perch with about half of them being keepers and caught one real nice crappie. Tried for 2 hours to catch another crappie in the same area but I guess he was a loner. All in all, a pretty decent week and we'll most likely go back in the future. We like to hit a new lake each year but some day we'll run out of new lakes to try so Bowstring is on our short list of lakes to return to.

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  • 6 months later...

Are there any plow roads out on this lake? I want to head up there later this winter and was wondering if there are any resorts with plowed roads we could access for a fee ...

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
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