Orwell

[Scoot]

I fished below Orwell Dam tonight with my bro. We managed quite a few smallies, three little walleyes, one rockbass, one northern, and one very fine sucker (on a crankbait!) Although we saw a lot of nice fish jumping almost all of the fish we caught were little- very little. Smallies were an average of about 6 inches long. Some of them were hardly longer than the crankbait. We did manage a couple of slightly better ones (about 1 lb), but it was overall tough going. We did have a lot of fun though.

I have one question- can I wade that stretch of river below the dam without fear of finding deep water? I'd probably wear waders (pretty soon) and a life jacket, but I know there's a heck of a lot of current there. I will not risk my neck over a fish (again). It looks like a boat might have a hard time going over the rocks about 1/4-1/2 mile down from the dam- probably manage it if I got out and pushed. What do people think? Wade it? Small boat it? Either or both?
Scoot

[Guest]

Float tube?

[DARK30]

People look at me funny but I'll wade around a few spots depending on water level. I'll step in down by the bridge by the small parking area and walk towards the rock in the middle...If the rock isn't showing about a foot don't walk in! I'll also walk up towards the Dam on the left side until the riprap but move slowly and always know where your walking....stay close to the edges. Once you walk it a few times you'll figure it out but be careful.

I've also noticed the smaller fish....If Smallmouth are C&R, where are all the big ones lately? That area has become pretty popular and alot of fish are being taken out.I'd love to float the river downstream from Orwell.....Might make for some good pictures!

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Gissert]

When I was a kid, my dad used to float down the river on a canoe. He would stop and fish likely looking spots. To get back up, he would put a three horse Johnson on a sidemount and slowly motor back up stream. IIRC, he used to go through a lot of shear pins when the water was at lower levels.

[Guest]

Scoot,

I've only been fishing this area for about 6 weeks and about 8 or so outings, so I really hesitate to post this, BUT the very same people who responded prior to myself are the same people (BWE, Dark30 & Gissert) who were the first to reveal to me this somewhat magical smallie location to me through this wonderful forum. I thank all of you sincerely for some really good times there this summer.

Although I'm certain there are some good fish in the pressured areas, most of them are small to smallish, and all of them seem to have sore mouths from repeated catchings.

2 Weeks ago, I caught 2-17" and 1-20" smallie in this stretch of river, along with SEVERAL in the 13"-15" class. Some nice channels mixed in, too, along with some goldeneye and a drum or two. Presentation didn't seem to matter much.

Here's the deal...

GO WEST ACROSS THE ROAD! DO SOME WALKING, BUT AVOID THE POSTED PROPERTY. THINK ABOUT A YELLOW RECTANGLE. YOU'LL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU FIND IT. THERE'S LOTS MORE LIKE IT, TOO! I'm certain you will release the beauties.

A canoe would be the ticket for further exploration, but the shore seems to work just fine. I'm bold when it comes to water, and I've got a good float tube, but I don't think I'm ready to die just yet.

I'll be in the area again this weekend, but I have a feeling my father-in-law will want me to do the walleye thing with him, so I probably won't get to Orwell.

Good luck to all of you. I really do enjoy your posts.

FLB
aka Mike

[Guest]

yup

[Jay R]

Fished Orwell Sunday from 6-8:00pm, with about the same results as my other trips, a real mixed bag, smallies, cats, northern, rock bass, walleye.

The smallies were 11-13". I was tossing a #4 Mepps that lure regardless of color seems to work the best for me. The thing casts like a bullet and from the bank below the dam I can almost reach the other side. Also landed a 6-7# cat on the Mepps, she gave me a good little workout. Only one walleye but a decent 15-16" fish very healty.

For a quick outing to catch a few fish Orwell is hard to beat, it's a great little resource.

Jay R

[Guest]

Orwell will get better and better as the water temp starts to drop, especially at night.

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Backwater Eddy..><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

[email protected]

http://fishingminnesota.com/ed-on-the-red

[Guest]

I've found fishing this time a year to be very tough at Orwell, not because of lack of fish but because of the little one's, I may be off base but I'm assuming its this years class (or maybe last years, I have no idea how fast smallies grow) are finally getting big enough to bite.

These little suckers hit EVERYTHING, I've thrown 6" cranks and been hit everytime by those little smallies, they've even hit big buzzbaits and bucktails.

anybody had any luck NOT catching these guys and still being able to catch the nice fish that are in there?, big baits? faster presentation? maybe? They're just so dam aggressive.

I'm going to head down there again next week, hopefully figure something out.

[Guest]

The water level has dropped 8-10" in the last few weeks. Wading is a viable option in areas down stream from the park. I caught an 18" smallie there yesterday.

I noticed several "slender" fish ranging from about 18-22" holding stationary in the current. The water was a bit cloudy so I could not make out what they were. Occasionally I could tell I'd bump one with my crankbait, but they didn't seem interested in striking...any thoughts?

FLB

[Scoot]

Could they be suckers? My brother caught one last time we were there on a crankbait! I'm not sure what they might have been. Maybe walleyes that weren't in the mood to eat?

[Guest]

Scoot if your free tonight I am on a very good bite thet we can leave the boats behind for. Local too....no major road trip for this one.

Frogs and heavy duty (3/8 & 4/0 hooks) stand-up jigs produced 40 plus cats for me in a little over a hour last night, it was a hoot. Skeeters were a bit rough tell duck so I wore my rain suit to ward them off, after dusk they were not too bad as long as you stay out of the tall grass.

A stray piggy walleye just may show up?

Give me a call and I will tell you when and where to meet up at, if your free that is.

If you can get some big fathead minnows bring them if you can.

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Backwater Eddy..><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

[email protected]

http://fishingminnesota.com/ed-on-the-red

[Scoot]

I'm in! I'll call you today when I get a chance.
Scoot

[Guest]

Kewl!

What time would you be free?

[Scoot]

I have a meeting that'll last until about 4:00 or so- 15 minutes to get home, 15 minutes to get stuff together.
If it's a later bite I can hold off for a little bit too. Whatever, let me know. I left a message on your machine. You can speak to me at 231-8624.
Scoot

[Guest]

That was fun Scoot, we may have to do that again soon.

Tease them kittys up in the shallows again, fun to see huh.

Ed

[Scoot]

Yeah, I had a good time. Beautiful night, good company, fish, what more could you ask for??? I wasn't too pleased with the ratio of your fish to mine- about 8:1. Ouch! I guess that's why you're the fishin'-guru and I'm the punk who has lots to learn.
Thanks for all of the info, tips, etc. You're a wealth of information!

Like a bunch of others on this site and other sites, I'd strongly reccommend Ed for a guided trip for both cats and walleyes. He clearly knows what the heck he's doing and was a lot of fun to fish with.
Thanks again Ed,
Scoot

[Scoot]

Fished Orwell yesterday and had a blast. We fished in waders and got permission from land owners. Caught some nice smallies.
I threw cranks for a while, but did best on top.
Ed, I've narrowed your hints down to two spots, but couldn't get access to one and couldn't convince my buddy that it was a good idea to hunt down the other one after dark. Maybe next time.
I read your article on Sun. and thought it would be a good idea to heed your words and throw some hoppers. So we hunted for frogs out there for a while and saw a grand total of one. None to be had in any of the spots we checked. However, one of the smallies we caught coughed up two of the hoppers- he handn't had a problem finding them!!!
Scoot

[Guest]

The Otter Tail is a clear and cool flowing river and sight fishing is a big time option in the fall, them bass have no problem picking off hoppers as they move in.

Them eye's are close, very close, ya just need to find the right pools and BINGO.

Did you happen to get the water temp on the Otter Scoot?

Odds are if them eye's are not up, then they are down, if you get my drift? But they will wonder up very soon is my guess.

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Backwater Eddy..><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

[email protected]

http://fishingminnesota.com/ed-on-the-red

[DARK30]

Just keep it up guys! Your making me drool!

Last time I was there, a guy and his two young sons were slammin cats just before dark with a bobber and small suckers in the slack water.

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Scoot]

I didn't get a temp, but it sure had cooled off since the last time I was there.
Scoot

[Guest]

Scoot if your a fan of SM Bass you may wish to try a trip to Fort Ransom/Little Yellowstone Park and fish the Sheyeene River from there to just below Lisbon ND. You may be very pleased at what you find over on that section.