my OT report

[ironman]

Just got back from Ottertail....and it was pretty good. Saturday....gots lots of perch....some nice ones two...10-12 inches.but you had two sift through the little ones. Picked up a few small eyes as well throughout the morning. They bit really aggressivly during the morning and again between 1-2pm. The late afternoon they slowed down..pick up a few more. After dark was slow just two additional eyes.

Saturday was more of the same...as far as the schedule went, however the fish were much bigger. Most the perch fell in the 9-12 inch range. Lots of 10 inchers. Also the walleys grew...24", 21", 16".

I was in 34' over sand at the base of a hump going up to 17'. Use what you like...they bit on everything.

[Brett Meyer]

I had about the same luck, with some small eyes caught friday morning, and a couple keepers caught from about 8-9:30pm. last night caught a 3.7 lbs eye in the house. fishing in 20-24' next to steep drop off. as said before they bit on just about everything, from small swedish pimple, to small glow jigs, and an assortment of minnows. Good Luck out there!

Brett Meyer

[Fishin' Man]

ironman are you fishing on the northend of the lake? I have a spot on GPS just like you were talking just wondering which side of the lake you were fishing. I have never ice fished the lake. What all do people use out there for equipment? Rods and tip ups or what? just wondering how a person fishes the lake during the winter. Thanks any help

[HARDWATER]

how much ice is there on the lake now ??
can i drive a 1/2 truck out there or do i still need a four wheeler??
i am going out on sunday morning..thanks for any info.....

[B mac]

There were full sized trucks all over the lake 2 weeks ago. You shouldn't have any problem. I haven't been to the lake in over a week, but I can't imagine snow would be any issue. Good luck.

[Fishin' Man]

What is working out there tip ups or not? Just thinking of heading out there and hoping to get in some fishing out there. Any Help would be great.

[Squid]

Ironman, it was nice to hook up with you Saturday morning. Sounds like you broke you bad luck on 'eyes on OT. The 'eye population seems to be in good shape, it looks like there is a good cross section of age groups. Picked up a couple more before heading up to LOW. It seemed like the bite was still going when I headed out about 9AM. LOW was a lot of fun, didn't catch anything big but the numbers were there. Hope to get up to OT again before the season ends. It's a blast sitting there watching the fish on the camera with the good visability.

[HARDWATER]

B mac, thanks for the info..i'm going out on sunday morning i will let you all know how i did...

[B mac]

Bring plenty of minnows because the perch will drive you nuts all day!!!

[B mac]

Tip-ups have worked for me in the past on OT..but the fish seem to bite pretty light. You really need to adjust the tip-up with some home remedies to make them go off with the slightest tug. When the flag goes up, you'll need to jig the line to make the fish finally bite. They'll be there, but they certainly won't hook themself! Minnows have worked the best for me for perch...but others have suggested wax worms too. Most of the walleyes are small and I haven't found spoons to out-produce bare hooks of different glow colors. I'm assuming most guys are moving to deeper water now, but every year there are always a few who stay in 8-12 ft. all season and consistently catch fish. Perch will be stacked up on any steep break out in the mid-lake area. Walleyes will follow shortly before dark. After dark, 99% of people fishing will head for home.

[ironman]

Nice to hear from you squid. I'm planning a trip up to low myself in the beginning of Feb. I was fishing on the north end...just south of Walker Lake channel. Going to be up there...probably anyways...next weekend. Maybe I'll see some of you there.

[B mac]

Squid or Ironman,

Just curious what kind of size walleyes you are catching on OT? I wouldn't mind comparing notes with someone!

[Squid]

B Mac - Quite a few are on the small side but there's a good number of eaters in the 15-17" range. Haven't caught the big one out of there yet, but that's the hope that keeps all fishermen coming back.

[ironman]

I havn't had too much experience on OT, I just started seriously fishing it last year. But it's starting to come together. My last time out, as I reported before, I caught a 24" and a 21" with lots of smaller ones. 24" isn't huge...but its pretty nice. How about a current update from someone....huh? I'm headed back this coming weekend....looking for a game plan.

[jt24]

Well just got back from OT and the fishing and the conditions could have been alot better! Was in 10' of water because thats what one bait shop suggested for perch and walleyes. Just had mostly perch action which was ok for my 5 year old. Werent much for size. Should have went with my gut and went to deep water but oh well. Was out in a portable on saturday and sunday and boy i wish i would have brought my permanant!! I heard walleyes being caught from 9' to 50'. Not sure how much is true? Well thats my report if ya call it one. Way to cold is all i know! But it was fishing!!!

[ironman]

I think walleyes bite all year round between 9 and 50 feet. Not really narrowing it down much. I would err on the deeper side this time of year. btw...anyone else going to be out there this weekend?

[jerkin'm]

Will be out this weekend battling all the other bozo's w/no clue that love driving up to you and plopping down on top of your holes and saying they have the spot on their gps too. (happens continuously) Is OT just now getting more talked about or what? I can't believe how it has changed out there the last couple years. Anyone else notice this Minnetonka type attitude out there?

[Brett Meyer]

i don't know about that either, maybe they just realeased a gps map in the last few years. I know I have used the map exclusivley this year to find new spots, yet i always find a spot out by myself. I haven't been out to my house for a couple weeks so i guess we'll se if i have any new neighbors this weekend.

[jcbh]

Jerkin'm, I'm glad you put that post up. It has been a frusterating year with the same situation. 3 houses over the winter have decided to plop down within 20'. I made one mistake when a young guy was looking to borrow some auger gas, which I lent him at no charge, but my buddy and I had our 6 nice walleyes from that morning laying on the ice, after all there was no one else around. The next weekend, guess whose truck and permanent house were right out my front door. North Dakota plates as well. I have a small problem with not being able to duck or pheasant hunt over there year round, so I dont see any reason they should be able to fish year round, a whole different issue. I realize that the lake is there for everyone to enjoy, and the actual law says 10', but on a lake that is 14,750 acres with thousands of breaks, you would think someone could find there own spot. The gps excuse is a lame one, if someone got the spot before you, find a different one. I really do not want to move, because the fishing has been very steady, with many nice fish this winter. I will try sat, but if there is nothing but trucks and tip-ups all around the house, I will have to try a different spot.

[Jigging Bob]

JCBH,
I agree with you 100% on the people fishing to close. There is no reason for it. There is plenty of lake to go around. What gets me is when I go out to my icehouse and someone has tip up holes drilled 2' from your house while you were gone, I have had that happen plenty of times.
I disagree to an extent on what you said about North Dakotan's fishing all season. I have lived in Minnesota for all my life until this year. I had to move to ND for my work instead of driving everyday. I hunt,Fish and do everything in Minnesota. My parents lake cabin and their regular home are in MN always will be. I am in Minnesota every chance I get. I pay the higher rates for licenses to fish/hunt Minnesota when I am already a Minnesotan in my eyes. I can hardly hunt because I live in North Dakota. I payed $145.00 to hunt 2 days 1 mile away from my home where I grew up and parents currently live. I would love to hunt more but I simply can't afford it. I don't hunt ND because I have no land there. I have set up food plots (in MN) for the deer in the off season so they have food. We are putting a CRP up with the help of DNR on a couple of our feilds. I am not complaining about anything. I just don't think it is right to say all North Dakotans shouldn't fish/hunt here. Some of us do alot for Minnesota fishing & Hunting there.
It is bull____ on ND bird hunting though I am going to give you that though. They should have all the same laws as Minnesota has for out of state people.
Just my 2 cents. Sorry to seem angry just thought I could let you know not all us ND's are bad to have around. Good luck fishing and I hope you don't get pushed out of your honeyhole.

[jcbh]

Jiggin Bob,

Well put. I know Ottertail County is a tourist area and we are thankful for all of the people that come here to spend money, many peoples incomes depend on it. It is the new North Dakota non-resident rules that get me going a little, not the residents. I used to enjoy heading to the Devils Lake area for some great duck hunting, but I would go based on the weather, and whether there were local ducks around here, not by what weekend I told the state 2 months earlier. It's good to know that some of the residents don't care for the rule much either. I do think that Minnesota needs to have some type of retalliation to those rules, and it would definately negatively affect some good people, but their rules have definately affected some good people here that would go west and spend their money. Perhaps then, lawmakers would be hassled, and the rules could be changed back to be the same for both. Granted the fees would be higher for non-residents, but thats because you dont pay state taxes there. I have no problem paying the $100 or so that I used to for the license, but I dont feel that I should have to miss pheasant opener or set up my weekends long before I know when the ducks will be there.

[jerkin'm]

Glad to see I'm not alone when it comes to being annoyed by peoples newfound brazen attitutde toward camping on top of you. There are ton's of fish filled acres out there waiting to be fished-those unmolested schools are a blast until one person sees you set the hook and then the jig is up-so beware the cruisers driving slooooowly or they will join you, like it or not. (The worst part is we will have two portables, the kiss of death)

[Jigging Bob]

I have started to through my nice fish in a five gallon bucket with a cover on it. Play dumb, "fish, haven't caught any here, we are about to move". I found the annoying neibor thing works to. Keep going over to their house and bugging them. Ask stupid annoying questions. The get mad and leave eventually. It always cracks me up to see how much of a scavanger some of these fisherman can get to be. They lose the whole asspect of ice fishing. I am out trying to relax out on the ice on a nice spot I worked hard to locate and someone always has to bother a guy. Kind of like laying in a hammock in the summer and there are a bunch of annoying flys biting your ankles so you can't completely relax and fall asleep.
Good luck guys sounds like it is going to be a chilly one this weekend. Better bring out the wiskey to keep warm.

[brdmac]

All of this ND stuff is getting a little offensive. I pay my share of taxes considering I own lake property in Minnesota. If you own property and pay the same taxes as do I in ND, you have EVERY right to the same hunting privelages as I do. Please make sure to compare apples to apples as well. ND give out of state people as good if not better access to ND fishing than the ND residents receive when they travel out of state. It costs my family significantly more to fish in MINN than it does for your family to caome and fish in ND. I pay plenty of taxes on my lake property and provide revenue to the state in the form of gas, bait, food literally YEAR round in Minnesota. How much revenue is ND missing out on by not allowing out of state people for a few weekends? I agree, if Minnesota would like to counter witht he exact same types of regulations on their out of atate hunting, they have every right. With the pheasant numbers rebounding in the southern half of Minnesota, I see more regulation coming. There is no simple answer, I just hope the officials work together to manage the situation. ABout the Fish house situation. This actually happened to me this year. I fish on a lake in the Ottertail area in pretty much the same spot for several weekends. Not on any map, and it is not a known spot by anybody, my little honey hole. I had a guy that lives on the lake stop by and ask to use the auger, I said no problem, he asked what I was catching, I played it doen a bit but did not lie. The next morning, you guessed it, an 8x16 shack AND a smaller shack with his friends were sitting in my exact spot. (They actually used one of my holes for their corner hole of the shack.) Not much I can do, I do not accuse every Minn resident of being bad sportsman because this guy did something a little on the mean side, but he had every right. Gee wiz, I wish I could legally have a permanant shack in Minnesota to protect the spots that I work so hard to find.

[jcbh]

I agree that if you own property, and pay non homestead tax here, that you should be allowed the full rights of a year round resident, including a permanent house.

[ironman]

Well I guess I'll see if anything happens on my sopt this weekend. The last time I was out, three teenagers were looking around the hump I was on. I was headed into town for more bait , and asked them what depth they where trying to find. They said they were looking for some kind of structure. They were walking all over the structure...I dont know what, specifically, they were looking for. I basically told them that I was doing alright where I was, and that if they just moved deeper from the spot there house was now..they would probably do good. They seemed to take the advice. I guess this weekend if there is someone on my spot...I'll have learned my leason. I just like being helpfull. I like to catch fish and I like it when other people do too. Fortunetly for me..the spot I'm on is a small spot in between to large spots..so they get all the attention. Two years on this one and no company yet. we even had two portables up last time...got lucky I guess. As for the ND/MN border battle, lets hope it gets solved fast. The worst thing to happen is moth sides get stubborn and we suffer. Just like with canada...oh you can fish here...but you cant take anything back. What a joke. The more accomadating you are to them...the more they will be in return to you. Sounds an awful lot like the golden rule doesn't it? Seems like a simple solution to me. When politics gets involved it seems it rarely is.

[Brett Meyer]

that ND MN issue is kinda tuff to deal with but hopefully for the benefit of both states they can get something figured out.

Does anyone have good news about the fishing situation on OT. Going out this weekend to fish in my big house, and just wondering how anyone was doing.

[Trapdoc]

About this ND situation. A far as I am concerned I think all states should have the law that non Res Lic are double the Res. Lic. That would stop them from taking it out on non res. We are all americans! We need to work together as sportsman. If not we are going to ruin it for everyone. Everyone wants to take rights away from the other guy, lets try and make things better for everyone.

[jerkin'm]

I don't care where you are from, just practice what we preach and everything will be better for everyone. All we all want is a little elbow room in our forays. Comparing notes is fun though.

[Paul Rohweller]

Heres a piece of paper handed to me by a higher up power. I'll touch the highpoints.
Based on a university of minnesota extension survey the number of resorts went from 2527 in 1970 to 1193 in 1999.
Why you should be concerened...
Many resorts that are sold are no longer operated as resorts because the land value is way more than the resort can cash flow in a season or lifetime of seasopns.
Yes some change is probably inevitable BUT
A200/2001 university on minnesota study that showed seasonal homes VS resort/commercial cabins showed some alarming spending patterns.
A. Seasonal cabin owners spend on average 2 weeks at their residence. A resort cabin be filled 10 to 13 weeks, creating in exess of 5.7 times the revenue spent by a seasonal resident EXCLUDING lodging.
B On Average each cabin at a resort supports guest expenditures of $20000 to $21000 per cabin per season (not including lodging again). This compares to approximately $3500
spent on average by the sesonal cabin owner. Based on these numbers it would take 60 private cabins to replace the lost revenue from a 10 cabin resort.
KInda makes a guy look differently at purchasing a piece of an old resort. Paul

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Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
[email protected]
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle, Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
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http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie