Ottertail Update

[HOF#13]

Hey all,
I'm back from my week of fishin' and relaxin' up at Ottertail...As promised here is my unprofessional report on my success.

Last week the weather warmed up and the fishing seemed to quiet down a lot. I wouldn't say the fishing was poor for everyone, but for my skill level it was poor anyhow.

I fished a lot of the mid-lake humps ranging from 17' to 35' with very little luck. Used mostly lindy rigs with leeches. We also fished the deep sides of the weed edges in 12' to 17'. We again tried the lindy rigs, but also trolled crawler/spinners, crank baits, and slip bobbers/minnows. We also tried the night bite by trolling shad raps in the shallows...Again, had a good time but very few fish. Like I said earlier, for MY skill level it was the poorest week of fishing I have had up there in 15 years.

But hey...I'm not complaining though. That's how it goes. It was still one heck of a good time, and 100 times better than being at work.

Jason

[fishlakeman]

I was up on OT during the past weekend and also had poor success. I only fished a couple hours on Sat and Monday, but only got one walleye. Thats the worst I've done there in years. Tried lots of structure and different depths and presentations in the time I had, but to no prevail. Saw the most walleyes on the Aqua View ever, but they were extremely lazy. I think the cold front had large part to do with it. 17 feet was the key depth for locating walleyes.

[Fishin' Man]

I haven't been on OT for about two weeks. When I was out there the key was early. We got on the water about 6:45 and the fish were biting the moment we got there. We brought Shinners and Redtails. Red Tails outfished Shinners 3 fish to one bite. Was using 7 foot snells with green bead. We ended up getting 9 walleyes during the morning, 1 northern (29") and two jumbo perch. Walleye's weren't huge but were nice to eat. Buddy did lose one nice fish that spit the hook about 20 feet from the boat saw sinker but didn't see fish. All the boats around us were having no action at all. They would fish right next to us using leeches, crawlers, and suckers but didn't have any actions. Bites were very very light. Some of the walleye's were not even hooked they were just holding onto the minnow still. I hope the action gets better since I plan on heading down there this weekend. Well that's my two bits worth.

[Shwangman]

Hey Jason, we had the same luck or probably worst, 3 guys totaling 2 walleyes and the sad partis that we put alot of time on the lake and even went to Battle Lake but, the weather was great and it is nice just to talk to friends and family when the fishing was so bad and tip a few. Heading back in September for a rematch with old willie the walleye.

[HOF#13]

I was wondering how you did out there last week. Sorry to hear it was as poor as we did. Our tally for the week was 2 13" walleyes, 2 northerns, and 2 crappies. Plus, the tiny perch a guy always seems to catch. Although, we didn't even catch too many of those.

Your right though...the weather was very nice. So I can't complain. Still had a great time.

Jason

[floating minnow]

Hey guys

I just thought I'd let you know the fishing has been tough for many other anglers on OT.The lake has had it's moments when the weather is stable but overall I'm getting my butt kicked.I've caught a few very nice fish the last couple weekends but this is the time of the year I expect the bite to be hot.I thought I had the lake somewhat figured out the last couple years but I have found out differently.I was out this past Monday and seemed to have the lake pretty much to myself which tells me the fishing is tough for many a fisherman.I still really enjoy being out there and it gives me a chance to try some new things and look for some new spots.

Take care
Bruce

[Squid]

Won't be able to make it up this weekend but the results look pretty much the same I experienced last week. Mostly lots of opportunity but not much for results. I had one whole afternoon and evening with only 3 small 'eyes and a bunch of perch. Speaking of perch I dropped the camera down and I might as well have been on Mille Lacs. There were perch no matter which direction the camera was pointed. Has anyone else found this on Ottertail? It looks like 2002-2003 must of been banner years for perch on a lot of lakes.

[Fishin' Man]

Was out on OT last night was fishing a spot didn't see a single person around and all of a son there were four other boats surrounding us. I am getting sick and tired of having to yell at people not to run over our lines. Last three times I have been out there I have had to yell each time cause some person is running there outboard and circilling us the whole time. Can't people find other spots? The lake is big enough yet some people enjoy a little privacy while there fishing. We caught two walleye's last night and four perch. Anyone else have any luck? Good luck fishing and try not to run other people off there spots.

[SEwalleye]

Well guys, I will concur with the reports above. Spent July 2nd through the 11th at the cabin on OT. Fishing was extremely slow. We did manange to catch about 10-12 decent walleyes over the course of the week (5 of us). What do we really expect when oneday we turned the heat on in the cabin because it is cold and a couple days later you're sweating due to the heat. I think the fish are as confused as we are, but I always have fun trying.

[Bluejay Bait]

Night trolled OT twice in the past week and man o man was it slow. Caught 1 eye and the rest of the time i was having trouble staying awake. Water temps are just to cold for them to come up to the flats at night yet. Weather was really a bummer last week.

[fishlakeman]

I share your guy's frustrations regarding the pack fisherman that surround you. I do most of my fishing in the metro and the fishermen are even better down here than they are on OT. I don't understand it. What I really don't understand is when I was fishing OT while a tournament was going on, and the TOURNAMENT FISHERMEN were were the worst group fishermen I have ever seen!!! I was all alone in a spot when a guy pulled up within 10 feet in his Warrior and followed my troll line! His wake nearly capsized my 16 ft deep V Lund Predator. 4 boat were in the pack after 10 minutes. Aren't tournament fisherman usually responsible/respectful anglers or am I wrong? And if they can't find a spot on there own on OT, then they shouldn't be fishing.The funny thing is that we went 200 yards down from the pack on the structure and caught a 26" and a 29" walleye. He He

[Shwangman]

Well Jason, I'm glad we were not the only people not catching fish. One thing that did happen to me that was a bummer, I had a northern hit my bait while dangleing over the side and took my fishing over the side! I was down all week, that i lost my best rod but on Friday we were fishing in the same spot and the guy I was with, caught the rod and the fish was still on after 4 days, someone was watching down from above when that happen.

[Fishin' Man]

I agree with fishlakeman, I have been fishing a spot and this big White Lund with two guys will come up and **** near hit my boat. Wether it is a tournament or not. He came in one day so fast that he had to crank his back troller to try not to hit my boat. I stopped waiting for the ***** to hit me so I could file a complaint. It is a big White Lund with usually a skinner and a big ***** controling the boat so just watch out for those two. I don't mind if a person that lives on the lake comes out drops a line and slowly trols around that is fishing but when a person runs the big motor and goes around to each of your marker bouyes to see what brand they are that is where I draw the line. The lake is huge heck I fish a mile out there is plent of shore line to fish don't crowd me out of my spot when I have been there all day trying to get a meal for my family. BACK OFF PEOPLE. I will not fish that lake when a tournament is going on because I swear the fishermen think because they are in the tournament that they own the lake and can do whatever they want. What officials should do is if a boat has a complaint they should be docked either time to fish or big fish for the day. It is crazy the way people act and control there boat during tournaments if officials wont control it nothing will be done. Make some consequences for *****s that want to play demo boats out there.

Here is a question for ya all.

I have fished that lake many many times and have never seen a boat patrol on the water. I have seen the boat and truck at the access sitting in the corner doing nothing. Why isn't there more enforcement on that lake? It is a big lake and I don't care if they just go looking for life jackets but someone needs to be out on that lake doing something to try and make it safer and try to uphold some of the boating regulations. I'm done complaining for a little bit. Good luck fishing and please comment on what ya think.

Good Luck Fishing

[Jigging Bob]

I agree with fishin'man, DNR needs to be on the larger lakes more.
I won't even fish Ottertail anymore. There is so much commotion on that lake lately you can't even fish it. Between all the people skiing and zooming around looking for fishing spots. That is why I stay on the smaller lakes in the area. But it kills me when I am out on smaller lakes and I get pulled over and checked when there are only maybe 5 other boats on the whole lake and none of us are doing anything wrong.

I always have a oar in my boat for when those type of guys reach the land if any of you want to borrow it. A couple good hits across the back of the head make people learn not to drive so close. LOL

[bigbucks]

It's not just Ottertail. My partner & I were fishing the Osakis tourney a month ago & late in the day we pulled up on a spot we'd prefished a lot & had hit late the day before. It was basically empty when we got there. We're fishing maybe 5 minutes, and a boat motors up circles us about half throttle close enough to talk to us, says something smart about coming in just like yesterday or something & starts fishing right by us. I'd never seen them before, they may have been on the spot the previous day when we got there, but we sure didn't bust in on them or do anything remotely like what they did to us. I'm not sure if they thought we were somebody else or not, but it was rude.

I also don't understand why somebody puts a marker out & leaves it on a spot, once other boats start fishing a spot. Sure somebody may come fish by your marker, but don't be mad at them for it, they may have fished that spot for 10 years. We've had that happen many times where we're two miles from a spot & we decide to go there & get there & there's room to fish along with other boats, but somebody has their stinking marker in the way, so it's just harder for everybody to fish. Some spots are too small for many boats, so if you see that, you just go somewhere else, but some spots aren't too small, anyway just rambling. Some other boater's etiquette, or lack of it really gets me going.

[ChuckN]

Fishin Man,
I have a friend who has been doing water patrol in OT County for several years. I talked with him last night about your concerns.

From what I understand as far as the boat/truck parked at the access, that is a practice the sheriff's department uses to keep a boat centralized in the county for emergency use. Say there was a major boat accident on OT (or wherever) and all of the water patrol officers are many miles away patrolling one of the 1,000 lakes in the county. That boat is there for a deputy or whoever to use. It is also common for water patrol to team up and they need to park one's vehicle somewhere, why not in the middle of the county..

That is a huge lake. Water patrol is out there. It is also a huge county with way too many lakes to cover IMO.

Unfortunately, I know about the crowding issues with people who swarm fishing boats and trying to take over spots. It happens, but there is nothing the sheriff can really do about a guy trolling too close or making waves while your fishing. If a boat driver was intoxicated or reckless, that's a different story.

[Fishin' Man]

I know the water patrol is working hard and are understaffed but the day I saw them they were both sitting in the truck at the far corner of the access. Maybe it was lunch break or something I don't know but that is the only time I have seen any kinda of a law enforcement activity. I just wish that there would be more activity on the water. I know they are understaffed but I have lived in ottertail county and fished in the county for most of my life and I have been checked by a OT Sherrif once in my life and that was when I was young and all they did was ask for life jackets. I just wish at times that there were more officers out on patrol but I also can understand that the State is low on money and the state has thousands of lakes on it to patrol but if everyone were to run into a officer every so often then we would be complaining about the over patrol of officers on the lakes and water ways. Anyone been out fishing and caught anything lately? Good Luck Fishing

[eelpout#1]

Naw, that is what we like to call the "donut patrol". I fish Ottertail alot and can count on one hand the number of times that boat has been on the water. Their favorite spot is in the far corner of the Pelican Bay Access under the shade tree. Somedays the donut patrol has multiple units stationed in that very dangerous parking lot. I will bet money that the next time you go by there or access there, that their boat is still on the trailer. I wonder if it is actually a boat or is it a decoy. That is a prime example of your tax money being spent wisely. What a job, I wish I could apply for one. Naw I'd get bored and go fishing!!!