Deer Lake

[Guest]

I could use some info on Deer Lake, the one by county road 19, If anyone can help me.

I've never fished it before, but looking at the map, it looks promising. I've heard its a very cleer lake, so I assume It's more of a morning and evening bite.

Lots of mid lake humps. Would they be good for both walleye and crappies? What about sunfish?

Any help would be great

Thanks

[bmc]

I'm planning on trying it in the near future for 'eyes and probably late ice for 'gills and crappies. I don't believe there's many crappies in there, but have heard rumors. I don't think I'd drive a vehicle on the lake, a four wheeler or snowmobile would be a safer bet....I've heard there's springs out there. I think the best 'gill fishing would be right in the access bay area, a guy may find a few crappies in there as well. It's on my list of lakes to fish this winter. I'll let ya' know if I have any luck. The water is extremely clear, so keep that in mind. Ken's reef would probably be the spot to start for 'eyes. It's the hump east of Battleship Island.

bmc

[Guest]

About the only tried and true approach on Deer is to fish the deep humps 20 to 40 feet on top and be sure you fish prime time every day. Before daylight in the morning and for a few hours in the evening each day. It's one of those lakes where the fish will be there when you find a spot, but the spots get burned out really fast. It would be best to find a half dozen humps or even a steep point or two on the edge of deep water and fish a different spot on each trip out there.
A good friend of mine had a great hump a few years ago and put a permanent house out. After he worked that hump all winter, he has never caught another fish on it.

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The Early Bird-Jeff Sundin
Early Bird Fishing Guide Service
Phone: 218-246-2375
North-Central Minnesota
Lakes Country
E-mail: [email protected]

[jigglestick]

jeff, what are you saying, you don't actualy believe this hump is off limits to new fish now that he caught them all do you? you know walleyes , are schooling fish, as well as wandering nomads. if they find that hump, and there is bait fish on it, or crawdads, or anything a walleye finds tasty, they will be there.
i do agree about the wandering around and trying new spots, as to not burn out an area, but each year, they are just as plentiful as they were the year(s) before.

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keep your stick on the ice!! jigglestick I.B.O.T.#5 have you clamped today???

[Guest]

I don't believe the spot is off limits at all. More fish will eventually find it.

But, what I do believe is that there are a couple of hundred good spots on that lake and not enough fish to fill them all. In reality, these schools of (adult) fish start as small groups that just sort of find each other while they're feeding. Over time, the school gets larger and more stable, remaining on a structure for longer periods of time provided that there is ample food there. If you work a spot really hard and really thin it out, the whole process has to start again and it will take some considerable time before that will be a good spot again. If a lake has an abundance of fish, this happens quikly, if the fish population is out of balance (as it is on Deer Lake, It will take longer.

I believe that if you catch fish on a spot once or twice and then leave it alone for a while, the remaining group of fish will stay and therefore continue attracting new fish to that school.
I also believe that we can minimize our impact on the fishery by moving around a lot and not overharvesting our own fishing spots. Some folks would rather catch them all and then move on to another spot, lake or whatever. This is a matter of personal belief and personal preferences. I tend to take a long term view of fishing and I'd like to believe that we can learn how to maintain long term stability of a fishery, rather than the boom and bust cycles that we go through now.

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The Early Bird-Jeff Sundin
Early Bird Fishing Guide Service
Phone: 218-246-2375
North-Central Minnesota
Lakes Country
E-mail: [email protected]

[jigglestick]

jeff, thank you, i was getting the wrong impression i guess. your philosophy, is on par with what i believe. though i will say, that a certain size/age, from what i have expeiienced, the larger walleyes tend to be less of a schooling fish, and more of a wanderer or loner. from snorkeling i would notice schooling walleyes, tended to be anywhere from very small to maybe a couple pounds or even three. i have not seen schools of 4 pound fish. i think this is why on moose for example, the fish never seem to grow. i know better, but year after year on the same spots we fish year after year, the fish always seem to be the same size as we have always caught. maybe these fish in the 12 to 20 inch class, stick to these staging spots til they get large enough to feel confident roaming in open waters chasing shiners or ciscoes. there are large predators in these waters
i too wander from hump to hump all winter. some times only fishing these spots a few times. i just like to expand my knowledge of the lake, it's fish, and their habits each year. i highly suggest to others to do the same. it will keep you on a fresh bite all winter, with new fish, ready for action.

i think i will get back into snorkeling again. it's a very useful tool for finding fish, and seeing just what lies beneath the surface. can't beat a dip in tha water on a hot july afternoon

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i'd rather have a bottle in front of me than have a frontal lobotamy!! jigglestick I.B.O.T.#5 have you clamped today???