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Well friends, the Island Lake discussion has been rather sparse these past weeks. I'm getting ready to head up that way on 8/22. So what's the scoop. Is Island in the typical mid-summer doldrums? Has the water level improved from early June.

In most years late August usually has the walleye and perch widely scattered around the lake. There is often a good walleye bite around dusk. But every year seems to be different in one way or another.

If anyone has been out or will be between now and August 21 I'd appreciate a brief report.

Thanks so much,

Indiana Mike

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Mike,
Haven't been fishin on Island for a while. Was up over the 4th of July and it was still on the slow side. Caught my meal of 2 eyes off the dock that weekend. Was there once since but it was a cabin working Sat. so I left the boat at home. I'll miss you when you're up this next time. It's a project weekend at our deer shack by LOW. I may get there the weekend before you. If I do I will post my results. Have a great week up here again.

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Haven't been fishing much, but I do know the water level is up a bit. Plenty of rain in the last few weeks.

I've heard (but not seen mind you) that a few people have done pretty well right at dusk. I'll give it a whorl in the next few days and let you know the results.

Craig

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Fivebucks,

Sorry we wont be able to hook up on this trip. I'll swing by the cabin and check on your progress.

I'm traveling solo this time as the wife is back in school with the 4th graders. That gives me the ability to try different fishing techniques, such as crankbaits and trolling Lindy rigs or bottom bouncers. I ususally stillfish or jig when the wife is along.

Craig,

I expected by now you would have Island all figured out. wink.gif Are you located up in the NW bay near the public access? Is there still property available with lake access? Are you a year-round resident? I'm a few years away from retirement and have been thinking about a place on the Lake. I've never visited during the hard-water season though. I don't know if the wife and I can handle the long cold winters.

How bad are the mosquitoes now with all the rain? They are terrible down here. About as bad as I can remember. Everyone is concerned about West Nile. There have been a few cases reported.

Thanks for posting. I wont be until 8/21 if you have any additional reports to post.

If you'll be around the last week of August I'd be happy to look you up and say hello. I'll buy you an ice cream at the Black Bear or share a cold one.

Best regards,

Indiana Mike

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Hey Indiana, I'll be going up on the 14th for 17 days myself. My in-laws live on moose and we'll stay there, with a few side trips to gilstead and others. We haven't been up since the first week in June and the eye bite was slow then, maybe they'll like my cranks better this time . have a safe trip.

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I'd a thought I'd figure it out by now too, but beginning to think I'm an idiot (the wife tells me so anyway!). I'm afraid I'm still not having much luck, but got a hot tip yesterday - says 15 to 20 feet deep - no specific location. Folks are a bit tight lipped with the info around here!

And yup, tan house blue roof - north of the access. We're year rounders - and the mosquito's have been almost non-existent this year. Yellow jackets, on the other hand chewed a few holes in me and the kid last night! A word to the wise - don't hit hornets nests with a weed whip! It's drying out again too. I'll report if anything breaks loose. Stop by anytime.

Craig

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Craig,
It looks like I've been an idiot most of the year also. It's been a tough 1-2 years on the lake for the eyes. Oh well, it's better to fish than to work.

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Fished the night before last and got two clams, a crawdad and a nice 22" walleye. Seafood platter! With this stable weather, I think things mught be looking up. I'd think deep.

Craig

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I may be on the lake Sat. for a few hours and some more Sun. morning. Not sure if I'm pulling the boat up yet, I need to fix a couple of things first tonight b/4 leaving tomorrow. If the boat comes up I'll post on Monday.

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Boat trailer got fixed last night so I'll be on the lake some this weekend. Craig, if you're out boating around and get over to the SE side, you'll see my boat at the dock (unless I'm fishing - Red Pro-V). We are imeadiately east of Spook Island on the wooded point. Stop on by if it works. I don't get on your side of the lake much except for landing the boat but I think I know which place it is. If I see someone being chased by hornets I know I've found the right place.

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Well, I didn't work too hard on cabin projects over the weekend - too darn hot. I got out on the water and had enough action to keep me on the water. Picked up a few eyes trolling spinners. The key depth seemed to be right around 20'. It was good to meet you Craig S. I'll stop on by over Labor Day weekend and have a cold one with you. The lake has a good algea bloom going (as usual this time of year) so we had to hit Moose Lake to take a quick swim. Good luck this upcoming weekend Indiana Mike. Get yourself some spinners and a setup to get you down to 20'. Don't worry about going nice and slow, I was backtrollin with my 75 hp and that speed seemed to work fine enough. I tried slowing down with my drift sock but seemed to get fewer bites. Lost a few spinners on northerns also and picked up a perch here and there. Leeches and half crawlers were the baits I had so that's what I used.

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Aye, there is a little bit of a bite building! What size bottom bouncer did you use fivebucks?

As for that algae bloom, it's piled up 6" on my beach and stinks. Maybe there's a dead fish tied up in there someplace. Hope the hornets dislike the smell and move on.

I'll put a bud on ice.

Craig and kiddo

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Fivebucks / Craig,

It sounds like spinners weighted with 1 oz. keel sinkers or bottom bouncers will be the rig of choice for next week. I better stock up before Friday.

Thanks a bunch for posting these past couple of weeks. I won't be waisting a lot of time in the shallows now that I know to focus on the depths.

I hope the weather cools off a little. The forecast calls for a change this weekend. Of course that may effect the fishing if the change is too drastic.

Sorry I can't be there Labor Day weekend to see you guys but I'll be pulling out before 8:00 AM on Saturday (8/30) morning for the 12 hour drive back home. With the season opener a week later next year my reservation will be pushed back to the first week of September. I prefer the later week as the water temp usually starts to cool down some at that time and the fish start to return to the shallows.

Well I better go inventory those spinners.

Thanks again.

Indiana Mike

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Craig and Indiana,
I was using a 1 3/8oz bouncer and I was getting down OK except trolling with the wind I probably went a little fast cause I seemed to notice most of the bites came against the wind on Sunday. Saturday it was calm and I was getting down. A little more weight might be OK as I had to sometimes let out a little more line than a 45 degree angle. I didn't mind it though cause you snagged less when you came up into shallower water.

Indiana Mike,
Have a great week up on Island again. Keep moving until you get into some active fish. Feel free to stop in and take a break from the sun as you go near my place.

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Gotta go clean a fish. Fairly slow tonight. Kiddo's at camp, and wasn't able to help. **** rock bass love a leech!

Craig

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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought I would wrap up this thread by reporting on my trip. I arrived at Island Lake late in the afternoon on 8/22. I didn't catch my fist keeper's, a few 10" perch, until the afternoon of 8/24. During the week we had several rounds of thunderstorms, some severe, and strong winds from the W and NW, alternating with clear skies and flat calm. Fishing was tough at best. For the week only five walleye were caught at the resort. These were caught trolling mostly at sunset.
Perch and smallmouth with an occassional northern rounded out the week. But catches were small, only two or three fish caught in a session.

Trolling, jigging and still fishing, deep and shallow, didn't seem to make much of a difference. Most fish were caught on a tight line right in or near the reeds. Not my favorite type of fishing.

We caught many 2 - 3" perch and 4 - 6" smallies. There seems to be a lot of food around for the larger fish to eat.

Fishing the bridge at Dora Lake saved the week. There was good action for perch, bluegill, crappie and rockbass. Bullhead were abundant for those so inclined. We also saw the occassional northern and walleye caught off the bridge. There was virtually no current in the river.

Well, that's my report. Not my most successful week but I always enjoy my visits to Island Lake and this was no exception. Better luck next year, as they say.

Good fishing to all on the forum. Have a safe and productive winter. See you next June.

Indiana Mike

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Just got back from Island for the long weekend. It was good to see you again Mike, thanks for stopping by before you left. Craig, sorry I didn't get by to your place. The timing never quite worked on my end. Finished a project and then had 2 hours to fish so I had to fish. It went like that all weekend. I'll let you know when I'm up next and maybe we can hitch up and I can see you place.

I had so-so luck fishing. Caught enough big perch for a meal topped off with a 17" eye. I missed a couple more nicer fish. Guess I should have sharpened the hook earlier. Fun weekend.

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Well five, I was out of town most of the weekend anyway. We built the worlds largest deer stand! It's a spectacle.

Fishing has been O.K. for me. A walligator every hour and a half or so. A few pretty darn nice ones. It kind of stretches the patience, but the beer tastes the same.

Craig

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Fivebucks / Craig,

I have to tip my hat to the both of you. Local talent wins out over the Indiana carpetbagger. Now you've given me something to think about all winter.

Keep posting guys. Hope we can all get together in June.

Best regards,

Indiana Mike

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Sounds like the Eye's are still pretty tough, but one every hour or so is certainly better than it's been. Do you think things will improve this fall, say beginning of October? What's your feeling?
I'm planning a trip back up there, but was thinking about stopping short of Northome around Bowstring/Jesse area to bounce around those lakes. May drive the extra 30/45 minutes if things are going better. Love that lake. Keep the updates coming.
Thanks,
Dan

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Crappie, I can't really help you there. I'm new to this lake myself, but will post if things look up. (well maybe)

Craig

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Crappie~Last year was our first full year here, and the fishing on Island had slowed down in the late summer but the wally bite started picking up for our folks around the last week in September and folks were fishing it and catching some decent eyes through the third week in October.

------------------
Drake Motel
drakemotel.com
(888)253-8501
[email protected]

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Hey Craig,
Can you e-mail me at [email protected] I have a non-fishing questions for you. (work related for you). That way I can get you e-mail address. Thanks. Heading to the deer land this weekend and some questions related to that.

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