Weekend Report

[Team Otter]

Well, I thought I would share my weekend report, for whatever it is worth.

I fished Washington Saturday and this morning. My plan was to target crappies and also a few bonus 'eyes.

Saturday morning (1-8-05), I set up about 5:30 am in 32' of water. I had my deadstick rigged with a forage minnow/crappie minnow combo only 12' down under a float. This was my suspended walleye rig. I jigged with a 1/32 oz techno-glo tear drop jig and a waxie for the crappies. I caught 2 nice 16" walleyes before 6:30 am and then that was it for the 'eyes. Always fun to get those suspended 'eyes. I also found the crappies to be very finicky but did manage 10 crappies between 10 - 12" and was home by 10:00 am.

This morning (1-9-05), I set up by 5:30 am in 28' of water and was strictly focused on crappies. I was hoping for nicer sized crappies in slightly shallower water. It turned out that I was right. I used the same forage minnow only I tipped it with a waxie and also used my same jigging rig as on Saturday morning. For me, the crappies were very aggressive this morning and the size was much better than Saturday morning. I kept 10 crappies this morning and they were all between 11 - 12" and thicker. Nice fish by anyone's standard.

A good weekend for me but it doesn't always go that way. I have a friend that lives on Washington who did real well on walleyes this weekend on the lake. He was fishing shallow weed flats in the evenings and just hammering the 14 - 16" fish.

Good Luck and keep your tip up!

[Fish'n guy]

thanks for the info Team Otter. We should hook up some time and do some Crappie fishing out on Washington. It would be great to get some crappies out on Washington or we could hit one of my spots where I have been getting limits with 1 crappie being 14". sorry I can't say the name of the lake on here because it is a very fragile fishery and I have learned what can happen to a small lake with a decent population of slabs. shoot me an e-mail [email protected]

[Team Otter]

Anytime. Glad I could help.

If you're looking for 'eyes on Washington, look shallow in the evenings. I mean less than 7' shallow.

Good luck!

[hogfisher]

Otter,

How late is this evening walleye bite lasting on Washington. I know of a few spots that would probably produce but by the time I get home from work it is dark already. Is anything happening after dark?

[Team Otter]

Hogfisher,

The best bite has been the traditional 30 minutes before and after sundown but the other night we caught fish right up until ~9:00 pm.

Look to areas that had weeds still standing at ice-up. We have been getting our fish about 2' off the bottom in 7' of water or less. In fact, the other night we caught some nice 'eyes between 7:00 - 8:00 pm right underneath the ice. That was pretty crazy!!

Good Luck!

[Browning83]

Otter-Where abouts were you fishing on Washington.....if you dont mind telling me. I was thinking about heading out tonight and trying for some gills and crappies....maybe you can give me a good place to start for them....I was think Bakers Bay or 3rd point. But maybe we could meet up sometime....what kind of rig you got? I have a Grey 04' Silverado with Browning and Foiles decals and have a otter sled. Alright thanks and good luck.

[Crappiechaser]

This past saturday my friend and I limited on Crappies in around 28 feet of water. Just go right in the middle of all the houses on third. But over the week it got slower and slower.

[Team Otter]

Fish 'N' Guy and Browning 83,

I appreciate you asking to join up with me but here's the deal. I have a couple of good friends that I almost always fish with or I spend some time fishing alone. If I were to start taking more and more people to the same areas, these sensitive areas would be ruined because eventually you guys (just like I would probably do) would start bringing your friends and then your friends would start bringing their friends and it goes on and on. I like to share information but I will not give up the exact spot. (probably ever, sorry.)

Crappie Chaser, you're right that you can catch fish by setting up amongst the houses, but I find to have my best luck on all these area lakes staying away from heavy traffic. In fact, I like to fish where the traffic is non-existent.

I'll be out again in the mornings this weekend unless my wife goes into labor. Any day now!

Good luck!

[Browning83]

Otter---come on just tell me......just kiddin. I know exactly what you mean and I understand where you are coming from. I know about friends of friends and people just burn spots out. Well I'll just try different spots around the lake and hopefully get into them.

[Fish'n guy]

I do understand where you are coming form team otter and I would feel pretty bad if people started invading one of your spots and ice augers would be going off at prime time and eventually the crappies would be thinned out. I apologize for asking. GOOD FISHIN!!!!!!!!

[Team Otter]

No need to apologize boys. There's plenty of fish out there for everyone!

For walleyes, look shallow (less than 7') in areas where the weeds were still standing at ice-up. Fish these 'eyes suspended off the bottom and sometimes right under the ice. Keep your set-ups simple, like a plain hook and splitshot type set-up under a float. One more tip...put your lantern right by the hole that you're fishing out of. Extra light serves as an attractant.

For the crappies, stay away from the crowds if you want better quality. Don't be afraid to search around a little. I would go shallower before I went deeper but that's just me. This weekend, I will concentrating on depths between 20 - 25' in hopes for icing some slabs.

Good luck this weekend. I will post another report Sunday pm. Go Vikes!

[Team Otter]

I fished Washington again this morning. Boy, was it cold out there. Much to my surprise, the crappies were very aggressive and the quality was good too. I set up in 24' feet and started catching crappies right away. I caught all my fish on waxies and Northland Tackle forage minnows under a float. The fish were not responsive to jigging at all this morning for me. I sorted through the fish I caught and kept my limit of nice 10 - 12" crappies.

Is that the dinner bell?

Good luck to all.

[Browning83]

Otter---what size forage minnow are you using....the single hook or the small spoon? I did pretty good the other day on crappies....thanks for the info, really appreciate it.

[Team Otter]

I like to use the 1/16 or 1/8 oz single hook forage minnows. This morning, the holigraphic charteuse pattern on one side and glow on the other was hot.

Glad to hear you got into some crappies. I'm happy I could help.

[Team Otter]

Mr Walleye,

First of all, great user name. It doesn't get much better than that.

Now, more importantly, to the tough (very light) bite that you have been experiencing. I would like to suggest a few things if you don't mind.

1. Use waxies on single hook lures. Run the point of the hook up through the "dark" end of the waxie and then leave a "tail" of the waxie hanging off of the back of the hook. Pinch off the "tail" of the waxie. This will constantly emit a juice from the waxie that serves as a scent attractant.

2. If you're fishing before sun-up, as I prefer, put your lantern right by the hole you're fishing out of (or on the floor of your fish house). Extra light also serves as an attractant.

3. Are you recharging your glow lures enough? I like to reel up about every 5 - 10 minutes and give my glow lures a little charge with the Lindy Tazer.

4. One last thing. Try to set up on a patch of snow or cloudy ice. This has proven to make a difference for me time and again, espceially when you know the fish are there but just biting light or not at all.

Good luck!

[mrwalleyee]

I was out on Washington on thur. and fri mornings. Tough for me to get any strikes. I caught all that bit and only ended up with 6 keepers. Was out between third point and grassy island in 28'. Thurs. morning I had fish on the vex for almost an hour and couldn't get anything to bite. Finally got some fish on a glow jig in green and white with just a minnow tail. Had to hold the jig as still as possible above their heads and watch the line. Very light bite. Most of the fish were swimming up with the jig and never moved the rod. Friday morning I tried a little of everything and got one fish on just about everything that I tried. Couldn't find the magic bait though. They moved through about every 15 min. and only stayed for a min. or so and moved out. Going to give it a shot tommarrow morning. Later, Paul

P.S. thanks for all of the reports guys. Keep it up.

[mrwalleyee]

The biggest problem for me was that I was fishing out of a perminent house which I almost never do. I hate to be tied down to one spot. However, it was brutally cold and I was feeling whimpy. I am going to be heading out here in a couple of hours, but I'm feeling braver today. Look for me in a silver Silverado if your out there. I have an older fishtrap II. I haven't decided yet where on the lake that I am going to go, I just got to get the he!! out of here.

As far as lures go, I am a glow man. Always have been always will. My go to baits have usually been "horizantal" jigs with waxies or minnow tails. Seems like my hooking percentage shoots way up when I use this type of bait. Seems to me like it is more of a natural look also.

By "single hooke baits", are you refering to spoons with a single hook instead of a treble hook, or are you talking about jigs. Just curious. Maybe see ya on the water, Later, Paul

[Team Otter]

I hear ya'. Nothing worse than ice fishing in a permanent shack. I flat out won't do it unless I'm out there for reasons other than fishing (i.e. card playing, few cold ones, etc).

Single hook baits are jigs. Sorry about that.

Hope some of my advice helps. Keep me posted!