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Orwell Conditions

MJCatfish
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MJCatfish Proficient

MJCatfish

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Has anyone been to Orwell recently? I'm considering a drive out there on Saturday some time. Just wondering what the conditions were like. Would like to see if the kitties are biting.

Thanks!

MJ

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DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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flows at the ACOE guage are indicating 1350 cfs, pretty high yet. I was thinking about going down tomorrow, but I'm not sure now. It's hard to keep flies down near the bottom when flows are that high.

If I go tomorrow, I'll leave a report here.

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MJCatfish Proficient

MJCatfish

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Deadhead,

If you decide to wait until Saturday and see a couple of jokers grilling burgers, stop by for one.

MJ

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DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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It was a beautiful day out today. I sucked it up and made the drive down this morning, it was worth it. Flows were still running about 1300 cfs, the water was really high.

I was chasing roughies today and caught a few carp on the fly.

carph2odm2.jpg

carphp7.jpg

It was hard to keep the smallies off the line. There was one spot with some nice walleyes too. Couple of small hammer handles as well.

Redhorse were rising like crazy. Saw a couple buffalo (with the suckers) over in the shallows and a dogfish.

No kitties today. The only place I was able to get my flies down in the current was along shore.

Bring the heavy weights tomorrow. Good luck!

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MJCatfish Proficient

MJCatfish

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We had a fun time on Saturday as well. My boy and his buddy managed several suckers on crawlers and even snagged a extra large football (buffalo). It was fun to see all the fish. First time I can remember catching a smallie on a piece of cutbait. The water was moving pretty good, but fishable. What a beautiful day it was also.

MJ

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ibwhnt Collaborator

ibwhnt

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Can't beat being fishing over anything else can you MJ. Glad you guys had a good time sounds like fun. Cats will be hitting soon planning on maken it up this way in May.

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Scoot Grand Master

Scoot

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Ibwhnt, it sounds like MJ had a good time. 'Course, we coulda had a good time too, but didn't get invited. Musta lost our invites in the mail, huh? tongue.gifgrin.gifwink.gif

MJ, you and P-Master definitely in on the trip in June this year? Along with all the other kids and dads, I can't wait... Sounds like there'll be a pretty good herd of us this year.

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MJCatfish Proficient

MJCatfish

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Ooooh Yeah! We are in in June. I don't think I'll be making it up to GF in May, though. I'd love to, but it think it's full already. I sent you the invite, but it must have been sidetracked somewhere. grin.gif

MJ

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DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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Water was still pretty high. There was a fair wind today, and a nice warm sunny day. The fishing was a bit slower than a few weeks ago. Bass are still hard to keep off the hook.

I only saw two buffalo. No carp. ??? confused.gif and only a few redhorse rising. I caught no roughies today. Bummer.

I figured with the warmer water things should start popping done there, but nothing. just some bass and a couple of small walleyes.

I heard a report from the ACOE staff that there were some kitties being caught last weekend.

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poutpro Experienced

poutpro

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A buddy and I caught a 32.5 lb bigmouth buffalo fish yesterday by the dam. It took us a half hour to get it in. We started by the dam, and walked with it all the way down to the first bridge, and finally tuckered it out and got it into that calm water. Also, it was caught on 8 lb test. I'll try to get pics in a few days here.

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MJCatfish Proficient

MJCatfish

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Fished on Saturday evening out there. The water is still moving pretty good through there. Most spots were still quite fishable. Fishing was okay with somes small walleyes and smallies caught and released.

MJ

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DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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Quote:

Fishing was okay with somes small walleyes and smallies caught and released.

sounds like my last trip there a few weeks ago. I've been watching the ACOE guage to see when they reduce flows. That should help congregate fish. Warmer water temps wouldn't hurt either...

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  • 1 month later...
DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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flows dropped down to 1390 cfs this morning. Walleyes were biting hot and heavy. There weren't a lot of fish biting near shore, so I ditched the fly rod and got out my spinning rod. Was chucking a 1/8 oz jig with a 3" white curly tail across the channel and quartering downstream. Most action was upstream of the bridge. I caught a real nice hen walleye, about 24", and a bunch of smaller ones.

orwellwalleyecq3.jpg

orwellwalleye2aq9.jpg

Caught plenty of hammer handles, bluegills, and crappies. Caught one channel cat and mooneye. Caught a bunch of smallies, but with the cooler water temps, they weren't as active as they normally are.

I moved down to the bridge and fished the backwater area with the flyrod. The buffalo, carp and suckers were in the shallows, Tried fishing several different nymphs, wet flies, and dries. No luck. There were a bunch of caddis out this morning, but no fish were rising. I only had my 9 wt with, so I didn't try fishing caddis dries intended for my 5 weight.

There were alot of people there by afternoon. I saw one guy catch a pretty good sized channel cat. I'm sure if a guy was to use bait, he would catch more walleyes than I did, which was plenty...

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DARK30 Veteran

DARK30

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Your making me want to go up there and see my Wife's family....AH! I can't believe I said that! Maybe I could sneak up there without them knowing. grin.gif

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DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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Dark, if they rain finally holds off, the fishing will only get better, as they lower flows from the dam. I can't believe it, but it's almost been a week here since the last rain, gotta be a record! tongue.gif

I predict July is going to be a hot month to fish the area rivers. well it oughta since they've been so dang high since breakup.... There should be plenty of insect hatches and I've seen quite a bit if baitfish around so far this year. must have been a good hatch...

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DEADhead Grand Master

DEADhead

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Base flows downstream of the dam were 675 cfs, as close to near normal as it has been in a LONG time.

I tried to hookup with the buffalo this morning, I had one hookup and lost it frown.gif

I caught a ton of crappies and a nice bluegill.

bullgillmc2.jpg

I was talking with fellow FMer rattleL when I caught this dandy. Thanks for taking the pic.

I was hoping to catch some goldeyes and mooneyes for my lifelist photos. Unfortunately I was unsuccessful today. Though I did manage to catch a nice smallie.

smallie2hh5.jpg

Not a bad day, the fishing should only get better from here.

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MJCatfish Proficient

MJCatfish

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Tried to wade part of the river below the highway bridge at Orwell the other night. The current is still cooking, which made it difficult to move and fish. The fishing was pretty good with many species accounted for. We eventually fished from shore and did better. Catfish, walleye, buffalo, pike, redhorse, bullhead were all caught on cranks. Nothing big, but fun.

MJ

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Gissert Grand Master

Gissert

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South west of Fergus Fergus Falls. It is a flood control impoundment on the Otter Tail River.

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