First Otter Tail Report for 2011

This is gonna be short, but wanted to get something on the board for 2011 in case anyone is venturing up this way. I ‘think’ spring is finally here…..water temps are finally starting to climb and the current reading is 53 degrees. Shiners are on the move – just checked the docks and i think it might be worth a sane later this afternoon. As for the fishing, mixed reports from last weekend. Some guys absolutely put the on fish while others struggled in less than ideal weather conditions. The best reports are coming from the shallow gravel flats in 6ft of water with a 1/16 or 1/8 oz jig/shiner. This bite should become more consistent the next few weeks with the warmer water and the shallow presence of the shiners.

I even had the rod bending yesterday evening with a friend of mine and we both managed to put fish in the boat. Here’s ‘BT’ with his first limit of 2011.

Oh, the lake level is HIGH!! So there is lots of new fishable water to makes things a bit more interesting.

Certainly wasn’t short of walleyes Trev!!

thanks for the report, i have never followed the water level on the lake that close is it normal for the water to be high in the spring on OT and get pretty shallow towards august? just wondering because for as long as i can remember it seems the lake is pretty low in august on our annual trips??

It is Drew…..but the levels we have now are record setting. You are right, most years by August it can be a struggle at the landings to get in and out. The lake now is probably close to 3ft above where it normally is. Lots of lakeshore owners rip-rapping and sandbagging. It’s gonna be high for awhile – lots of water north of here that still has to come thru…..

wow, that has to make fishing the lake quite different, that would open up allot of those shallow shore line areas for fishing.