Cold mornings and warm days are expected until late Thursday when things are expected to change. Mild east and southeast winds to 5 mph are predicted for the next few days as well. Friday and into the weekend is (at this time) predicted to be cloudy with a chance of rain. No wind speeds have been posted yet but expect the low pressure to add to the chance of some fairly good winds.

Water Temperature

DFG will not have water tests through December this year so the pH is the last reading is from September

As of 11-5-07
South basin: Currently 47 to 50 from 50 to 52
North basin: 44 to 46 and holding
Middle basin: 45 to 47 and holding

Lake Conditions

Buoys have been removed for the season. Please be careful out there.

Water temperatures have been holding pretty steady for the last couple of days but the shallower the water, the colder the temperatures. Fish will soon (if some have not already) start moving back to water a few degrees warmer.

More fish are being caught in a little deeper water as temperatures reach the mid forties in the shallows. Even the shoreline of the south basin is in the forties while the deeper water is just a flat fifty on my depth finder.

The bite was pretty good early but it slowed down a little and came back on for us again in water 15 to 24 feet deep 10 to 14 feet deep (depending on the depth of water).

The lake clarity has improved quite a bit this week! There are quite a few areas of weeds in the north basin even though some nice clear channels exists. Some fish are being caught in the north basin but if water temperatures cool down we might start seeing a movement back to warmer waters of the middle basin, then the fish generally congregate at the Youth Camp area once water temperatures in the shallows drop into the low 40's. They will stay there most of the rest of the season.

We did get into some areas that were weedy on the north side of Pelican Point. There was also some algae on the surface off Slough Point today. Check your lines often. The rock piles don't have any buoy's on them and this becomes a very dangerous area to fish if you don't have a GPS and have marked the buoys before now. Remember that Pelican Point extends several hundred yards out into the lake, best to stay closer to the Youth Camp side of the channel.

IA few tips for those fishing out of Spalding: Rock piles north of Pelican Point and off the airstrip in Spalding are very close to the surface. The point along the airstrip in Spalding is very shallow, don't attempt to go between the tules this fall, swing the point wide before cutting back towards the tules. There are also two rock piles about 200 yards north of the Broccoli Tree (North side Pelican Point) that is unmarked and will be a very nasty surprise when a lower unit hits it.

Fishing Locations and Depths

Fishing has picked up for most anglers but one day can be better than the next. Many of us are finding fish in slightly deeper water this week. Many folks are starting to find more action happening at the Youth Camp. The shallows still have some fish but many are moving to a little deeper water.

South basin: Expect to start finding fish at 7 to 12 feet deep off the ledges as well as 21 to 24 feet deep in water 30 plus feet deep. The west side has been fishing better than the east side. Lake of the Woods (between Shrimp Island and Wildcat Point has fish moving in and out. Some days they have not come into water any shallower than 10 feet. The east side still has some trout hanging out but mostly small pods that are scattered. I've seen a lot more hitting the surface than I am seeing on my depth finder. However, the rock pile (Miners Point) out in the middle between Black Mountain and Slough Point has been holding fish but their timing has been a little different every day. Most of the fish have been caught off the side of the ledge (14 to 18 feet of water) rather than right on top. But, timing could have something to do with that. We personally have not caught a fish in less than 12 feet of water the last week and are starting to catch fish quite a bit deeper toward the bottom of 18 to 24 feet of water, however, we are not going out at legal fishing time we are going out just after sunrise.

The very shallow waters along the tules in Spalding (and in the shallow areas of the north basin as well) are producing less fish for the average fishermen. Some fish do stay in these areas but expect the masses and larger fish to head back to warmer and deeper water 15 feet and deeper.

We have been trolling the north side of Pelican Point in 6 to 11 feet of water. The fish were still hanging on the north side of the tip of the point which is close to where the water temperatures begin warming up. The south side of Pelican Point is starting to hold more fish than it has in the last couple of weeks but their timing has not been consistent. I have caught more fish in water deeper than 15 feet in this area. I am running my toplines at 10 to 12 feet deep as well as my leadcore that I have varied the depth on eventually reaching around 20 to 24 feet deep and started catching some nice solid trout.

Trolling

NOTE TO TROLLERS: SOME COMPLAINTS FROM SHORE FISHERMEN AND ANCHORED BAIT FISHERMEN REGARDING TROLLING OVER THEIR LINES. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE.

Some trollers are doing better than others but limits are still being caught. In general we are fishing 7 to 12 feet deep in the early hours making sure that we have at least 100 feet of line out behind the boat. Later in the morning we have been fishing 12 to 24 and finding a good number of fish are just a little deeper than they were in the early morning.

There are a lot of shallow ledges surrounded by 18 to 24 ft of water so a boat can spook them on the first pass, driving them to slightly deeper water and closer to the bottom. Boat traffic (yes even trollers) can also move the fish off the top of ledges.

Note: the minnows that were along the docks in Spalding have moved out to deeper water. If water temperatures continue to drop (hopefully they will stabilize a little this week) expect the minnows to head south. The fish we have been catching have been feeding on a fresh hatch of shrimp (it looks like applesauce with a little pepper sprinkled in it. I call it applesauce with eyeballs) with various sized brown leeches for an appetizer.

Hot Lures, Flies and Grubs

Lures: Large "Red Dog" Double Jointed Sure Catch lure is doing okay, and medium "Goldie locks" (florescent orange and brass) has been working well too. But the best Sure Catch has been a new pattern called "Zebra". I also like the German Brown Medium Sure Catch this time of year. Needlefish (florescent orange) and Rainbow Runners have also been known to work well up here. Often, what is hot in one area is not in another. The red dot frog and crocodile patterns in size 2 and 3 have also been productive lures. It is near the time when minnow imitations from rapala's to rubber wigglers will be real effective (time to try ???em now as fish start moving back to the Youth Camp) However, they work best where the minnows are the food of choice. Note: Many of the minnows that had been seen along the docks in Spalding have moved out into deeper water and will start stock piling at the Youth Camp before long.

Trolling plain nightcrawlers is also a favorite and was indeed a very affective method for many anglers. These fish occasionally go for nightcrawlers behind flashers but generally where minnows are the dominant feed. (Flasher tip for Eagle Lake: shorten leaders up to 14 to 15 inches from the flashers. These fish often come from behind so quickly that they can miss your bait and hit your flashers. If you are getting lots of strikes without hooking up, your leader is too long.) There are some nice ultra light flashers available, silver being the most effective.

Grubs: Brown, Black, orange, amber, watermelon, white and root-beer have been catching a few fish this week. Some folks prefer to run wiggle or action discs ahead of the grub. Many different colors of grubs and flies have been working but in many different locations.

Trolling Flies: The plain Jane brown is catching all our fish. The brown leech (a very passive rather than aggressive fly) has gotten more attention that anything else we have been dragging and is definitely the best on flat water. The tui-chub pattern works better in some areas (this time of year) than in others but it is starting to get attention. I prefer a smaller hook than what is commercially available this time of year...later in September and October size doesn't matter. The ones I tie have more white than olive on them. Olive leeches are starting to pick up a few fish here and there but in general olive works better down by Pikes Point and the jetty...brown has been the most affective for us at every location. Orange has been working one day and not the next but has been more effective in the north basin than in the middle and south basin yet. The north basin has also been a degree or two cooler than the middle or south basin.

My best advise for trolling flies is to keep your rod in your hand and set the hook at the slightest difference in your line. If you miss the fish, slap the slack back into the water, if the fish didn't quite feel the hook it will still be following the fly and it will take it again when it stops dead in the water. Dangle it in front of the fish as if you were playing with a cat and a piece of yarn, if the fish wasn't right there once your line straightened out, give it a few seconds longer. Yeah, that's a real tease, but is also very affective. The fish take flies differently than they hit lures. They basically "hold" it in their mouth rather than attack it like a lure (especially the passive flies in brown or olive). Quite often they just tap very lightly and you have to tease them into the strike...then you have to sink the barb of the hook in order to land the fish. And, I mean you have to set it hard, and hold your line so the drag doesn't defeat the purpose. Quite often I use the motor to assist keeping pressure on the fish if I run out of hook setting room (rod over 90 degrees), but, don't keep your boat in gear after the hook set. You will lose them every time. Some fish hit harder on the more aggressive flies (orange, gold & etc.) but you still have to set the hook. You can run discs a few inches above the fly but it's not a replacement for holding your rod. Every fish hits a little different...some hammer you, others tease you, some just slap you around others slurp and spit. Knowing when to set the hook has a lot to do with "sticking" the fish.

Bait Fishing

Fish 7 to 12 feet deep in 10 to 20 feet of water by the Youth Camp and Biology Station early but we are finding action a little deeper later in the morning. We are now finding more fish in water 10 to 24 feet deep.

The tui chub have had a good spawn this year and the minnows are prevalent in all the basins. But, the minnows will start moving out of the shallow tules and into deeper water.

The use of commercial attractants has been working well the last few years. Krill and Garlic Trout Gravy are the most effective. Don't under-estimate the garlic gravy, it works.

It is illegal to use minnows as bait on this lake, however many different imitations start working now. Nightcrawlers are the most effective bait used but some folks use insects too. NOTE: It is also illegal to keep live trout in a "live well" for any purpose including resuscitation.

Shore Fishing

The biology station and the Youth Camp have been fishing fair but is starting to pick up a little... but on stormy windy days the waves break right in on the rocks. Winds for the week look mild for fishing from that location but even though there are more fish being caught there the numbers have not been hot yet (But that can change overnight).

The jetty and the Circus Grounds will be picking up before too long too but fishing has only been fair from shore (nice calm days this week may help for the afternoon bite). Generally the first hour is the best, but some days the trout wait until the breeze comes up before they move in.

Commonly used baits other than nightcrawlers are powerbait (in various colors) often used with a nightcrawler. Orange, chartreuse, rainbow, red and pink have been good colors on this lake. If your intent is to float your worm using the powerbait, make sure you have enough that it does float your worm or often we inject air into the worm to assist. White small marshmallows have worked for decades. Power grubs have also been effective.

Jigs are a very good method for fishing. Colors vary but you usually can't go wrong as long as you have olive, brown and black (we like using wild turkey marabou when we can get some from a friend). One tip that can be priceless and can save a day of shore fishing is having a good long rod for casts farther than the average 6 or 6 ?? foot rods.

Fly Fishing?ĮOsprey Management Area is open for foot traffic only or boating in. Boaters be careful there are some quick depth changes getting your boat into shore in this area.

No motorized vehicles are allowed below the road. Watch out for mountain lions in this area.

It has been fair for the fly fisherman in general, however, timing is everything. The early morning bite has been short and sweet but it has shut down quickly. This week the winds are expected to be less than 5 mph but a change is happening for the upcoming weekend. If the water is flat make sure you have some indicators on hand. Brown was the color they want and is the best color to start with on this lake. Water temperatures should remain fairly stable now. It is advisable to have a float tube or boat so you can reach those trout when they move out. Have a sink tip available.

My favorite flies are basic. #10 and #12 wooly buggers. I prefer brown along Pelican Point and the west side of the south basin. (I have found that the darker the brown, the better it works)

I like olive, gold, orange or black in the tules depending on the time of year. However, the orange is extremely effective when the water temperature drops below 48 degrees F. The shrimp turn orange when the water temperature drops below that temperature and it has now started in the shallows around the lake shore as well as along the shallow shoreline of the south basin. The deeper water is still 50 degrees but it won't be to long before we see more water temps in the high forties..