What’s Cold Is Hot and What’s Hot Is Cold

Spring Fishing, once the run up the coulee has slowed, is all about water temperature.  USUALLY, finding the warmest water will produce the most fish.

Yeah, Walleyes bite in the dead of winter when the water is really cold, but those bite windows are real short and a person is camped on one spot basically waiting them out.

When spring fishing involves casting sections of water and retrieving a lure at a pace, it changes things and water temp is going to greatly effect the activeness of the fish.

I Said Usually

We fished 2 locations this weekend, Lake Irvine and North 6 Mile Bay/Channel A

Location 1: Lake Irvine- Chocolate Milk clarity and cold water, 43-45 degrees.  Lots of follow ups, a few pike and some nice eaters.  Everything came from 1-4 feet of water.

Location 2:  North 6 Mile/Channel A- 2-3 foot visibility, 45-51 degree water.  5 or 6 pike, 1 18-inch Walleye (that we picked up cruising from one spot to another by accident), and hardly any follow-ups.  We tried 1-3 feet, 4-7 feet and 8-12 feet, with similar results.

CRAZY!!

Should have been the other way around but that’s fishing.

Techniques/Weapon of Choice

At both locations we used a variety of casting lures, white and green jig heads with white, orange, and chartreuse twister tales and Gulp!.  We also were dragging spinners with bottom bouncers along the outside tipped with leeches.  A number of bait shops in the Devils Lake area are carrying leeches now so they do have them.

We varied speeds, we steady retrieved, we bounced it back, we did just about everything.  Was a lot slower of a day Sunday than it was Saturday, but again, that’s fishing.  We are headed back tonight to deploy slip-bobbers on structure and will report back with what we find.

Boat Launch Situations

Lake Irvine

Lake Irvin is doable, with small boats and roller trailers.  We had a small flat bottom and used the North side of the road before the Road Closed sign, in hindsight I think the South side would be better.

Dry Lake

Access is attainable for a fee at Dry Lake Campground, last year it was $20 a day.  We are not sure if the price has gone up or not.  The launch was really shallow last year but with the high run off this year it should be in much better shape.

6 Mile Bay

Access is in good shape and both docks are in, have used it 3 times now and is good to go.

Woodland Resort on Creel Bay

Of course, this one is in and Docks are deployed.  If you are not a guest and want to use their facilities you need to check in at the bait shop.  Bar none, in my mind, THE best launch on the lake.

Grahams Island State Park

Docks have been in for a month and the cleaning station OPENED TODAY!!

Acorn Ridge

Boat launch dock is in and ready!

Henegar/North Creel

Boat launch dock is in and ready!

Lakewood Landing

Dock is in and ready to go!

Estenson’s/Black Tiger Bay/Dead Cow

Have not been there or heard if this one is in yet or not.  If any readers know, please let us know.

Pelican Off Hwy. 19

This is another one that we have not heard of and we are not sure if it will be open this year or not, again, if any readers know, we would greatly appreciate the heads up.

Round Lake/Minnewaukan Flats

No Report.

Spring Fling For Fowl

If you have been a reader since last fall, then you already know that I am a little ‘obsessed’ with waterfowl and waterfowl hunting.  The Spring Snow shoot in the spring is an added bonus but really, I’m a duck guy.

What is a Duck guy to do in the spring when there is no season on ducks, why shoot them with a Camera of course.  The plumage on our Quacking friends is simply spectacular right now:

Tick Alert!

If you are out in the tall grass or in the trees at all, make sure you disrobe and check yourself for these little buggers, they are out in full force.  Found 3 on myself from a 2 minute walk through the trees and found several on my son and daughter on Sunday.  True sign that Spring is sprung!

Good Luck Out There!

Hold On To Your Rod…

And…

CATCH MORE FISH!!!!