Best Fishing Early Morning And Late Evening on Big Spirit Lake 9/20/12

Date posted - September 20, 2012

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Water levels are very low at Storm Lake.  Boaters must use extreme caution when boating at high speeds.  The dredge machine is still in operation.  Boaters must stay clear of the dredge barge, booster pump barge, and pipeline that runs from the dredge to the east shore.  Channel Catfish – Slow: A few channel cats are being picked up.  White Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching some white bass from the east shore.  The bites come in waves as the schools move through.  Walleye – Slow: A few walleye have been caught.  The ones that have been caught were mostly slot fish or just under the slot.

Big Spirit Lake

Fishing has been slow with the best action coming early in the morning and late in the evening.  White Bass – Good: Use plastics like twister tails and shad on a lead head; top water lures may also be good at dawn and dusk.  Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Rock piles continue to shine for smallmouth but don’t overlook nearby weed lines.  Yellow Perch – Slow: Once an active school of perch is located, fishing can be good but locating numbers seems to be difficult.  Look in or near the weeds, on the mudflats or on transition areas in between. Try wigglers on a jigging spoon and don’t be surprised to pick up some bluegills or walleyes.   Walleye – Slow: With the warm conditions this past week fishing was slow but a few fish can be caught.  Troll crankbaits and spinners near bottom or fishing around the weed lines. Live bait rigs have not been as effective as they were earlier this year but a few fish may be picked up on Lindy rigs.

East Okoboji Lake

No Report

West Okoboji Lake

Northern Pike – Fair: Try fishing with buck tails or spoons around weed lines or holes in the weed beds. Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills around weeds and on rock piles. Try using red worms and wigglers either on a jigging spoon or under a slip bobber.  Yellow Perch – Fair: Fish on the drop offs and don’t be afraid to move around to locate a school of bigger fish as there are many small ones.  Fishing 8-15 feet of water using jigging spoons with wigglers has been bringing some results.  Yellow Bass – Good: Try using a jigging spoon tipped with wigglers in 15-25 feet of water just off the weed edge and down the drop a bit.

Lost Island Lake

Yellow bass and bluegill fishing has been decent with good sized yellow bass leading the way.

Water temperatures have fallen into the 60s.