Has anyone fished on High Lake in Emmet county
Ia? If so your thoughts?
Thanks,
Tim

I have bee wondering about this lake as well. If you get some information please let me know. You can post it or simply e-mail me. I'm from NW Iowa and would like to fish a lake without all the pressure of Okoboji and Spirit. What species are present, how big is the lake, how deep, good boat ramps, etc. Thanks.

I have not fished this lake since becoming a walley enthusiest, but in my teens and early twenties I spent every weekend in the area fishing and/or duck hunting. I have my spys out feeding me back fishing reports on the area and the last 2 years things are sounding good enough that I am thinking about making a couple trips there sometime this year.

On several occasions my dad (who still lives close and scouts the lakes out weekly) has talked to the commercial fishermen who seine it for Carp in the winter and they claim there are good numbers of big eyes and northern pike there. (but the few guys I know who fish it havn't proved it) When fished, occasionally a walleye is caught and northerns are a little more common. Late May some perch fishermen will be hitting the point west of the campground (one of the deeper parts at about 7' on normal years) and they sometimes get a few walleyes too. This lake is famous in the summer for not being able to use any natural bait because the bullheads find it before it hits bottom. It is a fairly small(Lower Gar sized), muddy, shallow lake with avg depth of maybe 4 - 6 '. It gets even shallower in the southwest & northwest (you almost need a canoe). It does have 2 boat ramps, I would use the one in NE corner below the campground. (nice campground!)

The neighbor lake of Ingham seems to have better success for walleyes, especially along the west grade, around the island or by Speer's old campground.(the locals try to keep this lake a secret) It has an areator to reduce winter kill and a little better depth and structure. (watch the prop when you get to the northwest end! there is a submerged rocky point that goes most the way accross the lake.) Ingham has a good boatramp on the south end and one towards the northwest corner.

These lakes are connected by sloughs so I am sure the same species of fish are in both and the ones in High Lake are less fished for. If you are good at trolling shallow diving cranks in muddy lakes you may be able to succeed in High Lake where most others fail and get frustrated. If you do try High Lake, I'd guess that casting rapala's off the point west of the campground around dusk might work.

Please give me a report if you try it. I am curious.

Ia Craig.

P.S. bring your bait, lunch and beverages, a few years ago the last resort owner (Pappy) died and there are no baitshops or snack shops around there.

There is a new bait shop on the south side of Ingham that opened this spring. As for walleye fishing, Ingham has got pounded the last couple years. There are still many under 14", and a few over 25". The walleyes between 15" and 22" are gone. Ice fishing really took its tol. It is a very easy lake to ice fish. One good thing about Ingham is that the walleyes grow very fast. It shouldn't take long for the good fishing to come back. It is not a very big lake, and the winter of 98' there was way too many people taking out 5 fish a day. As for high, there are good numbers of pike, and they are easy to catch. There are also many walleyes, which are tougher to catch. I think with all the forage, the walleyes have a very short feeding time at dusk.

Laker, where do you live? I'm originally from Estherville and get back up there regularly. We often stay at the campground on High Lake. I've been wondering how to fish it for anything other than bullheads. Interesting to hear the info on Ingham also. LOL Fred

I live in Estherville. I have taught at the college now for 3 years. I love it up here. I grew up in Webster city, not much water around. High lake is tough. Try fishing the west side by the island, it is a boulder field and shollow, so be careful. I am going over there tonight. I will let you know how I did this week.

Hey Laker, nice to hear from someone who utilizes High & Ingham lakes. If I still lived in the area I know I would visit them real regular. (I've been in Des Moines area for quite a few years now). Ingham Lake has always run in cycles, Good for a couple years then a bad winter would freeze it out. It sounds like now the areator keeps fish alive, but fishing preasure is taking its toll.
A couple questions for you...... #1 when you talk about trying around an Island are you in Ingham or High and for Eyes or Pike? .........#2 You mentioned Northerns are quite easy in High, do you use chubs/smelt or are you using lures?

I look forward to your report..

Ia Craig

There is still some nice walleyes in Ingam, but if you want to really have a ball, there is some super nice crappies this year.Caught some honest to god 14" before we got the cold front.You will have to do some sorting but when one of those grab your minnow hang on.The water temp went down 8 degrees a week and half ago but with the weather forecast for the next few days the bite should be on by the weekend.Use a minnow a foot below a bobber anywhere there is trees in the water and reel back very slow.Been using a telescopic cane pole too which really lets you place the bait in the right place in between the branches.I have been using 8lbs test so I can pull them out before they get back in the trees.

The island is on the west side of main high. I through cranks or troll daredevils. Mainly pick up pike, will get a bonus walleye every now and then. The pike in high are built really solid. They are a blast to catch. I pulled a 14lb pike through the ice this year.