Jim McDonnell
01-07-2003, 10:40 AM
Big Spirit Lake has a sporatic perch bite going. Early morning and late afternoon usually will produce the most perch, but once in a while you will do well from 10 am to 2 pm. On that particular day the fish were in five feet of water. Most days you will do well fishing the 8 to 14 foot depths. I usually start shallow and drill a bunch of holes to the deeper depths. It does not take long with a Strikemaster Lazer auger. Then move from hole to hole every 10 minutes. On tough bite days, you may only catch a dozen perch while on good days you will catch 25 easily. This hole jumping technique has worked very well for me, especially on slow bite days. Ice depth is six to ten inches on most of the lake.
West Okoboji has a fair walleye bite in the evening in Smith and Emerson Bays. The bite is short lived, sundown to dark. The same holds for Millers Bay where you can catch small northern pike throughout the day on Polar tipups and chubs. Ice conditions are ok in about half the bay. Don't push your luck.
East Okoboji still has a fair walleye bite up near Stoney Point. Silver Lake at Ayrshire and Virgin Lake are producing nice perch when they bite.
Keep a tight line and may your aim be straight. Jim McDonnell is a professional fishing guide and outdoor writer in the Iowa Great Lakes area. 712 933-5532.
West Okoboji has a fair walleye bite in the evening in Smith and Emerson Bays. The bite is short lived, sundown to dark. The same holds for Millers Bay where you can catch small northern pike throughout the day on Polar tipups and chubs. Ice conditions are ok in about half the bay. Don't push your luck.
East Okoboji still has a fair walleye bite up near Stoney Point. Silver Lake at Ayrshire and Virgin Lake are producing nice perch when they bite.
Keep a tight line and may your aim be straight. Jim McDonnell is a professional fishing guide and outdoor writer in the Iowa Great Lakes area. 712 933-5532.