Spring Time Clear Lake

[cbducks]

With the official first day of spring at hand and probably more than 50% of the ice is out of Clear Lake. Bob, when you suggest hitting the water, I've always fished around Easter but think that I'm hitting the tail end of the spawn or bite. Any suggestions as two when you would want to head out, or should I be out already? On a off note, great show up in Millacs, that looked like it was a blast slip-bober for walleyes.

[Bob Jensen]

Thanks for the kind words about the Mille Lacs show, also thanks for watching. Using slip-bobbers is very effective, and it's also fun watching that bobber go down.

Regarding Clear Lake: I spoke with Dan at the Crazy Minnow Bait Shop in Clear Lake earlier this week, about the 15th of March, and he said the east side of the lake is open, the west side still had lots of ice. I would guess the access points are getting sloppy by now.

A good number of anglers like to get on the water as soon as the ice leaves. They catch some fish, but sometimes they're out there just because they want to go fishing. From my experience, the bite gets better when the water has warmed a bit. Get a few warm days and the walleyes will start on Clear Lake.

Good areas include the outlet on the east side of the lake, the Island, Dodge's Point, and the grade in Ventura. However, there are lots of other good places. The walleyes will be close to shore. It is sometimes surprising how shallow they will go. Some anglers like to wade into the lake and sometimes they catch walleyes by casting back to shore.

If you can fish from a dock, you can do really well. Here's why. When you're wading, you're usually limited to using one rod. Fishing from a dock, you can use two rods. You can cast a jig and have a slip-bobber rig out there, or you can put out two slip-bobber rigs. You're increasing the odds for getting bit.

I am also going to include some ideas for lure presentations in this post. If you don't want any ideas on presentation, you should stop reading now.

Jigs will be most productive, although minnow shaped hard baits will produce also.

I would start with a jig/Power Grub combo. A jig with a longer shanked hook is best with soft bait. A Slurp Jig Head or a Mimic Minnow Head would be good choices. These jigs have long shanked hooks with keepers that prevent the soft bait from sliding down the hook. A Thumper Jig would be a good choice also. The Thumper has a small spinner on it that helps sometimes.

I would start with an eighth ounce jig, but might drop to the sixteenth ounce size if the fish aren't too aggressive.

I would add a three inch Power Grub to the jig, but would also consider going to the two inch size if the water stays cold. Fish the two inch grub on the sixteenth ounce head. Retrieve slow enough so the jig stays close to the bottom. Experiment with colors. I like an orange/chartreuse pattern, but be sure to try pink/white also.

If the fish don't want soft bait, go to a jig/minnow. In this situation I would use a sixteenth ounce Fire-Ball jig with a minnow. I prefer the Fire-ball because it has a short-shanked hook. Short-shanked hooks are best for working minnows. Put the hook in the minnows mouth and out the back of it's head. Work it slow, give the walleyes a chance to eat it.

If you're fishing from a dock, be sure to get a slip-bobber rig in the water. Use a long-shanked hook, hook the minnow just behind the dorsal fin, set the bobber stop so the bait is just above the bottom.

As a side note, the river bite for walleyes on the Shell Rock and Cedar is starting. They'll usually go on these rivers before the lake.

It's important that at this time of year you get out whenever you get the chance. Often, when you hear they're biting, it's too late to take advantage of the bite.

Let us know how you do.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen