Detroit lakes area

I will be spending majority of my ice season, discovering and learning the Detroit lakes. Looking for any info on what I should watch out for? Any lakes I should put at top of list to try? Not asking for honeyhole or anything like that. Any tips or suggestions I’d be happy to know. Thanks and I’m always open to hitting ice with someone.

Welcome to the DL area….depends on what species you are going after but the 2 bigger lakes that have decent populations of both crappies and eyes are Lida which is S of town, and Big Pine which is E over by Perham. There are so many good lakes within a short distance and many that are within a reasonable distance. I focus primarily on crappies and change lakes depending on the calendar….last year I think I caught good numbers of crappies on 17 diff bodies of water ice fishing and the year before that it was 22 diff lakes all within an hour of town…but I am out pretty much every day that the weather lets me get out. Good Luck!

Slabhunter is spot on, I sent you a PM as well.

The DNR did test netting on North Lake Lida this year and there was not a single walleye, perch, or cisco caught. There seems to have been a sudden and dramatic walleye decline on the north side of that lake. I fished it multiple times for walleye this summer and caught 2 when in summers past it wouldn’t be uncommon to limit out… either I was very unlucky/bad and the DNR surveys are wrong, or something bad is going on. I’m from the Pelican Rapids area and the walleye status on that lake has been a big topic of conversation. It is still an elite crappie fishery, as the 11 inch minimum continues to promote a large size structure. I frequently can pull out 5 or more 13+ inch crappies each night. Shoot me a PM if you’d like to hit the ice sometime.. I enjoy hitting the smaller bodies of water in that area stretching from Pelican to DL to Vergas and Perham. I really enjoy catching fish while being one of the only ones on the lake!

Welcome to IDO Thomas B! I don’t get up that way too often but I usually try to fish that area a couple times a year with my lil kids and the wheel house.

There are so many lakes between Alexandria and DL! We are lucky to live in this area, that’s for sure!

Thanks Joe! I’ve been reading through the forum occasionally for awhile now and haven’t felt the urge to post until I saw a thread that was somewhat relevant to me.

I truly believe Ottertail County and the surrounding area is one of the prime fishing destinations in the state. You probably can’t get thick into the walleye and crappie like you can on LOTW, but you can still catch more than enough for dinner! My unpopular opinion is that it’s better than the Brainerd lakes area. As a matter of fact, I recently quit my job in the twin cities to move back to the area. Doesn’t get much better than this!

Don’t be talking too loud now, otherwise everyone will start coming this direction. I agree with your unpopular opinion, and I am glad it is unpopular as well

Grew up fishing and spending a lot of time around the Vining, Henning, battle lake perham area. Such great lakes such as Rush with a diversity of fish population from panfish, crappies and walleyes. But Rush is my favorite for chasing nice northerns. Then you have all the little known lakes sprinkled in that nobody or hardly anybody knows about. Use to fish the Leaf lakes a lot growing up. Good luck and get out and explore.