Spirit 5/24

Crazy wind made it a tough day on Monday . When we weren’t being blown all over, we caught some big gills and crappies. Tried to leave the male crappies alone that were on beds. Saw some huge LMB and nice eye’s up shallow. Only caught one small musky and a 31-32in northern that thought he was a musky. Things seem pretty early there yet… is that accurate? first time fishing there so I have nothing to compare it to. Can’t wait to go back though… I’m going to pick a day with less wind.

LOL it only gets worse even on a calm day, as it gets warmer and after the holiday weekend the summer residents will be out in force creating waves the wind can’t duplicate…

Man is Shaley ever right. I have shore fished on West Okoboji around dusk on a pretty calm day, and even with the wind at my back, but have had waves crashing up on shore, it is funny even for about a half hour after the pleasure boaters are off the lake the waves still roll in.

I should be able to go more during the week than weekends… my weekends are always very busy and I usually have a day or two during the week I can go. Its not quite so bad during the week is it? Does the walleye bite stay good most of the summer or does it get pretty tough? I was surprised about the size of the gills… some really nice ones in there… so many fish… so little time as always.

Eyes on Spirit bite all sunmmer, just gotta troll the basin when they go deep.

We went out after work tonight 10 follows lost 2 and a couple pike, had 3 other hits but felt like bass or pesky snot rockets.

If you are planning on staying confined to Big Spirit during the week you will be just fine as far as other boat traffic. Trolling the basin during afternoon hours with either cranks, or bottom bouncers with a spinner and crawler or leach, or the North shore basically from Cottonwood point to a little past the footbridge when it gets dusk to dark. I am going to try leadcore this year for the first time. If you stay after dark, places like the footbridge, buffalo run, big stony, and if there is good water moving in little spirit inlet is where we have had the most luck.

Leadcores the ticket on Spirit, local pro turned me onto it a few years ago and my catch rates skyrocketed. When the fish turn on in the basin lead rocks. For the little walleye fishing I do anymore I only troll. Some days it takes me longer to drive the 15 miles to the lake and get launched than it does to catch a limit.

Don’t overlook some muskie baits for eyes either we had a few follow the other night up to the boat, all slots but they do eat big baits to, my PB eye came on a 9″ jerkbait at 1pm on a weedline. Funny part is a #5 shad rap will out catch any bigger rap but at times a DDD, Wades Wobbler even a Mag Bulldawg will get them.

What about a bottom bouncer with a floating rapala for a trailer? I’ve had luck on this before other places.

Works but Lead will work alot better. Once they go deep I only carry my leadcore rods and #5 shad raps.

went up yesterday to Boji and Spirit .. got on West early before boat traffic picked up .. pulled up a 45 musky out from Arnolds Park … couple small pike on smaller bucktail in 15fow .. went up to Spirit after lunch … wind was pushin in Anglers bay .. made some passes with Raps only to pull up weeds and 1 small pike .. got out in 18fow and let it drift in .. pulled up 3 nice pike castin small spinners .. man some of the boaters on West were pissin me off .. i could easily have put my lure in the passenger seat of atleast 10 boats that cruised by .. had to drop my rod and grab edge of boat so not to go swimming .. worth the drive up to boat that musky tho ..