Pelican Lake is a beautiful but shallow 4000 acre lake near Fergus Falls, MN. I recently spent a few days at Ashby Resort on Pelican Lake hoping to be there at the right time for the spring walleye bite. My timing was pretty good as far as the walleye bite was concerned, but the weather was not as cooperative as I would have liked. In between the hours spent dodging thunderstorms and incredibly high winds, I managed to get a few hours on the water.
With the high winds out of the west and the water temperature in the low 60s, I headed to the west side of Pelican Lake. I would have liked to have fished the wind-blown side of the lake, but my 16-foot Lund Explorer would not be enough boat to handle the waves crashing the shoreline. I wanted to find the walleye but I wasn’t willing to risk myself or my boat to do so.
I generally like to pull spinners or lindy rigs early in the season on Pelican Lake, but I was in unfamiliar territory on the west side and needed to cover ground more quickly to find the walleye. I had heard from another angler that the trolling bite was going pretty good so I decided to pull crankbaits. We usually fish 5 to 8 feet of water on this lake in spring, but on this trip the walleye we found were even a little more shallow, in 3 to 5 feet of water.
Pulling #5 Berkley Flicker Shad and Rapala Shad Raps in Perch and Firetiger produced a few walleye in the 22 to 25 inch range. I never did find any smaller walleye for the pan. A quick photo or two and these beautiful ladies were released to fight again another day. I also managed to pick up a 14-inch crappie that was duped by a #5 perch shad rap, and it was released as well. Trolling speeds were best around 1.5 to 1.9 on my Lowrance GPS. Because we were so shallow, I opted to use the Minn Kota trolling motor rather than risk spooking these shallow walleye with a gas motor. However, talking to some other anglers I understand it was possible to pick them up using the main motor as well. If you haven’t fished Pelican Lake neat Ashby, Minnesota and would like to give it a try, call Mike and Diane Bovee at Ashby Resort and schedule a visit. I’ve stayed there several times and they are great folks who run a nice clean resort. Good luck and please remember to practice selective harvest.
Oh Wade you got my attention now, that is one of the lakes I grew fishing, did you make it over to Zorba’s for some pizza & into Cormorant village? My brother has a place just down the road from there. Great report
Great report Wade!
Mark, I didn’t. My favorite stops are the Old Brick Inn in Battle Lake (for broasted chicken), Grannys in Battle Lake for old fashion ice cream, and a new one on my list is Murphy’s Pub right in Ashby.
Here’s another walleye pic and the crappie.
Yeah Baby!!!! That’s what I’m talking about. I’ll be camping at Indian Mounds come the 4th and hopefully get up there for some of that action and panfish! This is the lake I’m hoping to spend a great deal of time on. (If you catch my drift) Somebody please buy my house!!!! PLEASE!!!! Somebody has to want to be close to pool 4 and Bufflo Slough!!!!
Great report Wade! The Spotties are spawning on those lakes right now, so expect to find your eyes shallow!
Nice report and nice walleyes Wade!
Looks like a beautiful lake to fish and relax on.
Boog
Hmmmm that might explain why my question to Jolly Ann went unanswered last Friday
Good report and nice fish—as far as lake fish go anyways but now it’s time to get back to work Mister!!!!!
I’m working on emails as we speak. Give me a day to get caught up.
nice chunky looking fish there Wade, great job.
That is a nice lookin speck
It must take forever and a day to grow one that big up there. Good report too.
That is a nice lookin speck
It must take forever and a day to grow one that big up there. Good report too.
Great Report
Those are some nice fish, man! Glad you had a good trip up north!
Great report and photos Wade!
Congrats! 
Thanks Rich. I don’t know the growth rates on Crappie in the area but I bet it does. We don’t have the long growing season like you guys do in Kansas. That it mind, it’s important that we be selective about the crappie we keep too. Big crappie, just like big walleye, need to be released if possible.
Great report Wade. Hopefully we have a nice report from Mac after next weekend.
Mike
Nice job Wade
I have fished Pelican alot in the winter, a few times in the summer. My nephew was the City Water engineer until about a month ago. I spent a few hours in Murphys as well… 
big G
Wade great report My family stayed at Shady lawn for 5 summers in a row until they closed down. Due to work we were only able to go in August when the bite was slow we always managed to catch some nice panfish off the docks for the pan. Tough lake to fish as it is so shallow and the wind really churns it up. Next time you are up there and blown off Pelican give Squaw lake a try it is just outside of Ashby very long and narrow and has a very defined weed line in 16 fow. I fished ths lake often in my summers up there and did quite well. A great place to hide form the wind.
Dave