Lower Manitou Lake Fishing Reports by Camp Manitou

[Hoffer]

sounds like your portage lakes are heating up with some bedding action Matt.

Any news from the main lake areas? Phairs? Flossie yet? or any other typical areas? Or has it still been a little on the cool side?

Seems like daytime temps are finally getting up there - but the night time lows are still in the low 40s and I wonder if that is holding things off a bit?

They have to start sometime!

[cruiseforever]

Heading up this weekend. Is there any action to speak of?

[Hoffer]

we fished for 5 day starting the 14th.

Had a great time. weather was nice first 4 days and rainy the last day but still got in a lot of fishing that last day.

Trout first. Everywhere. Didnt seem to matter too much where - some spots were hotter than others - but they seemed to be biting everywhere! we had best luck on downriggers (maybe becuase thats what we did the most?) but also caught many long lining.

Smallies. The water temps in the shallower water seemed to be right. Right around low 60s to mid 60s depending on where you were. However, we could mainly find alot of smaller males (12 to 14 inches). They were usually up tight to shore and liked tubes or regular jigs - or even topwater at times. We found one small section of beds and had good luck with that for some nicer fish - but we didnt find any in our normal spots for bedding fish. I am not certain if we missed the spawn/bedding and the smaller males were up protecting the beds and the spawn was over? - or if the smaller males were just starting to fan out the beds and they were just getting started?. I am thinking its the latter. The reason being is that we didnt seem to see any newer beds in our normal spots - they seemed to be from last year. My hunch is that we may have just left on our last day or so before the main spawn really got started. I am waiting to hear some more reports myself to see if that hunch is right or not. In any case, it was a great time - and when we didnt fish for smallies we could catch lots of trout. We didnt see or catch any large Northerns this trip - and we fished the first day of Muskie opener and didnt see any - but we didnt fish them that much either. We did hear of a few reports of some nice Muskies being caught. Good luck and be sure to post when you get back...would love to hear some more reports or from anyone that was just there this last week.

Thanks-

Hoffer

[cruiseforever]

Thanks for the report. It's my first time to the lake. I have never fished trout before. Hope to figure how to get a couple. Hoping I can find some Bass and Northerns. I will be sure to post a report when I get back.

[Outfitter17]

Here are a few Muskies from Esox lake that we caught in the past couple of days. The bass pictures are from Esox, Dogfly, and sawbones lake this past week also.

[cruiseforever]

Thanks for the pictures Matt.

[SimilarIsland]

Nice Matt!

[FlyLine]

Walleye are definitely in the Manitou system in serious size. In less than an hour, my party landed six large specimens, two at 18, 32 at 24 inches and one at 28 inches. Large Walleye took a Mr. Twister...

[Hoffer]

Flyline-

Thanks for the report.

Dont want to come off the wrong way or be one of those "everyone must C&R" all the time kind of guys cause thats not the intent...

But with that said, it would be awesome if anyone that does pick up some eyes in the manitou - that they could just release them at least for the time being...so that any kind of base can continue to grow and proliferate.

have to ask...dont need real specifics - but did you catch them above beaverhead and to the North or anything South of Beaverhead as well?

Again, thanks for the report...very interesting.

Hoffer

[Hoffer]

PS Bonn, Germany? Sure we are talking about the same maniotu?

With that said, the other positive note on your post was the various sizes of the fish...definetely different class years. There must be some kind of natural reproduction going on there?

[superbee]

There are limited numbers of walleye in the Manitou. Hope they are still swimming, someday maybe the Manitou will have a healthy population if they get a good chance to reproduce and get a better hold. clear cold water lakes are a lot slower growing and less productive, especially for walleye.

[SimilarIsland]

I'm headed up to the Manitou next Sunday to Similar Island for a week. What's the fishing like? Weed growth? Water temp? Can't wait to cruise down the Stretch!!

[cruiseforever]

I fished Lower Manitou last week for four and half days. I stayed at Manitou Camp. It was the first time I fished the lake. I enjoyed my stay at Matt's, they always seemed to be there for you if you needed something.

As for the fishing it was ok. I had trouble with the Northern fishing. At first I had a hard time to find a few. But once I gave up on the bays and shallow water. I started to catch them. I had my best luck with tube jigs and a leader around fallen trees that where in deeper water and rocks that dropped off into deeper water. My biggest Northern came when I was jigging for Lake Trout in 30 feet of water.

Lake Trout, wished I would have started to fish for them earlier in the trip. They are a blast. I caught 12 of them. The biggest was 26 inches. I used 1 oz. jig with white tubes. Most of them came between 40-50 feet of water. I am really going to have to fish for these more often. I loved the battle the would give.

Smallmouth, I got a few with top water and tube jigs. Did not go after them very hard. Manitou is going to be on my to do list again. It is a very beautiful lake.

[SimilarIsland]

Cruiseforever,

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like the Lake Trout and larger Northern have gone back out to deeper water.

How are the deeper weed beds coming along as far as growth?

I'm anxious to try my new lead core rigs on the Lake Trout. If they're still around 50, I should be able to come close with 10 colors. I'm guessing I may hook a Northern or two - maybe a nice Musky.

[Hiddenbay]

Hoffer:

Yes there are Walleye on the Manitou but to find numbers you need to head up toward the Upper Manitou. After years of searching this body of water I am beginning to find numbers. It does take time however to find the right spots. Minnow Gulp baits work well on these fish. The ones I have caught have been large with the smallest being 18 inches. I have spoken with others who have also caught a few on the Lower Manitou as well. I am willing to bet that if I fished it enough, I could catch Walleye in Glass Bay. I think the numbers are there. The challenge is the water. As you mentioned, the clear water makes things tough and you need to know how to work the right bait. The results are worth the effort because to ones you catch can be giants.

The Musky fishing on the Manitou is outstanding. After fishing this body of water for 30 years I can say that it has never been better. After my trip this year our party boated and released over 12 muskies with 4 being over 48 inches. We have not broken the 50 inch mark yet however we have seen these giants and will boat them in the coming years. I am sure that catch and release is working very well in this area and my hope is that it continues for years to come.

My challenge with the Manitou is finding the large Northerns. I know they are there because the bait fish populations are very healthy. Maybe next year I will catch my first Northern over 45 inches. My search will continue.

All for now. Hope to be up again in the Fall.

[Lower Manitou]

Hello all. I'm heading up this weekend and plan to target bass and lakers. Any big lake reports on recent patterns for each would be much appreciated. I have a decent graph and downriggers for the lakers. Thanks in advance.

[MNdreaMN]

Any reports from the lake? Anyone heard from Matt and Camp Manitou? I sent him a message, but he hasn't responded. He is usually very good about getting back quickly.

[Outfitter17]

Hi MNdreaMN,

I didn't receive any message from you. You can resend it to [email protected]

Here are some nice trout recently caught and released:

[MattFromDuluth]

Robyn or Matt,

Curious on ice conditions in Barkers and out into the big lake?

Looking forward to seeing you after Jan. 1. Another great season forthcoming. The whole group is ready to go!!!

Thanks for the update.

Matt

[Robin]

Matt,

I have had one report from the Manitou...still open water out from South Bay, which means the big lake for sure is open. We are going up next week Friday and can give a report from Barker Bay.

Merry Christmas all!

[ZAGS]

When is the latest you have seen it freeze over Robin?

[MattFromDuluth]

Robin, I appreciate the quick feedback. We will see you soon. Cant wait. Hoping for cold weather and more huge trout.

[Outfitter17]

4/20/12

The trout seem to be running a little deep right now. Most fish are being caught in the 35-60 FOW range. The success seems to be split between shore fishing and jigging. There have been a few caught trolling, but not many. Things will change as the water starts to warm a little bit. Yesterdays water temp was only 39F. We are looking at a chance of snow tomorrow, so that will not help raise temps at all. After Sunday the weather looks good for the following week, so we should have no problems moving into the 40's at the end of the week.

[EthanK]

Outfitter17,

Just wondering how the trout are biting on Manitou. We're heading up there this weekend. What's the water temp and have you been catching them shallower since your last post? We usually do a mixture of land lines, jigging, and trolling. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

EthanK

[Outfitter17]

Hi Ethan,

The water temps yesterday varied from 45-53F depending on where you were on the lake. We never got into the lakers really shallow like past years (it was a very strange spring with the early ice out - then the cold weather with snow up to 6" a couple of times), but the guys were still able to catch them trolling deep diving cranks a couple days ago. The cranks were going down 15-19' and the fish were up to about 30' on graph and they were coming up for the cranks. Plenty of guys are having good luck with just soaking from shore, not the numbers you would get out in the boat, but on a wet rainy day like today it's a great option to stay somewhat out of the weather and still catch fish. I don't think any of the guys have done any jigging, so I don't know if that is working or not.

Good Luck