Bitter Lake

[toughguy]

Has anyone had any luck out on bitter lately? I am planning on fishing it this weekend for the free lic. bit. I have not been out this year but have had luck in the past trolling for eyes the north side.

Also I'm thinking of targeting the northerns too. I have not done this in the past. I was going to try suckers under bobbers next to the flooded timber. Anyone tried this before? I've seen some nice pike pulled in on bitter. Any suggestions for methods / locations? Thanks

[old-marble-eye]

Sorry, can't help you with the report, but we're headed up there this evening as well. We've only fished here last fall, and had good luck on the south end, had to be near weeds with a nearby drop to some deeper water. fish were shallow for the most part. Wondering how different it'll be this spring? We got them with jigs and lindys'. How have you gotten them in the past trolling?

[ifishsd]

I know last year Shad raps worked well along the weed beds.

[engfish]

I have fished Bitter many times and have in-laws in the area.

The fish were inactive much of the winter, and fishing pressure was light. Once the ice went out, the early bite was good. With the change in weather, that may have changed, but our preferred method is windswept points and slip bobbers with a minnow.

Start shallow and keep moving a little deeper to cover the point. Oftentimes they'll be up on top right where the break occurs into the deeper water, but if it's windy, they'll be spread out over the shallower water.

With two lines in the water, you can locate active fish fairly quickly.

If you get on them this year, they are solid fish in the 16-20 inch range.

If you see some of the locals fishing and they look like they might be my relatives, don't tell them I sent you! (They're always complaining about the Minnesotans.)

Good luck!

[old-marble-eye]

Tough Guy, wondering how you did on Bitter this weekend. We did extremely well. Caught lots of 'eyes and lots of pike mixed in, while losing lots of jigs to the pike and snags in the shallow water we found them in. Very nice size to the fish as well.

[poorbiker]

What part of the lake did you have success catching the eyes. Thinking about going up there afterwork.

[old-marble-eye]

WE fished almost exclusively what I call the southwest corner of the lake. There's an old abandoned farmhouse near a flooded road, with a silo and old barn which is collapsed. Right off that silo and old barn is where we caught most of our bigger walleyes. We tried the road bed, but didn't do well there. Interesting trip across that lake with shallow submerged islands! The fish were very shallow. We caught fish in that entire bay but by the farmhouse and the timber is where we caught almost all our fish. WE heard of people catching fish on north end of the lake as well.

[poorbiker]

I know where you are talking about. I ice fished that area and want to take the boat over there but have been worried about getting over there. Did you any problems with the submerged islands or sunken trees.

[old-marble-eye]

We didn't have any problems, but please watch your depth finder as there are rocks that could take out a lower unit if you're not careful. There's rocks painted red on two separate islands out there, if you find them go between the two islands and snake your way back into there. No problems with trees, just shallow islands. Let us know if the fish are still there. I wouldn't know why not.

[old-marble-eye]

Poorbiker, did you make it out yesterday?

[toughguy]

old marble,

Fished Bitter Saturday AM. Same results as in the past. Plenty of action till about 11 AM. Eyes and sharks were hitting the plugs. Fished the North Bay. We started about 7 AM and got off the lake at about 1 PM. We would have stayed longer but the wind was crazy on the north end on Saturday. Must have been 25 Mph the entire time we were there. It was still fishable just made us work for em. How was it on the south side?

Toughguy

[old-marble-eye]

Great luck on South end as well. trip across the lake in the morning was interesting to say the least in the wind! Lots of 'eyes up shallow.