Lake Thompson

[berke99]

I fished Thompson from Thursday afternoon to Saturday morning. On the north end I caught 1- 18in. walleye Friday morning. I then fished Whitewood for a few hours. Not a bite and very cold. I fished by the humps Friday night and caught 1- 3lb northern and 2 walleyes at dark. Caught a couple of fish, but slow.

[Moses2531]

Do you fish Thompson in the spring? I haven't really heard of much luck thru the ice, but people have told me that you can catch some walleyes in the spring...

[berke99]

I don't fish Thompson much in the boat any more. The fishing there for me doesn't seem to be as good as it was a few years back. I don't fish it from shore there any more either. I used to like fishing the Oldham grade. You can't park there any more so it did away with my shore fishing there. I don't know why they made it no parking, it's not like it is a major highway or anything. They really eliminated a very good fishing spot for me!

[Moses2531]

Oh I see... Well it kinda stinks that they pulled the floor right out from beneath you! Thanks for the heads up though, looks like I better find other fishing plans...

[berke99]

Don't get me wrong about Lake Thompson. There are still plenty of nice fish in there. I still hear people shore fishing, or boating, and catching fish. I wish that they could keep the water level up though. Every year now it keeps dropping.

[Mike Walerak]

Lake Thompson is still a quality fishery. Granted it is not what it used to be 5 years ago. It can esily produce a limet of eaters or a trophy fish or two on the right day. Boat traffic has definalty increased, but the reason is the great fishing.

There are many other lakes in the area that have great fishing too. Lake Sinai and Poinsett are first to come to mind.

mw

[Moses2531]

Thanks so much for the help! It sure helps to have at least a little confidence when heading to a brand new body of water in a totally different state!! My college buddy and I are getting all geared up for the spring, is there a certain time or technique that'd you'd suggest for us to possibly catch some walleyes?? We really don't need much size to them, not really going to be cleaning much of anything in a dorm room, but we'd sure like some action!! Again thank you so much already for all your help!

[percherman]

Berke When you said that they dont let you park on the Oldham grade did you mean the grade itself or back to the west off the road from the lake . I have not fished there for a few years and was wondering if you cant park off the road on the west side of the lake any longer and walk in? That used to be a great place to fish every spring. It was usually first bite on the lake. When my boy was five he was casting jigs and catching eyes all buy himself, that tells you how easy the fish were to catch back then. I am not sure what it is like now, he is 11? My brotherinlaw fished a tourney at thompson last summer and placed second. They caught over 50 fish in6 hrs live baiting. He is once again a believer in the lake. I think it just takes different tacticts on different days to catch eyes on thomson. I myself have never had a skunked day there, it always seems to give up a few eyes if I work at it.

Sorry I'me bla bla bla in again.

Out of here.

[berke99]

You can't park on the grade. There are no parking signs on the road.

[Rost]

Perch-

I believe you are talking about parking near the abandoned farm place on the west side. Correct? Yes, you can park there (unless a recent change has been made).

The grade is one of Thompson's classic shore fishing spots. It is a great place to take a kid fishing.

[percherman]

Rost, Yep that is the place I was refering to. Thanks.

I am glad that you can at least fish the grade, even though it is a hike, its worth it. I hope to get up to a few lakes this spring like Brant and thompson to do some pitchin for some of those hungry eyes. But for now I hope the Ice holds out for at least three more weekends. I have a cousin from california coming in on the 7th and he has never ice fished.I plan on taking him to Waubay for the day on that sat, he is going to freak out if we can still drive on the ice.Should be a most interesting trip.

[berke99]

Does any one know why they made the Old Ham grade a no parking zone? It's not like it's a major freeway or anything. Just curious as to why.

[percherman]

Berke I bet anything the farmers around the area complained they couldn't get their equipment to and from the fields. I can see that happening if both sides of the road are lined up with vehicles but they could easily have made it parking on one side of the road only. The state was probably protecting their butts and worried about fisherman with kids walking back to their trucks. Alls it takes, one kid SPLAT and then there is trouble knowone needs.

I need to switch gears here, do you guys remember when iceout usually is on thompson or when the gator bite with smelt and tipups really starts happening? My 11 Yr old Is a gator fanatic! He is just facinated by the slimey, mean old predator, and I have promised him this year we will spend his spring break which is april 1st-5th chasing them. I am hoping its through the ice but if not we can catchem with the long poles. Any rough estimates would help.

Thanks.

[ifishsd]

Could be a little tricky ice fishing april 1 on Thompson. I would say most of the ice will be gone by that time. We have had some warm days this week and with the lack of snow cover I would think the end of march will be ice out.

You might have better luck for northerns on Rush lake and blue dog during that time. The northerns should be in the shallows getting ready to spawn. There may till be ice up there at that time you plan to go. I know they catch northerns in the outlet at Blue dog in the spring casting from shore.

[Wadinator]

Can anyone tell me when the ice went off of Thompson?

[Rost]

About 2 weeks ago.

[Wadinator]

Thanks Rost!

Would you guess it's been a little more or a little less than two weeks?

[Mike Walerak]

The State park area was open and people were in boats on March 26. the south end of the lake was still froze.

mw

[Wadinator]

Thanks Mike.

Wallywalleye and I were thinking about heading up that way Saturday, but now with the wind and possible thunderstorms being predicted we may have to go to "Plan B".

[Wadinator]

Alrighty. We're gonna give Thompson a try this weekend. Anybody been there lately, in the last week or so?

"Plan B" from last weekend turned out to be hiding from the weather in the canals catching gillies at Okoboji. Didn't do too bad there either, considering the wind and the rain. But I'm guessing it'll be shoulder to shoulder there this weekend with the sunny and 70 forecast.

[Wadinator]

Bump.

Nobody has heard anything? Nobody?

I guess that's not a big suprise, considering what the weather has been like this week. Unless the forecast changes for the worse, I'll post back here on how it went.