Balsm lake

[Ole #1]

I was thinking of going to balsm lake, but have never been there before. Can someone help me with directions to the access?

Thanks in advance.

Ole

[steve schmidt]

There are two that I use. Turn on County Road "I" right in town (one block from the bank) and head East. You only go about a block and the public landing is on the left. NIce landing.

Otherwise...stay on 46 NOrth. Wherever you come from, you want to turn north on 46 at the junction where the court house etc. is. Go north about 1/2 mile. The lake will appear on your right...the landing is in the northwest corner of that bay..right off the highway. I like this one best.

[Ole #1]

Thanks Steve.

This will be my first trip there, any tips or advice would be great.

Thanks again.

[protrapper]

Anyone been out there chasing gills or slabs lately? How warm os the water? I have caught some huge sunnies out of there in the last year. Thanks..

[SPIN DRY]

Last Tuesday night the water temp was 48 degrees. That's a little chilly. Good luck.

[steve schmidt]

Ole

I fish Balsam mainly through the ice although I try and make it there a time or two during the spring. I mainly fly fish.

As for tips......what are you fishing for? Panfish? Or Walleye?

Balsam is a great lake...nice fish in most species but being a good size lake...yes...it is being in the right place.

Good Luck Ole.

[HellaBass]

Any reports on bass yet?

[HellaBass]

caught a few small bass today, started to pick up at about 1pm. Water temps in the low 50's. Still looking for where the nicer fish are staging...

[HellaBass]

did anybody here anything about the tourney results on Balsam from this weekend?

Also where are the bass staging, i cannot find the bass that are not up shallow yet....

[luv2senko]

8 fish 18lbs took first on Sat.
There were only one or two eight fish limits. Around 13.5 cashed a check. A lot of boats on the water.

[HellaBass]

any idea on what those guys were doing? Were they fishing deep or shallow...?

[HellaBass]

Any new news on Balsam bass activity or what it was taking to win any tournaments?

[bassin]

Just under 17lbs for 5 fish on Saturday. It was hit or miss for most teams. CLose to 80 boats. Most blanked or had 1 or 2 fish. There were 3 or 4 in the 16lb range then it dropped fast from there down to about 9lbs for 10th place. the weekend before it only took about 11lbs.

[baitmanVic]

Area clubs and tournaments have found Bass fishing a little diffdficult to say the least! The females have not hit the beds due to the cold water and lakes cooling at night regularly. With the onset of warm weather predicted for Memorial Day Weekend, they sould be hitting soon. Sunfish have been producing well and crappies just coming into their own. Sand lake; Big Round; Magnor; East Ballsam; and the Apple river should turn on in the next 4 to 5 days.

[catchin'whopper]

Thinking of getting out to balsam tomorrow, wednesday, anybody got a feel for the bite or to concentrate on? How was the north bay on the east side, north of the island? THat's where i was thinking of starting, plus will be sunny, apparently. Any help would be great, as usual, will profess my successes! Thanks.
-Catchin' Whopper

[bassin]

We had two patterns going on Saturday. One was out in about 8-10ft on rattle traps and the other was up shallow in spawning areas. The fish up shallow were cruising the dark edge formed by the short weeds on the bottom and the clean sand up against the bank. There were also a fish fish locked down on beds but we never saw anything of any size. To catch the fish up shallow you need to make extremely long cast. Even with the cold rainy weather the shallow fish were still there. We got one in practice on Friday in the rain that was close to 4 1/2 that was sitting in a foot of water.

[bassin]

We had two patterns going on Saturday. One was out in about 8-10ft on rattle traps and the other was up shallow in spawning areas. The fish up shallow were cruising the dark edge formed by the short weeds on the bottom and the clean sand up against the bank. There were also a few fish locked down on beds but we never saw anything of any size. To catch the fish up shallow you need to make extremely long cast. Even with the cold rainy weather the shallow fish were still there. We got one in practice on Friday in the rain that was close to 4 1/2 that was sitting in a foot of water.

[bassin]

oops. sorry about the double post...

[catchin'whopper]

Thanks bassin for the update, what were the water temps there last week anyway? Crappy weekend for a tourney that's for sure.

I think north of that island, there is that huge bay and i think plenty of options. Were these some of the areas you are talking about? If you dont want to give it away, cool. Again, thanks for your update!
-Catchin'

[jeweaver]

We were out fishing walleyes one morning in early June on the Balsam Lake side of the narrows between Balsam and East Balsam. A tournament was going on and the folks we watched weren't catching much at all. But we caught close to a dozen bass in an hour's time pitching jigs with fatheads in about 15 feet of water. They were more of a nusience to us but would have made one of the competitors very happy.

[bassin]

The south end of east Balsam would be one. The weeds come out to about 8-9ft. Some fish came from there, but the bigger ones came if you come up on the flat and move towards shore. You will see the line were the weeds stop and the sand starts. All the little miny coves around the lake had fish in them as well. The bay with the pads in the Narrow no wake area by the other launch had fish too. Decent size fish in there. But again you had to make really, really long casts. The bigger ones were out in the middle a little more around the wood, not the pads.

[bassin]

oh, water temp was 58-61...

[HellaBass]

the Tourney was tough, but if the sun stays out the fish should continue to keep locking in on the beds. This weekend could be on fire.

[catchin'whopper]

Fishing was tough as well yesterday, for bass. They are still cruising the shallows, getting ready to grab hold of a nesting place. Saw lots of "couples" swimming around, one usually larger than the other. But talk about skittish. Long casts were needed still and we used baby 1-'s, spinnerbaits, and bill's worms on the flats to catch them. But unfortunately didnt get any pigs, the largest being around 2 pounds or so.

It was still good to see the shallows lit up though, lots of sunnies and crappies in the shallows now too. Water temps ranged 4 degrees, got 63 in some small, shallow bays.

I would have to think this weekend should be solid, we are having more stable, warm weather and those fish will be bedding pretty quick. Good luck if you get out there in the next week!

-Catchin WHopper

[MN Slick]

Are there tournaments every weekend on Balsack this year? My family has had a cabin on this lake for 40 years. Used to be a tremendous bass lake but I struggle catching decent size fish on it anymore. The sign says "#1 bass lake in Wisconsin". HILARIOUS!!! Or maybe I'm just a brutal angler, but I seem to do well on Minnetonka and the metro lakes. Your impressions?