Anybody been out on Turtle River lake?

zeepoman

I know guys who have, and fishing has been so-so. One day they'll scrape up a limit, the next they'll get 2. It's a pretty typical bite for the time of year as far as presentation and depth, if that helps...

Any new reports from TRL, I love to fish this lake. Never know what kind of fish your going to catch.

Zeepoman

I have been out on it once recently, but have been talking with guys who've been hitting it hard lately. Its been very inconsistent, with people catching limits one day, and none to very few the next. Has definitely gone to a leech and crawler bite. Catching some northerns mixed in. Not catching as many incidental panfish other than the ever pesky perch and rock bass. Depths have varied widely, with fish coming up shallow at times and deeper, out to 30 feet at other times. Some of the best fishing has been mid to late morning to mid afternoon it seems, although evenings are producing a few fish also.

So would ya say its the dog days of summer type of fishing then guys?

So Zeepo - heading up from Kansas to TRL again? Where you staying now that Rainbow is out?
I'll be up in August. Heard the walleye bite on Blackduck is a little more consistant.
Either way sharpen the hooks on those Smithwicks right?

We are staying at Pimushe resort. It is really nice and the Lake has good fishing also. We make it over to TRL 3 or 4 days during the 2 weeks. We leave this friday and come back the 25th. Smithwicks and no.9 shad raps in blue chrome and yellow belly are the ticket. I am not going to drive 750 miles to drag a leach around. We are after the suicidle fish. Last year on TRL we did good the second week, the first week they had a small algae bloom. Two years ago was when the crankbait bait was hot and both the northerns and walleye ran nice size. 40+ years and still look forward to going. Are you still staying in the narrows?

zeepo

I wouldn't say it's a dog-days bite yet. Not seeing huge schools of fish out deep yet, and the bite is too good some days to think of the dog days... Fish the bottoms of the breaks in 20-30' of water and you'll catch fish.... Move at a mod. pace, .7 or so on a drift is good enough right now...

Yup Zeepo -been staying in the same cabin for 47 years although I was a wee lad at that time.
Me and the fam will be up on the 2nd week of August. The dog day bite should on by then. I have had success with your color suggestion as well as the gold/orange/black combo as well.
I had never tried the rattlin rogue until you suggested many years ago.
They do have a preference.
Good luck and enjoy the Northland. You Cornhuskers can stop by the cabin anytime you see my Tournament Pro at the dock. Maybe next year we will be up at the same time again.

Matt,
What is the water level like? Lakes down in southern MN started the year a foot down and we have lost more since. Same up there?
Is it a leech bite? Sounds like a tough bite. When they are deep I have had a tough time convincing them to bite on TRL.
I'll talk to my meat man neighbor up there when I get up. He usually can point me on the right pattern although he has been chasing more bass recently.

I forgot about that wooly, you know John. You'll have no trouble finding fish if you have him on your side... Rigging is working out deeper, but it'll get better here soon. Leeches or crawlers...

Water levels around here are okay. A little lower than everyone hopes for, but nothing like a few years back when you couldn't even use the access on TRL without getting buried in the sand...

Yeah, a Busch light or three and I can get anything out of him!!
Looking forward to the trip. Always the highlight for the family.