Indian Springs offers a tremendous walleye fishery as well as yellow perch and northern pike. Indian Springs is a popular ice fishing destination as the weeds decrease and anglers are able to take advantage of easier fishing. A relatively shallow lake, fishing on Indian Springs usually occurs in 4-13ft of water. Flooded stock dams can reach depths of 20ft, although these are few and far between. The water is gin clear and the expansive basins can make locating fish difficult. There are a handful of submerged roads, islands, stock dams and weed beds that anglers can target.
Fishing Information
Location
Anglers really take two different approaches to location on Indian Springs. The first approach is to fish structure. The lake features submerged roads, islands, stock dams and weed beds. Road beds are a popular walleye spot as are islands and points.
The main features you’re looking for are weed edges. Find the shallow patch of weeds and then where that weed line drops off. Fishing the shallow weeds (4-6ft) in the early mornings or evenings is a popular spot for large walleye. As the sun comes up, dropping out to deeper water is critical. Finding transition locations that drop to 8-12ft and more of a basin type area are popular perch spots and also areas for walleye to move out for a rest in the day.
The basin area is the other approach anglers take. This is most popular for the perch anglers, but large walleye will also follow these schools of perch around the basin as well.
The expansive basin area makes contacting fish difficult. Anglers who fish quickly out of quads or snowmobiles are going to have the most success. Driving across the basin areas and drilling numerous holes are key. Drill just enough holes for all anglers to have a hole or two to fish. Fish each area no more than 5-10 minutes. After this, it’s time to move a couple hundred yards and start again.
The key to success here is covering water and picking up the aggressive fish. If you find the school, you will hit the aggressive fish quickly. Once the fast action is done, continue on your trail. This is not the type of fishing to try and grind out non-aggressive fish.
Presentation
The same two different approaches are going to present themselves when it comes to presentation as well. The weed and structure anglers are going to be featuring larger flutter spoons early in the morning. Aggressively ripping these baits through the weed patches will attract nearby predators that will aggressively race in and hammer the bait. Silver and gold are excellent colors for flutter spoons.
Once the sun comes up, the presentation need to be toned down as the angler slides further out towards the more basin area. Compact spoons such as Northland Forage Minnows, Swedish Pimples and other similar baits become the best option. Tipping these baits with red spikes or minnow heads is most effective. Good colors are gold, orange and green.
Anglers also have success placing bobbers, tip ups and tip downs in weed pockets. Bobbers and minnows on the outside of the weed edges can produce perch, while a shiner or chub on a tip up in the weeds can produce pike and walleye.
Oddly enough, perch have also been caught on these tip ups as well!
While mean perch will attack the tip ups, the basin perch anglers take a different approach. Out here, tungsten jigs and spikes are the top option. A small, 4mm-5mm tungsten jig and red spikes or wax worms are the bait of choice. Small plastics such as the Clam Maki plastics or Trigger X Moustache Worms can also produce fish as well.
Top colors for the jigs are going to be red, brown or gold. For plastics, red, pink and white are the top options. The whole key in the presentation is to replicate invertebrates the perch are keying on out in the basin. Because you’re covering water, there is no need to try to get flashy and draw fish in from great distances.
Surrounding Area Information
Nearby Towns: Clark, Watertown, Willow Lake
Nearby Lakes: Dry Lake #2, 3 Buck Slough
Area Bait Shops: Black Claw Bait and Tackle (Clark)
Area Lodging: 212 Overnight Motel (Clark)
Area Restaurants: Black Claw Tavern (Indian Springs), Heather’s Bistro (Clark,) The Corner Diner (Clark), The Lookout Bar and Grill (Clark), Clark Drive Inn (Clark), Sportsman’s Bar (Clark)
Full amenities, restaurants, bait shops and hotels can be found in Watertown, roughly 30 miles east of Indian Springs on Highway 212.
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