Fishing Tips For Sand Lake

We consistently hear from our guests that the one element missing from other resort experiences is advice about how to successfully fish the lake on which they are staying.  At Campbell’s Lodge, we take your fishing success very seriously!  Sand Lake is a great fishery and with our weekly guest reception and fishing seminar we help you find the fish.  In our weekly fishing seminar I touch on technique, presentation, and equipment and include some basic lake characteristics and patterns to help our guests achieve greater fishing success on Sand Lake.  Technique depends on the species of fish you are hunting but we can help you fish more successfully for all species including walleye, northern and panfish.

Walleye Fishing:

One of the most frequently asked questions is “What do I need for tackle?”  The answer I give is - not much!  We all have tackle boxes full of the latest and greatest equipment to catch fish but do we need them?  No.  It sure does look good, though!  Actually, you need only basic tackle to fish walleye.  Pick the rod and reel of your choice but a medium action rod is preferable to a heavier action rod.  The line you use on a medium or light reel should be 6 – 8lb test line.  I am not a big fan of the super lines such as Fireline.  Overall, avoid the tendency to fish with equipment that is too heavy.  My favorite presentation for fishing walleye is the Lindy Rig.  You will need a supply of Lindy Rigs with 2-3 foot lead and leech/crawler or minnow hooks depending on the time of year.  The sinkers on the Lindy Rig should range from ¼ - 5/8 ounce.  Also stock up on chartreuse and pink leadhead jigs.  They should range from 1/8 to ½ ounce.  That's all the tackle that I take walleye fishing!

Tip your Lindy Rig with a minnow in the spring and fall, leech in the late spring through early fall or a nightcrawler in the heat of summer.  The choice is yours but the best bait is going to depend on conditions, such as weather, water level and water temperature.  Our weekly fishing seminar (each Sunday afternoon) is the place to get the latest fishing condition information. 

Drifting is my favorite style of walleye fishing.  I never troll when I can drift.  When drifting, I let enough line out to create about a 45º angle from the water.  This is accomplished by having the correct amount of weight.  The most used weight is 3/8 ounce.  If you feel the bottom consistently dragging you probably have too much weight, and if you never feel the bottom you probably have too little weight.

I fish the bottom with my bail open so I can react quickly.  When I feel I might have a bite I almost always let more line out.  Many times a walleye hit feels like a weed or the bottom.  My advice is if you are not sure whether or not you have a bite - let line out.  In other words, “when in doubt, let it out.”  After letting line out, close your bail, take the slack out of the line, and gently pull back to see if the fish is still there.  If it is, put your rod tip back down and set hook like you mean it.  That’s it!

Panfish Fishing:

Sand Lake has an excellent population of Crappie and Bluegill.  We find that the best time to fish them is mid-July through the fall.  The most common mistake I see is fishing with a bait that is too large and/or tackle that is too large or heavy.  Think ice fishing, particularly when going after bluegill.  The next time you get an opportunity, take a look at the size of the mouth on a  bluegill.  They are remarkably small compared to the overall size of the fish.  Many times I find that 1/64 to 1/32 small silhouette ice fishing jig is just what the doctor ordered.  An ultra light rod and reel with 2-4 lb. test is plenty.  Pound for pound these are among the most fun fish to catch so use light tackle and enjoy it. When using minnows, think small. (a small crappie minnow will be sufficient)  A wax worm or small piece of night crawler may also work, depending on the time of year.  Fish them with a slip bobber at the desired depth or about a foot off the bottom.  It is my experience that once you find the bluegill they will be less likely to move around than crappie.  For best crappie results use a very small jig tipped with a small crappie minnow.  For best current locations and depth plan to attend our weekly fishing seminar.

Kid’s Fishing:

One commonly asked question is, "Can my kids catch fish?"  The answer is definitely YES!  In fact, one of the biggest mistakes parents make is trying too hard to catch the big one with kids in the boat.  Keep it simple by fishing near weed lines or off our dock for panfish or small northern.  Use a lightweight jig (with or without a slip bobber) tipped with a piece of nightcrawler or a small minnow.  This is the presentation we use with all the contestants in our weekly Kid’s Fishing Contest.

Northern Pike Fishing:

I often hear about the abundant population of Northern Pike in Sand Lake, particularly the small ones.  One of the main reasons people typically catch 1-2 lb northerns is because they are caught by accident while fishing for walleye or panfish.  Although you might occasionally catch a large northern on a leech or minnow it is more likely that you will catch numerous small ones.  As I mention in the paragraph pertaining to kid’s fishing, these small northern provide frequent action for the young ones.

Large spinner baits will provide the opportunity to catch plenty of fish. Large daredevils seem to work fairly well although I don’t use them much because they frequently get caught in the weeds.  I prefer a large Muskie type lure such as an Eddy Bait or Suick.  My favorite is perch colored and is about 10 inches long.  It floats until you retrieve it and then it travels 12 to 18 inches under the water.  You can literally see fish follow it to the boat on the retrieve.  Be sure to complete your retrieve right up to the boat as that is many times where the fish will strike. 

Another style of Northern fishing is with a bobber and a large sucker minnow (6-8” long).  When the bobber goes down don’t be in a hurry to set the hook.  It can take a couple minutes for the northern to entirely take the chub.  This is necessary to be able to set the hook. This technique is popular with people who want to sit on the dock to relax and fish northern at the same time. 

Most of the large Northern taken on Sand Lake come from traditional northern habitat which includes a weedline and a drop off.  Specific locations are discussed weekly at our fishing seminar.

I hope these tips help you catch more fish when you're here.  If you haven't booked your reservation yet, why don't you give us a call now -- we'd be happy to take your call, 1-866-659-2862.