How are you doing for walleye on the Ottawa this winter?

[Papaclaude]

Just out of curiosity - how are you guys doing this winter on the Ottawa? My wife and I have been having a pretty slow year. We got a few, including 2 nice ones, but nothing near what we were getting previous winters, and we've been out quit a few ties. All the guys fishing around us seem to be doing about the same. We fish near Orléans.

[bassman40]

Where on the ottawa in orleans are you fishing?
I'm in orleans and plan to fish this weekend on the bay next to the beach area by the main channel. Not in the bay with all the shack village.
Do you know what's the ice conditions like out there?

TIA

[Papaclaude]

I was fishing Willow Street. Went out last night, but the walk was pure hell. Kept breaking through the crust and snow. About 6" of water on the ice, and the ice has started to soften and the holes are opening up from the bottom - 2 signs of Spring, IMHO. They are taking all the shacks off the ice in the first bay, and I tried to go to Crappie Bay today (SW of the beach), and there was about 4" of water on the ice. I had my granddaughters, so we didn't go out. The ice is still plenty thick, but if it doesn't get cold soon, getting out on to the ice is going to be real challenging. Overall, in terms of numbers and size of fish caught, this has been our poorest winter in about 20 years.

[warpipe]

Not sure about the Ottawa River but we went to a fishing derby on Calabogie Lake last weekend and not one walleye was entered in the contest.

[Wallyboss]

I've been fishing 3 days a week since second week of January and find that the bite is really weird this year on the Ottawa.

If I didn't have a Vex I would be complaining, cause most of my bites the walleyes looked at the bait for at least 15-20 minutes before deciding to eat it. I am over 60 walleyes so far this year.

Got a beast (for the Ottawa) yesterday afternoon, full sunshine at 2:30, it hit my tipdown so I don't know how long it looked at it. Having caught a few sturgeons in that area this year I was sure it was another one. To my surprise golden head showed up through the hole. It was well over the size limit.