Okoboji/spirit family trip

[lakesareabassin]

Hi guys,

I'm heading to okoboji on Friday and staying through Wednesday. I'll have a day to look for some bass, maybe smalls on spirit (never fished it) or either on okoboji. Would you recommend one over the other? Are the smalls up, or already moved back out? Also any areas that would be good for kids? Sunnies, crappie, even bass, I got a 7 year old who'd love to hit a bass on top water. Any help is much appreciated, first time taking kids down there. Was there earlier when the largemouth got into the canals, but never before that and know the fish have changed in past 6 weeks.

Thanks BBC!

[STEVE81]

I was just there for the last week. Smallmouth and largemouth were both on beds. Largemouth were spawning in the canals and on the smaller lakes. Smallies were spawning on West O on the main lake rocky areas. There may not be many left spawning at this point. I’m not completely sure if they are just between waves of the spawn or if the spawn is just about done.

As for topwater, I’m not going to say that you won’t catch any on the main lakes but I will say that I never got a topwater bite doing so for 6 straight days. However, if you go in the canals on the SW side, you can definitely catch them on a frog.

[lakesareabassin]

Thanks Steve81! I'll need to try that channel as my boy would go crazy for a frog bite or two.

Is Spirit worth trying - is that generally the better lakes for smallies, or is it tougher fishing?

[STEVE81]

I’ve never been on Spirit so anything I say would be purely speculation. However, I’m told that it is a better smallie lake.