**Fishing Report***
Walleye – Walleye fishing was good to excellent for many anglers this last week. Falling water temps mean one thing for walleye. Winter is coming and you better eat as much as you can before it’s here. More and more anglers are reporting that the bigger the minnow the better! Creek Chubs, Pike Suckers and Lite Northerns have been the minnow of choice for these anglers. These anglers have been having great luck fishing jigs or lindy rigs, tipped with a big minnow, in 20-30 feet of water around sunken islands. For anglers a little gun shy about use a minnow between 4-8 inches there are still reports of leeches and crawlers working along shoreline breaks in 15-20 feet of water. Here spinner rigs or jigs worked slowly have been best. Blue, gold and white remain at the top for anglers with the best reports.
Smallmouth Bass – Smallmouth Bass have begun their annual fall feeding binge. Big smallies in the 4-6lb range are aggressively hitting big minnows out around the sunken islands. Again as with the walleyes Creek Chubs, Pike Suckers and even Lite Northerns are getting the best results for anglers. Out here anglers are fishing the big minnows with a lindy rig or jig and simply working them up and down the edge of sunken islands until the connect with the smallies. 15-30 feet of water has been best for this technique.
Muskie – Muskie anglers have been reporting some excellent catches of Muskie this last week. Anglers throwing large plastics or dragging the biggest suckers they can find, under a bobber, behind their boats over weed beds have catching some very big muskies. Anglers should focus on the best weedbeds they can find, river mouths and windy points. This fish is largely overlooked in our area, so these muskies tend not to be shy about hitting a big bait thrown by inexperienced anglers. Multiple fish days for anglers new to muskie fishing are not uncommon around here.
Stream Trout – With water temps falling back into the range trout like anglers are reporting that shore fishing for them has been getting better and better. Anglers pitching small jig and twisters, spinners or fishing a night crawler under a bobber have been catching trout. Mornings, evenings and cloudy days have been best, but there are a few reports of anglers catching them right in the middle of a calm sunny day, right from shore. Bottom line is if you have a hour or two to kills then give it a try. White, pink and yellow have been good colors this last week.
Pike – Bigger and bigger pike have begun to return to the main lake shorelines. Reports from anglers catching them out around sunken islands has largely dried up and reports of anglers catching them along the shorelines have become more common. Anglers targeting them should focus around river mouths, weedy bays and main lake rocky points in 10 feet of water or less. Heavy suckers or very active large Creek Chubs fished under a bobber, right off your dock is not only a great way to catch some pike right now, but it’s also a great way to relax and enjoy the fall colors around your lake. For anglers looking to cover some water and connect with several big pike then they should be throwing big minnow style baits, buzzbaits, big spinnerbaits or spoons.
Crappies – Crappies have begun to start transitioning to deeper water. Anglers shouldn’t abandon the cabbage bite just yet, but understand that if you are striking out with the cabbage bite during the day, to check out in the deeper water just outside the weedbeds for schooling crappies. As long as the weed remain green crappies will move into the cabbage beds to feed, but will spend more and more time out in deep water as winter gets closer and closer. Crappie minnows fished under a bobber, jig and twister and beetle spins continue to be very effective on crappies.
