Despite my request asking if they could file their fishing report on Thursdays, which is the deadline for the fishing report that runs every Friday in the Herald, Explore Minnesota continues to move its weekly fishing report on Friday mornings.
It’s a good rundown of fishing across Minnesota, though, so I’m planning to run it as a blog post every Friday for anyone who might be planning a weekend fishing trip somewhere in Minnesota. Here’s this week’s Explore Minnesota Fishing Report:
Northeast Minnesota
Ely
Walleye action has been sporadic on many area lakes. Some anglers have been reporting good walleye catches in the deeper waters, in some cases, down to 55 feet deep. Anglers working the shallows are taking just a few keepers in the 14- to 16-inch range. Northern pike and smallmouth bass action has been very good on most area lakes. Live bait, such as suckers, are turning lots of fish when set under a float or slowly-trolled through 5-15 feet of water. Anglers are also having success when trolling or casting spinner baits and larger crank baits. Crappie action remains good, with anglers reporting some large fish measuring 16-inches. Both the larger and smaller lakes are giving up nice numbers of keeper-size fish. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org
Duluth – Lake Superior and inland waters
Water temperatures in lakes and rivers around the Twin Ports area are fluctuating between 55- and 60-degrees. Fall color is now at its peak and the trees are stunning. Fishing has been excellent, just as expected this time of year. The local streams of Lake Superior are seeing plenty of action as anglers are wading in the pools in search of trout and salmon. Lake Superior seems to be off to a great fall migration. Small spinner baits on spin caster rods, and flies on fly rods are equally successful. Please help protect these fish, handling them with care. The St. Louis River remains a hot spot for walleye and crappies. Similar to the trout/salmon migration in the stream tributaries, the walleye also move into the estuary system. For the most action, use an RZ jig tipped with a crappie or fathead minnow. Slowly trolling larger crank baits has been best for the larger fish. Crappies are schooled up off the drop-offs, with fish being taken all hours of the day. Smallmouth bass are very active at a variety of structure. Muskie anglers are also having success. On the Inland waters, anglers are finding it easy to take limits of fish. The majority of fish are coming from 10-20 foot depths at the deep transitions off the weeds. Jigging tactics have been best, especially with ice fishing tackle. Northern pike and bass are responding well to spoons and rapalas cast toward shore. Muskie anglers are reporting some nice fish. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com
Grand Rapids
Crappie fishing has been good on many area lakes. Anglers using their electronics report easy access to schools of fish. The best bet is to use a small jig with a minnow, curly tailed grub, jigging rap, or spoon. Walleye have been active in depths of 6-14 feet, hitting jigs tipped with shiners or rainbow chubs. Check the green cabbage weeds and scattered rocks for schools of fish. One recommendation is to check areas where young loons are feeding on minnows since these areas will likely hold walleye, northern pike and jumbo perch. www.visitgrandrapids.com
Northwest Minnesota
Baudette – Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River
Walleye and sauger action has been excellent on Lake of the Woods. Anglers are taking lots of fish from 15-25 feet of water on jig and minnow combinations. Bright colors have been best, especially on cloudy days. Fish are being caught all across the south shore where lots of charter and personal boats are gathering. The northern parts of the lake have also yielded many fish, with areas near Hay Island and the Northwest Point producing good numbers. Schools of jumbo perch are often mixed in with the walleye, and anglers are taking a nice mix of walleye and perch. Rainy River action is improving with anglers catching walleye from the mouth of the river up to Frontier Landing. There have been a couple of good shiner runs so far, and the current has been cooperating. The sturgeon are surging, with some nice catch-and-release sturgeon being reported. At in the Northwest Angle and islands area, anglers are doing well in the channel on the north side of Oak Island from Cyclone Island all the way to Soldiers Point. Trolling and down-rigging crankbaits or jigs tipped with minnows has been best, especially in depths of 15-25 feet. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com
Bemidji Area Lakes
As of late last week, surface water temperatures were in the mid-50s in most area lakes. Most species of fish were active and expected to continue feeding aggressively as the lakes cooled through the 50s. Most fish were making the transition from late summer to fall patterns, with fish in some lakes showing a dramatic change in location. Fish living in the smaller, more isolated lakes may only move a few hundred yards between their summer and winter locations, while fish living in the larger lakes may travel miles before winter arrives. Many lakes in the Bemidji area are a part of a chain of lakes, and the Lake Bemidji Chain of Lakes includes six lakes from Lake Plantagenet to Stump Lake. Fish living in a chain of lakes may move between lakes late in the season. There can also be migrations of minnows in some lakes, with some species of shiners moving into connecting rivers in the fall, then moving back into the lakes once they freeze over. The colder the water gets, the closer the fish want to be to their food. Fish are cold-blooded, so they don’t want to travel long distances when the water gets cold. This often means that the larger predators will follow their preferred forage closely. 800-458-2223; www.visitbemidji.com
Hackensack
Water temperatures are falling, with most lakes now in the mid-50s. On Leech Lake, rig or jig redtails and rainbows at the windblown points and structure for the most walleye. Anglers also report lots of nice perch coming in on jigs tipped with a fathead minnow. Muskie anglers are taking fish when tossing out and slowly retrieving bucktails and topwater lures at the rock structure. Bass are active at the deep points, hitting jigged or Texas-rigged worms, and swim jigs at the greenest weeds. Covering water with spinnerbaits or chatter baits can also be very effective. Lots of nice panfish are coming from the deeper flats and points on small panfish jigs in white or pink. 800-279-6932; www.hackensackchamber.com
Park Rapids
Fall fishing in the Park Rapids area remains strong. Highly active crappies are coming from depths of 20 feet. Large northern pike are being pulled from depths of 25 feet. Walleye are being caught in a variety of depths, ranging from 12-50 feet. Walleye anglers that are having the most success are using jigs tipped with redtail minnows or chubs. Large sucker minnows on a live bait rig have been best for catching the larger northern pike. Small jigs tipped with a white twister tail gulp grub are key to catching crappies on a consistent basis. Largemouth bass can be found schooling at the deep weedlines. For the most action, use a large black plastic worm. 800-247-0054; www.parkrapids.com
Central Region
Alexandria Area Lakes
Smallmouth bass fishing has been amazing throughout the Alexandria Lakes area. Anglers are boating 100s of large smallmouth bass measuring 17- to 20-inches, with dozens of fish measuring 20- to 22-inches! Since smallmouth bass are some of the hardest fighting freshwater fish, anglers are having a blast! Most fish are coming from 4-10 feet of water near the large rocks or sharp breaks. Recommended techniques include drop shot rigs, mepps spinners, crank baits, and live bait rigs. The walleye action is heating up, with most fish coming from 12-30 feet of water on 1/4-ounce jigs tipped with a minnow. 800-245-2539;www.explorealex.com
Isle/Onamia – Lake Mille Lacs
As of late last week, the water temperatures were bouncing between the low 60s and upper 50s on Lake Mille Lacs, close to the temperatures northern pike and muskie anglers crave for. The bite was reported to be heating up quickly for pike and muskie. Anglers wanting a trophy fish were encouraged to head out soon. The smallmouth bass bite remained solid. Plastics and 4- to 6-inch suckers were producing lots of fish. The biggest challenge was finding a day when the winds were calm. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com
Willmar
The fall bite continues in the Willmar Lakes Area. Anglers report lots of walleye and bass action on South Long and Green lakes. Fish are coming from depths ranging from 10 feet to 40 feet, and minnows are greatly out-producing crawlers. Big Kandiyohi Lake continues to produce nice-sized walleye and perch. Willmar and Foot lakes are giving up some nice panfish. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com
Southern Minnesota
Lanesboro – Southeast Bluff Country trout streams
As of Tuesday, Oct. 11, most area streams and rivers were clear to slightly off, with a normal to slightly high water flow. Fisheries staff reported the streams were taking on a “fall blue color.” Hoppers were still around but freezing conditions late in the week were expected to take a toll on the hoppers. Blue-winged olives and some caddis had been spotted on the North Branch Whitewater electrofishing stations. Catch-and-release trout fishing is open through Saturday, Oct. 15, on streams in the southeastern Minnesota counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com