September 8th, 2021
Walleye - Here today, gone tomorrow, has been the story for walleye anglers this last week. Anglers reported having great success one day, in shallow water or deep water, then return the next day to find nothing. Walleyes are clearly on the move, but are biting in you can get your bait in front of them. Anglers are finding many walleyes in shallow, 10 ft or less, during the early morning or evening hours. There also remains a few reports of cabin owners catching walleyes right off their dock. Here, jigs tipped with crawlers or spinner rigs tipped with crawlers has been most effective. Deep water trolling and leadcoring has maybe been the most effective way to catch walleyes this last week. Anglers have been trolling large crankbaits 20-40ft down over 20-60 feet of water. During the day, walleyes are relating close to the bottom and can be found near points and shallow mud basins, but during the evening hours they will move out and suspend over deep water, chasing ciscos.
Smallmouth Bass - Bass anglers have been finding more and more bass sliding out to sunken islands and more and more reports of big minnows working better and better have been coming in. Falling water temps have the Bass getting ready for winter, so anglers looking to catch some of the biggest smallies in the lake, now is the time! Smaller smallies continue to be found shallow in bays or around islands. They continue to hit spinnerbaits, in-line spinners, soft plastics and topwater, but bite is quickly cooling off.
Pike - Pike are enjoying the recent drop in water temps and have started to return the shallows. Cabins owners have begun catching quality pike right off their docks again, with large suckers fished under a bobber. Anglers looking to target them should start focusing on rocky points and mouths of shallow bays. Large spoons, large spinnerbaits, topwater and large suckers are all very effective on pike this time of the year. Early morning is typically best for bigger pike right now.
Lake Trout - Lake trout anglers continue to report good fishing for them this last week. Trolling spoons behind down riggers has been the best technique, but leadcoring deep diving crankbaits has also been very effective. Anglers fishing from a canoe have been jigging heavy 1 1/2 to 2oz bucktails, tipped with either a gulp minnow or sucker minnow, over 30-80 feet of water. Anglers should focus more and more on rocky shorelines.
