Lake of the Woods Fishing Report 9-1-10

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Today should be generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds, high 73F with winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight we should have cloudy skies early with showers later at night, low 54F with winds SE at 5 to 10 mph…there will be a 50% chance of rain. Thursday we should see showers early then thundershowers developing later in the day, high around 60F with winds E at 10 to 20 mph…there will be a 70% chance of rain. Friday we should see thundershowers, highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 50s. Saturday we should have more clouds than sun, highs in the upper 50s and lows in the mid 40s. Today’s fishing report will be provided by Billy “The Sniper” Kloos, Kevin “Tall Tale” Olmstead. The dynamic duo of The Sniper and Tall Tale were on the fish as usual, and today the Road (Graceton Road) was the marker. They downrigged in 30 to 33 feet of water and were limited out in 3 hours. After talking with the duo they knew the wind was going to pick up so they went out and got them early. I love those two guys; they are truly the best at what they do, and we’re lucky to have them at the Wigwam. Today was no different than most average days on Lake of the Woods. We still have been absolutely crushing the Walleyes all over the lake. When we have a south, southwest and west wind the area straight out from Graceton Rd has been a little honey hole of sorts. We are still using the hammered gold and pink/gold spinners with crawlers and leeches. You can purchase your Jigs, Frozen Shiners, Spinners, Crawlers, leeches, and Rapalas from the same place that I get mine, Log Cabin Bait, which is about ¾ of a mile south of the Wigwam on 172. I must state this again, in my 18 years of fishing Lake of the Woods; I’ve never seen the fishing this good on such a consistent basis. Don’t wait too long to make your plans to visit us, because you never know how long it will last…I hope forever! Keep checking out the fishing report…I’ll give you all the hard facts as soon as I find out where they’re hiding next. Good luck and Happy Fishing to all! Thanks for fishing with us and visiting with us at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods.

Announcements…4 Wheel Drive will be the live entertainment this weekend (Sept. 3rd and 4th). If you’re looking for some great fishing and lodging deals, check out the August Specials we will be offering on our website www.wigwamresortlow.com. We are running a Fall Special. The Special will be as follows: $35 per person per night lodging in the lodge or cabins (resticions will apply with number of people in cabins) and $90 per person per day full service guided launch service. Each lodging charge is subject to applicable federal, state and local sales tax. Applicable to new reservations only. I also wanted to tell you all about our Veterans and Armed Forces Special, which we have running 365 days a year. Wigwam Resort gives Veterans and our currently enlisted Armed Forces a 10% discount on any package plus whatever specials we are giving. We want to thank you all for your service…God Bless America!

If you’re looking for an affordable vacation this summer, at a first class fishing resort, you’ve just found it! For additional information, please call one of our knowledgeable staff members at (800) 448-9260, and start your journey to the “Walleye Capitol of the World”!

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

http://www.lakestatefishing.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=39999&forum=31&post_id=292636

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What ARE Muskies Eating in Your Lake?

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Anglers and lakeshore owners often wonder what muskellunge eat and how this top predator affects other fish populations once it has been introduced into a new body of water.

Answers to those questions can be found in studies conducted by the Minnesota and Wisconsin departments of natural resources.

“Today, we know more about the muskie’s diet and its impact on other fish populations than ever before,” said Tim Goeman, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regional fisheries manager. “And that knowledge indicates muskies do not have a detrimental effect on other fish species when stocked at relatively low levels in water bodies with the right characteristics.”

The Minnesota DNR conducted an in-depth examination of fish population impacts in 2007. That’s when Mike Knapp, a DNR fisheries biologist, and other fisheries staff did an extensive analysis of fish populations in 41 lakes that had been stocked with the Leech Lake strain of muskellunge. Knapp, who co-authored a report on this work, said the analysis across all 41 lakes and smaller groups of similar lakes did not show a significant decrease in any fish species after muskellunge had been stocked.

“If muskie stocking resulted in a negative impact on other fish populations, we would have seen a pattern emerge,” said Knapp. “But that didn’t happen. Instead, we found great variability. When looking at individual species in individual lakes, our nets caught significantly more fish in 16 cases and significantly fewer fish in nine cases. Our nets caught essentially the same number of fish in the other 194 cases. The lack of consistent negative changes suggests muskie and other species generally coexist quite well.”

In Minnesota, muskellunge typically prey on whitefish, tullibee, suckers, redhorse and yellow perch. Knapp said study findings related to these prey items were:

No significant population changes (increases or decreases) were detected for tullibee, white sucker, or yellow perch across the 41 lakes.

Lakes that did not contain tullibee (a preferred prey species) did not have negative fish population impacts after muskellunge had been stocked.

Knapp said the study findings are in line with a Wisconsin DNR study conducted from 1991 to 1994. That study examined the stomach contents of 1,092 muskellunge from about nine to 46 inches in length. Wisconsin researchers found 31 different species of fish in the stomachs of muskellunge, primarily perch and white sucker.

Tom Burri, a Minnesota DNR biologist who worked on this study while previously employed in Wisconsin, said the diet study was enlightening.

“We found only five walleye in the stomachs of 1,092 muskellunge,” said Burri. “Muskie actually ate more muskie than walleye. We found six muskies inside of muskies.”

Burri said the Wisconsin diet study indicated that 98 percent of a muskie’s diet, by volume, was comprised of fish. The other two percent, he said, included crayfish, insects, mudpuppies, tadpoles and one mouse. Walleye, bass and northern pike ranked low in the muskie diet.Burri said despite strong walleye populations in some of the Wisconsin study lakes, walleye were not an important food for muskellunge.

“When we used electro-fishing boats to sample fish populations at night, we often found walleye and muskie in close proximity yet the muskellunge stomachs rarely contained walleye,” said Burri.

He said this information suggests that walleyes are either not a preferred species by muskellunge or walleyes are adept at avoiding predation. The latter may be related to the walleye’s eye, which is designed for excellent night vision.

“When walleye and muskie are in shallow water at night the walleye’s night vision might help them avoid predation,” Burri said.

Goeman said study findings are particularly relevant right now because the Minnesota DNR is considering introducing muskie into five new water bodies starting in 2011. Lakes under consideration for muskie stocking include Roosevelt in Crow Wing and Cass counties, Upper South Long and Lower South Long in Crow Wing County, Tetonka in Le Sueur County, and the Sauk River chain in Stearns County.

“The proposals reflect a growing interest in muskie fishing, as well as confidence that introducing muskie into these waters will not have detrimental effect on other fish populations,” Goeman said.

The DNR will hold six public input meetings around the state on Thursday, Sept. 2, for people to comment on the stocking proposals. Meeting times, locations and other information is available at mndnr.gov/muskie.

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2342665/What_ARE_Muskies_Eating_in_You#Post2342665

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Lake of the Woods Original Weekly Fishing Report 8/29

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Lake of the Woods Original Weekly Fishing Report
Lake of the Woods sports the finest Walleye fishing in the world!

The fishing report is updated every Sunday, for more recent information please call the lodge. 1-800-PRO-FISH (1-800-776-3474)

8/29/10

Another great week of fishing in the books! Many anglers in the Midwest have been experiencing the negative fishing effects of the “dog days of summer.” That is not the case here! The lake has been providing great fishing all summer long. With the warm water temperatures the fish are hanging deep and they are spread out. Without a doubt the downrigging bite has been the most productive. If you want to experience a 150 to 200 plus fish day; downrigging on Lake of the Woods certainly has that potential this time of year. We’ve had some charters do well bait fishing as of late too. Spinners and night crawlers in 30+ feet have been productive. The action is slower, but Walleye limits can certainly be filled that way. As soon as we start to see cooler, fall like, temperatures you can expect the live bait bite to pick up steam in September.

We are continuing to see great numbers of eater Walleye from 15 to 19 inches. Some days our boats are getting into a pile of fish in the protected slot from 19.5 to 28 inches. Other days it may only be a couple. With the Walleye being spread out, it has been hit or miss for those slot fish. As always, there’s a chance to hook up with a trophy Walleye at any moment on Lake of the Woods. The Sauger action has been good as of late. Most guests have been getting their limit of Saugers to take home as well. The Sauger population in the lake has experienced some strong year classes in recent years, thus some sorting is necessary to find quality keepers.

Temperatures for the upcoming week appear to start out warm and then cool down towards the end of the week. The tail end of the 10 day forecast shows day time highs settling in the upper 60’s. September is almost here. (Check out our great fall rates starting September 1st) Some of the best fishing of the year is yet to come!

Here are just a few pictures from the week…

Fish On!

http://www.borderviewlodge.com/fishingreport.htm

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Fishing: Northern Minnesota-Mixed Bag

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Last week I took both my kids up north to the cabin for some fishing and fun. We got up mid-day Thursday and both kids wanted to go out and fish right away, fine with me!! I packed up dinner, some drinks and the portable DVD player. We decided to go out trolling and enjoy what was left of the evening. Fishing was slow but the kids enjoyed making a fort under the rear casting deck and watched Scooby Doo. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable evening on the water with the kids.
Our plans for Friday included some bass fishing on a local lake. We got on the water after breakfast and fished for about 3 hours. We were pitching hair jigs, sweet beavers and some chompers along the deeper weed edges. The action was fast and kept both kids entertained the entire time we were on the water. Alex got a big surprise when the pike above gobbled up his chomper and took off for deep water. He did a great job fighting the fish and an even better job holding and handling it. We took a quick photo and Alex leaned over the side of the boat and back in the water Mr. Pike went. He is only 6 1/2 years old and he already knows and practices catch and release willingly, a very proud moment for me. Atta Boy!!!

Anna-gillFriday came and the weather was fantastic for getting the kids out in the canoe for a little gill action. Shallow reeds is where we found them. A simple set up for both kids, bobber and single hook with a power wiggler or crappie candy did the trick. This shallow bite is a lot of fun for the kids, it truly is non-stop action. At one point both kids were in need of more bait and they were yelling at me to get them back in the water so they could catch more fish. Its a lot of fun to see them both so excited about fishing.
Friday night Momma and Uncle Dan came up to spend a couple of days with us. Alex was pumped up to fish with Uncle Dan on Saturday. Our plan was to go back and bass fish, that’s exactly what we did. Same set up, same lake with very similar results. To say Saturday was competitive would be a major understatement. Alex was keeping track of each and every fish we boated and the ones that shook off at the side of the boat too, but those only counted for him:) I was in the lead at one point and Alex told Dan “you should use what my dad is using”. As this conversation progressed Alex ended up telling Dan he’s not that good of a fisherman. Dan and I were almost in tears laughing at Alex and his comments. Its times like these that none of us will every forget. At day’s end wouldn’t you know it…Alex out fished both of us.

http://www.idofishing.com/forum/showflat.php/Number/929397/fpart/1/northern-minnesotamixed-bag

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August 19, 2010 Explore Minnesota Fishing Report

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Expect fishing to heat up even more as cooler weather patterns cause water temperatures to begin to drop. Leeches and crawlers remain the bait of choice.

For the most current list of lodging availability, check with the individual visitors’ bureaus listed below.

Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing DNR License Sales.

Subscribe here to receive any or all of our reports by email or RSS/news feed.

This report is brought to you by Explore Minnesota Tourism.

Northeast Minnesota
International Falls -Rainy Lake & the Rainy River

Walleye fishing on Rainy Lake remains good, with fish found in 24-30 feet of water near the reefs and windward shorelines. Most anglers are using minnows and leeches while anchored and jigging. Fishing has been good in most areas surrounding the Brule Narrows. Crappies are expected to turn more aggressive as fall approaches, with the bite having picked up due to recent cooler temperatures. For the most fish, hit the west end of Black Bay and up near the Rat Root River. Smallmouth bass anglers will be hitting both Rainy Lake and the Rainy River as the International Falls Bass Championship approaches. And, the North American Sturgeon Fishing Championship will be held this weekend on the Rainy River near Birchdale. This is a catch-and-release only tournament, launching from Nelson Park on Saturday. To learn more, dial 1-800-325-5766, or visit www.rainylake.org

Kabetogama

Walleye remain at their usual 30-plus foot locations, frustrating anglers with their elusive behavior. For the most fish, hit the reef edges, rock-piles, and fast drop-offs using slip sinker rigs or jig and minnow combinations. The preferred areas have been Center Reef, Martin Islands, and Cuculus on down into Lake Namakan. This is a good time of year to troll crankbaits through depths of 15-30 feet; expect hits from walleye, northern pike and saugers. And this has been a great year for perch on Kabetogama, with lots of jumbos being taken by walleye anglers. Large northern pike have been very active, and are coming in on artificial baits and mid-depth crankbaits worked over the weed tops and just outside the weed edges. Top-producing areas include Mud, Daily, and Nebraska bays. Smallmouth bass are responding to crankbaits and scented plastics. For the most fish, hit the shorelines with rip-rap or rock faces. To find out more on Lakes Kabetogama and Namakan, dial 1-800-524-9085, or check out www.kabetogama.com

Ely

Two tactics that have been the most effective in the pursuit of walleye have been trolled crankbaits and crawlers on a harness. Now that leeches have become scarce, anglers are returning to crawlers to fill their stringers. Lots of walleye, some weighing up to ten pounds, have been reported this week. Trolled shad raps have also produced fish. Large northern pike are being taken on large crankbaits and spoons, with a 44-inch pike recently pulled from Lake One taken on a brass and orange spoon. Impressive numbers and sizes of smallmouth bass are being reported as well, and smallies up to five-pounds are coming in each week. Jigs with tails or tubes are accounting for many of the fish, while some are hitting crankbaits. For more information, dial 1-800-777-7281, or visit www.ely.org

Cook/Tower – Lake Vermilion

The dog days of August are in full swing, with lake temperatures holding around 80-degrees up until the cool front earlier this week. Walleye are hitting crawlers and crankbaits worked at the weedlines. Anglers are also finding fish on days with some cloud cover and a breeze, with some fish coming from 20 foot depths at the humps, flat or breaks. Muskie action has been tough for the last two weeks, and most say it’s a mystery. Some fish do continue to be netted. Northern pike and bass have been very active. The smallies are showing up on the reefs where they are hitting soft plastics and tube jigs. Northern pike are using the weeds to ambush the smaller fish, such as this year’s perch fry. To learn more, dial 1-800-648-5897, or visit www.lakevermilionresorts.com

Cook County: Lutsen-Tofte, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail, and Grand Portage

At Grand Marais, walleye are coming in on leeches and nightcrawlers worked at depths of 12-18 feet around the rockpiles, and in waters as deep as 40 feet. Lakes to check out include Poplar, Devil’s Track, Elbow, Pike, and Two Island. Lake trout are hitting ciscoes and spoons in 45-60 feet of water, with good reports coming from Saganaga, Greenwood, Daniels, and Duncan lakes. Rainbow trout anglers continue to take lots of fish on crawlers worked off the bottom in 18-25 feet of water. Good lakes to check out include Leo, Trout, Esther and Mink lakes. Lots of walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike continue to bite in the Gunflint Lake vicinity. The walleye are hitting jigs and leeches worked at depths of 10-14 feet, and smallmouth bass are coming from the rocky outcroppings along shore. Anglers are also taking quite a few lake trout by jigging in 30-plus feet of water. And in the Crescent Lake and Sawbill Lake area of the BWCA, walleye can be found at dawn and dusk when using nightcrawlers. Bass are active at all times of the day, with the larger bass coming from 10-14 feet of water. Lake trout are holding in depths of 75-85 feet; the best approach has been a flashy spoon or rapala worked at these depths. Brook trout anglers report some exciting fishing in the streams south of the BWCA, with some large fish coming from the deep pools and undercut banks. These streams are currently low and warm, providing comfortable wading conditions, and concentrating the fish in the colder, deeper waters. To find out more, check out www.VisitCookCounty.com

Grand Rapids

For information on what’s biting and where, check out www.visitgrandrapids.com

Northwest Minnesota
Baudette -Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

Fishing remains amazing on Lake of the Woods, especially with the recent cool-down in temperatures. Spinners with leeches, and hammered gold crawler harnesses with a couple of crawlers are producing good numbers of walleye, especially when worked in 28-34 feet of water in the Long Point and Garden Island areas. Walleye action has also been good around Lily Island, Johnston Passage, and Windfall Island. And, muskie fishing has been exceptional this past week, with many 40- to 54-inch fish being taken. To learn more, dial 1-800-382-FISH, or visit www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bemidji

Walleye fishing remains good on most of the larger area lakes. On Lake Bemidji, anglers are taking numbers of smaller walleye, as well as a few larger fish when using live bait rigs, bottom bouncers and spinners, and jig and minnow combinations. These fish can be found on the deep edge of the cabbage weeds in 8-12 feet of water, off the sides of the structure in depths of 12-28 feet, and on top of the structure in 6-10 feet of water. On Lake Winnibigoshish, the walleye bite has been best in the shallows. On Cass Lake, hit the deeper waters. Muskie fishing has slowed, but is expected to improve as water temperatures cool down and more fall-like weather arrives. To find out more, dial 1-800-458-2223, or check out www.visitbemidji.com

Walker – Leech Lake

Leech Lake surface water temperatures rose into the high 70s this week, causing a slow-down in walleye action. Anglers are having success during evening hours when pulling crankbaits, and using slip bobbers tipped with a leech. The Sand Point and Cedar Point areas in Walker Bay, along with the Goose Island Flats in the main lake, have been good. The humps in Walker Bay have also produced some large walleye, with a 31-inch fish caught and released. The perch bite continues to improve, and more jumbo-sized perch are being reported; perch hot spots remain the Walker narrows on the Oak Point side, and the Walker Bay end in 5-8 feet of water. Muskie action remains strong, with catch and release fish reported in Portage Bay and also around Pelican Island. Lots of largemouth bass and good numbers of panfish are coming from Miller, Uram and Steamboat bays. Walleye action is expected to pick-up in the main lake in the near future, with jig and minnow combinations being the best approach. For further information, dial 1-800-833-1118, or visit www.leech-lake.com

Cass Lake/ Deer River – Winnibigoshish & Cutfoot Sioux lakes

To find where to locate fish, dial 1-800-356-8615, or visit www.casslake.com

Park Rapids

For information on which techniques are working best, dial 1-800-247-0054, or check out www.parkrapids.com

Detroit Lakes

A week ago, water temperatures were hovering near 80-degrees. Walleye were being pulled from the long points extending into the main lake. Cormorant, Island and Otter Tail lakes were producing walleye on crankbaits worked in the shallows at night. During the day, Pelican, Lida, Otter Tail, and Big and Little Pine lakes were giving up fish. To learn more, dial 1-800-542-3992, or go to www.visitdetroitlakes.com

Central Region
Otter Tail Lakes Area

For information on what’s biting and where, dial 1-800-423-4571, or check out www.ottertailcountry.com

Miltona

On Lake Miltona, walleye are being caught during low light periods by anglers using lindy rigs with leeches and crawlers in 17-20 foot depths. Sunnies and crappies continue to be taken on flu-flus with white or chartreuse twister tails worked in depths of 12-15 feet. A few muskies have recently been taken on tubes and other plastics. And bass can be found in the shallows and out in deeper waters; for the most fish, try a jig worm or a jig and pig. To find out more, dial 1-877-833-2350, or visit www.VisitLakeMiltona.com

Whitefish Chain of Lakes Area

To learn what’s biting, visit www.whitefish.org

Brainerd Lakes Area

Walleye action has been great on Gull Lake and the Whitefish Chain. The best approach has been a live bait rig tipped with a redtail worked on the outside weed edge. Bass are hitting crankbaits on North Long, Gull, and many other area lakes. Large schools of bass can be found suspended beneath schools of baitfish over deep water. Once located, cast deep-diving crankbaits over the deep water adjacent to steep drop-offs. The muskies and northern pike are attacking topwater lures at the deep cabbage weed beds on Alexander and Cedar lakes. Numerous fish have also come in on bucktails cast over and pulled through the cabbage. For more information, dial 1-800-450-2838, or visit www.explorebrainerdlakes.com

Isle/Onamia -Lake Mille Lacs

The night walleye bite on Lake Mille Lacs remains strong, with lighted bobbers and leeches working best. During the day, anglers are having success trolling lead-core on the flats or deep shoreline break areas. On windy days, try trolling the shallow rocks using a #5 shad rap. Nice-sized perch are starting to bite, and the fall bite should be a good one. Northern pike and muskie action is increasing, with two northerns measuring over 40-inches taken in the last two days. The best approach has been to troll the north end near Myr Mar, with fish also coming from the south end bays when trolling white spinnerbaits. To learn more, dial 1-888-350-2692, or check out www.millelacs.com

Willmar

Lots of bass and walleye are being pulled from Green Lake. Anglers are also taking some large sunfish on nightcrawlers. Crappie anglers are doing well in the shallower lakes, such as Solomon, Calhoun, and Games. Look for lots of bass and smaller northern pike on Lake Florida. To find out more, dial 1-800-845-8747, or visit www.seeyouinwillmar.com

Twin Cities Greater Metropolitan vicinity
Northeast Metro/Chisago Lakes Area

Crappies are biting on Chisago Lake, and on South Lindstrom Lake in front of the mobile home park. These fish can be found suspended at 5-10 feet of water over depths of 18-25 feet. An amazing bass bite is being reported on Chisago and South Lindstrom lakes, especially along the weedlines. Sunrise Lake is giving up northern pike to anglers using sucker minnows. And, Frankie’s Marine & Live Bait will offer a free Kids’ Fishing Tournament on Saturday, August 21 from 10:00 a.m. until noon. To find out more, dial 651/257-1177, or visit www.chisagolakeschamber.com

http://www.sportfishermen.com/board/f527/august-19-2010-explore-minnesota-fishing-report-1026500.html

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Lake of the Woods Original Weekly Fishing Report 8/22

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Lake of the Woods Original Weekly Fishing Report
Lake of the Woods sports the finest Walleye fishing in the world!

The fishing report is updated every Sunday, for more recent information please call the lodge. 1-800-PRO-FISH (1-800-776-3474)

8/22/10

A quick update: The past week of fishing started out a little rough weather wise. Some strong winds and a major temperature swing made for some slower fishing. The lake was mudded up in areas for a couple days as well. However, fishing rebounded quickly as it has all summer. The downrigging bite has been the quickest way to fill a limit of Walleye. Numbers and size have both been good. Keeper fish are running from 16-19.5 inches. Some big fish are showing up as well. During the past week we’ve seen many fish over 28 inches, and some over 30 inches as well. Drifting with a spinner rig and a night crawler is a good second option to downrigging right now. The schools of Walleye are typically spread out this time of year, so covering ground is important. The majority of the fish are holding in deeper water on the mud flats in 30 or more feet of water. Some fish are shallower where rocks and other structure are present. Our guides have been concentrating their efforts from just north of the Lighthouse Gap, to Zippel Bay to Long Point, and up to the north end of the lake on occasion.

Temperatures for the upcoming week appear to be on the mild side. The weatherman is calling for upper 60’s to start the week, with temperatures rebounding back into the 70’s after that. Fall is creeping up on us. Don’t forget to check out our great fall rates beginning September 1st.

Here are just a few pictures from the week…

Fish On!

http://www.borderviewlodge.com/fishingreport.htm

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Staying Safe Fishing In Lightning

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

The natural light show we get almost every night in middle Georgia during the summer is amazing. Getting rainfall is great, but the lightning accompanying most of the rain is something I could do without.
I admit I have been terrified of lightning since I was about 12 years old. I was sleeping on a screened in porch that summer when a terrible storm came through. It scared me so bad I have hated lightning every since then. Sitting inside a house watching the flashes and hearing the rolling thunder does not bother me, it is pretty. But I do not like being out in it.
Loving to fish has put me in some bad storms that I will never forget. I always try to get to some kind of cover, and if caught out in a boat I will pull back in a ditch or small creek with trees overhanging from both sides. I try to keep the boat away from the trunks of big trees near the water. I hope that keeps me safe.

Many years ago Bob Pierce and I were fishing a night tournament at Bartletts Ferry. We had run way up the river to fish the daylight hours of the tournament, planning to get back on the main lake before dark. Almost as soon as we got up there and started fishing a huge storm broke right on top of us. We had no warning, suddenly lightning started flashing and thunder crashing all around us. And the rain came with it.

We eased out bass boat into a small creek not much wider than the boat and sat there. The water was about two feet deep and I had to keep bumping the trolling motor to hold us there since the wind was blowing so hard. I was up front and Bob was in the back, and I had my head lowered so my rainsuit hood kept the rain out of my face.

After a few minutes I noticed the boat was not moving any more. I looked in the floor and water was inching up inside the boat. The rain was so hard is put about six inches of water in the boat in just a few minutes and sank the boat down enough so the motor was on the bottom. I turned on the bilge pump and it ran steadily, just holding its own.

After almost two hours of rain, lightning and thunder it started getting real dark. By the time the storm let up enough for us to head back to the lake I thought we would never make it because it was so dark. It took five times as long going back as it did when we went up the river.

http://fishing.about.com/od/basicfishinginstruction/a/fishing_light.htm

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Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

August 18, 2010
Fished West end Sunday & monday…Cold & windy…but productive! Low light conditions pulling crawlers on lindys was the best ticket. not much action on the minnows or leeches. 18′ next to structure seemed the best….got some nice “overs” midday dri

http://fishingminnesota.com/fishing-reports/lake-vermilion-fishing-reports/

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The New Fall Fishing

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Deer River fishing guide Jeff Sundin says he can no longer count on his favorite lakes to be empty of anglers in the fall, when the grouse season opens and the Minnesota Vikings play the Packers.

He has noticed that today’s well-equipped and tech-savvy anglers are more likely to push their fishing seasons past Labor Day—sometimes past Halloween—in pursuit of walleye, bass, pike, and muskies.

“The popularity of fall fishing has definitely increased,” says Sundin. “These days my clients and I will fish until just before ice-up, which usually coincides with the deer-hunting opener.”

Fishing guides and resort owners say fall anglers mean extra business. “I have one customer who comes up each fall just to fish big pike,” says Don Beans of Ely, who guides many fall fishing trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. “Last year we landed 12 pike that were between 12 and 16 pounds.”

Department of Natural Resources fisheries managers are keenly aware of the growing popularity of angling in the fall. Though they haven’t studied the phenomenon, DNR fisheries managers say they have noticed a new breed of anglers launching boats once the leaves turn colors.

“I’ve lived in Bemidji 15 years, and around 1990 you’d see the occasional boat on Lake Bemidji in mid-September,” says Henry Drewes, DNR northwest regional fisheries manager. “Now on a late September day, it’s not uncommon to see 15 boats or more on the lake.”

From a fisheries management perspective, Drewes doesn’t see a downside to fall angling—there still aren’t enough anglers on the water to hurt fish populations, he says.

However, increased fall fishing can have a negative impact on waterfowl on some lakes.

“I don’t think there is any doubt that fall fishing is increasing the disturbance of migrating waterfowl,” says Ray Norrgard, DNR wetland program leader. “I think it’s a real issue for our north-central lakes such as Bowstring, Winnibigoshish, and Leech Lake. While we don’t have hard evidence, there is little doubt [fall angling] use on those lakes has gone up.”

No single factor is contributing to the growth in fall anglers, observers say. Rather, the boost is the byproduct of some major shifts in angling, including the widespread availability of better equipment and a better understanding of fish behavior.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/novdec06/fallfishing.html

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Lake of the Woods Original Weekly Fishing Report 8/15

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Bonnie Cook

Lake of the Woods Original Weekly Fishing Report
Lake of the Woods sports the finest Walleye fishing in the world!

The fishing report is updated every Sunday, for more recent information please call the lodge. 1-800-PRO-FISH (1-800-776-3474)

8/15/10

The lake keeps giving up great catches of Walleye! Downrigging has been the most productive way to catch fish during the past week out on the deep mud flats. There hasn’t been a real hot color. As long as your Shad Rap/Reef Runner/Wally Diver is running within a couple feet of the bottom, everything seems to be catching fish. A spinner rig with a crawler has been productive as well when the wind allows for some drifting. Guests are having no problem boating eater Walleye out on the charters. Most of the fish are running in the 15 – 19” range. Saugers have been more active as of late, but many are running on the small side due to some great hatches in recent years. A nice mix of the Walleye being caught are falling into the protected 19.5” – 28” slot. Those coveted slot fish can be hit or miss. One day you might get a couple, and the next day you lose track of how many you caught in the same spot. Big fish over 28” are still showing up too. A couple of them were sent to the taxidermy shop this past week.

It seems the hot and humid days are behind us, for now anyways. Temperatures really cooled off today. A few days ago temps were hovering around 90 degrees. Today’s high is just 59 with plenty of wind. The fish have continued to bit through passing storms with heavy rains and cold fronts all summer. We’ll have to wait and see how the change in weather today will affect fishing the next few days. The middle and end of the upcoming week looks much better weather wise, with mild temperatures back in the 70s.

Folks are starting to talk about the fall Rainy River bite. Is it happening yet? We are still at least a few weeks away from any increased Walleye activity in the river. The first hard frost is often a good trigger for the Emerald Shiners to start moving in the river. And when they do, Walleyes will certainly follow. Late September through October can provide some phenomenal fishing during the shiner run. The best part; the finest fishing is just a short boat ride away from Border View Lodge.

Here are a few great pictures from the week…

Fish On!

http://www.borderviewlodge.com/fishingreport.htm

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