As
fall takes hold in northern Minnesota, it's time to grab your
jacket, your rods and reels and tackle, and head to your nearest
lake – there are trophy fish calling your name! Throughout Northern
Minnesota, fall is the best time of year to find big fish as water
temperatures cool and the fish prepare for the coming winter. Here
are some fall fishing tips to help you find the fish during the fall
months and to take home that big whopper!
A fish
is impacted by two major components of its environment: the water it
inhabits and the changing weather patterns. If either the weather or
water conditions change rapidly, fish must have a period of time to
adjust. During the adjustment period, fish are often inactive, which
makes for some tough fishing! However, some weather conditions can
have the reverse effect. For instance, cold fronts tend to trigger
walleye feeding frenzies in many lakes. Cold fronts are associated
with rough and unstable weather, such as thunderstorms, gusty winds,
tornados, rain and snow. To make the most of them,
a
fisherman must watch the forecasts and be prepared to fish one step
ahead of the storm since conditions perfect for catching big walleye
may come only a half-dozen times in a season.
If you want fresh fish for dinner, you first have
to find the fish. This can be tricky in the fall when fish can be
found in a variety of locations. In some lakes they will be on
wind-swept points, along weed-lines, or on deep structures. One
thing is for certain - autumn fish will be concentrated near a food
source. In the fall, there are fewer baitfishes for game fish to
prey on. As a result, if you can find the baitfish, you will usually
find walleyes, bass, crappies, or pike close by. If you mark
gamefish on your sonar, try that spot for awhile, but if you don’t
have luck relatively quickly, then move on to another location.
Don’t
spend too much time waiting for fish to move into an area where you
are not getting any action.
Jig and minnow
combinations are successful with many different species in the fall.
A Fire-ball jig tipped with a three or four inch minnow will attract
just about any bass or walleye in its vicinity, and usually a
redtail chub is the minnow of choice. You may want to go a bit
smaller if crappies or perch are what you’re fishing for. If you are
angling for a trophy fish, try using a Roach Rig or the Fire-ball
jig with a larger redtail chub. Trolling crankbaits at night is
another good bet for catching really big walleye in the fall. You
can also try an aggressive, medium-sized minnow in an area where
walleye are known to hold. Large sand or rock flats that are near
deep water can provide exceptional action.
Crankbaits
are also an excellent choice when hunting for trophy Northern Pike.
A good rule of thumb is to match the size of the lure to the size of
fish you are chasing. In this case, the bigger the bait, the bigger
the fish! As the season progresses, northern pike often become more
aggressive. You may use a softer, less aggressive approach in the
spring, but ratchet it up as the season progresses. It is a good
idea to vary your retrieve by speeding up and then slowing down. You
can also twitch it, and then hop it. By changing the action, you
will soon be saying “fish on!"
Big thumping blades
produce some nice catches, but be aware that they are considered
warm water lures if the depth is less than 5 feet, use a shallow
runner. If the depth is deeper than five feet, use a deep runner.
Spinnerbaits tend to run interference and are a better choice when
fishing through the weeds. Slow and tantalizing jigs are best when
the fishing is tough. A 3/8 oz. jig is best for shallow water. You
should add about 1/8 oz for every 5 feet of depth. Tip the jig with
a stinger if you are getting short hits. The colder the water, the
slower the approach should be. With jigs, you need to learn to
detect subtle bites, and that can take some practice!
Fall is the time of year when bass feed heavily as they prepare for
the coming winter months. They move back into shallow water and you
can often catch them on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. If largemouth
bass are what you’re after, throw a spinnerbait with a large blade
to rush beds that are near deep water. Cloudy, warm days in the fall
are what seem to work best with this technique. Crappie also feed
more actively as the water temperature starts to cool. They too will
move to more shallow areas after the lake turns over.
Another general tip is to look for the birds when
you are fishing on the lake in the fall. Often, birds will be
feeding on small bait and small gamefish. If you see a group of
loons, cormorants or fish-eating
ducks in an off-shore area, head that direction. Chances are there
are larger gamefish in that area as well.
As fall
takes hold in northern Minnesota, hunting season and football season
are in full swing and this tends to reduce the number of anglers on
the water. In fact, on some lakes you might have all those fish to
yourself. So grab your tackle and a warm jacket and head to your
nearest lake – that trophy fish is calling your name!
Northern Pike Fishing
Northern pike are some of the easiest fish to
catch, and also provide some of the most exciting action of any game
fish. But you have to find them first! Start with a lively
presentation such as cranks or spinnerbaits, and then troll them
right near the edge of the weeds. Northern Pike prefer cool water
temperatures. Using longer rods have become the trend for catching
northern. They enable anglers to cast further and more accurately
and allow better control when retrieving and steering bait through
weeds and other snags. Long rods give more power on hook sets, and
take up slack faster which helps to lead the northern to the boat.
These fish are notorious for their sharp teeth, so steel leaders are
a must. Beware of removing the hooks without pliers or a hook
remover. The best way to handle a smaller northern is to grab it
across the back, just behind the gill covers. Larger fish should be
netted or slid into a cradle.
Walleye Fishing
Walleye fishing can be tough but with skill and a
little luck, it doesn't have to be. There are only 4 effective
methods for catching walleye; jigging, live bait presentations,
spinners and crankbaits. Fall
walleye
fishing can be extremely unpredictable, but most sources will say
that usually the poorest weather conditions will produce the largest
fish. Most large fish caught in the fall are females because female
walleye need to consume larger quantities of food to nourish their
developing eggs. Cold fronts, rain, wind and rough weather often
precipitate the hot bite during the fall. Water temperatures start
to drop into the 50 degree range most walleye abandon the flats and
hold tight to edges. Look for long fingers or spines that protrude
toward the main lake. Wandering baitfish normally congregate along
these fingers, and filter down toward the point where the walleye
are waiting. If you find those spots, you are sure to find big
walleyes. Since the sun is lower in the sky this time of year, light
penetration is decreased. However, bright days will cause the water
to warm up, which will act to turn the fish on. For that reason,
bright warm days are preferred to cold, blustery ones. Frequently,
action will be better from mid-day on. In the fall, big fish like
big baits. In fact, that is never truer than prior to ice-up. During
that time of year, the water is cooling down rapidly and those fish
won’t expend a great deal of energy on a snack - they want something
generous!
Bass Fishing
With the approach of each new weather frontal
system, bass pick up their frenzied feeding pace in order to fatten
up for the long, cold winter. For a change, bass are no longer the
picky eaters they were in the dog days of summer, and now seem eager
to chase lures, making them easy to catch. Crankbaits are
probably the most successful technique of all. After a cold front
passes, look to fish under docks or fallen trees. Bass will look to
stay way into the shade and under the deepest cover. Whatever lure
you choose to throw, wait after casting, and retrieve it slowly
remembering that that fish are lethargic after a cold front has
passed through.
Our Tip for Fishing with Worms
Rather than dealing with messy worm bedding, take
several healthy night-crawlers and put them in a bucket of ice. The
ice water melts and washes off the bedding, and the worms stay cold
and healthy. At the end of the day, put the unused worms back into
the bedding for another fishing trip
Our Tip for Fishing with Leeches
Drop some ice cubes in your bucket of leeches. It
will keep them cool and prevent them from maturing. The maturing
process starts at about 50 degrees F, and once started it won't
reverse. Keep the leeches below that temperature and you'll keep
your leeches in perfect condition.
As
fall takes hold in northern Minnesota, it's time to grab your
jacket, your rods and reels and tackle, and head to your nearest
lake – there are trophy fish calling your name! Throughout Northern
Minnesota, fall is the best time of year to find big fish as water
temperatures cool and the fish prepare for the coming winter. Here
are some fall fishing tips to help you find the fish during the fall
months and to take home that big whopper!
a
fisherman must watch the forecasts and be prepared to fish one step
ahead of the storm since conditions perfect for catching big walleye
may come only a half-dozen times in a season.
Don’t
spend too much time waiting for fish to move into an area where you
are not getting any action.
Crankbaits
are also an excellent choice when hunting for trophy Northern Pike.
A good rule of thumb is to match the size of the lure to the size of
fish you are chasing. In this case, the bigger the bait, the bigger
the fish! As the season progresses, northern pike often become more
aggressive. You may use a softer, less aggressive approach in the
spring, but ratchet it up as the season progresses. It is a good
idea to vary your retrieve by speeding up and then slowing down. You
can also twitch it, and then hop it. By changing the action, you
will soon be saying “fish on!"
eating
ducks in an off-shore area, head that direction. Chances are there
are larger gamefish in that area as well.
walleye
fishing can be extremely unpredictable, but most sources will say
that usually the poorest weather conditions will produce the largest
fish. Most large fish caught in the fall are females because female
walleye need to consume larger quantities of food to nourish their
developing eggs. Cold fronts, rain, wind and rough weather often
precipitate the hot bite during the fall. Water temperatures start
to drop into the 50 degree range most walleye abandon the flats and
hold tight to edges. Look for long fingers or spines that protrude
toward the main lake. Wandering baitfish normally congregate along
these fingers, and filter down toward the point where the walleye
are waiting. If you find those spots, you are sure to find big
walleyes. Since the sun is lower in the sky this time of year, light
penetration is decreased. However, bright days will cause the water
to warm up, which will act to turn the fish on. For that reason,
bright warm days are preferred to cold, blustery ones. Frequently,
action will be better from mid-day on. In the fall, big fish like
big baits. In fact, that is never truer than prior to ice-up. During
that time of year, the water is cooling down rapidly and those fish
won’t expend a great deal of energy on a snack - they want something
generous!
