Fishing Report: Cooler temps will quiet things down on the water

NORTHERN WISCONSIN – October is here, and while the woods are full of color, the lakes are still trying to show their own seasonal changes.

Water temperatures are stuck in the mid-60s at this writing, because of the warm weather we’ve had – but will drop by the weekend with the cooler weather this week.

Weeds are thinning, and the fish are following the light slowly into their fall patterns, paying less attention to temperature and more to light and weeds.

The weather has made action feel spotty during the day, but the right window can deliver some excellent catches, with early mornings and late evenings being most productive. The cool weather will pick things up, most certainly.

Walleye activity remains steady. Fish are setting up on deeper structure, with the most consistent bite coming from sharp drops and holes in that 18- to 25-foot range. Large fatheads fished on jigs or suspended just above bottom are the ticket. Evenings are still the best time to get numbers, though a cloudy day can keep them active longer.

Bass fishing has slowed with the changing light, though you can still find largemouth tight to cover in remaining weeds or tucked against wood. Smallmouth have shifted deeper onto rock humps and gravel bars, where slow presentations with plastics or live bait continue to draw strikes.

Northern are making the most of the fading weed cover, especially on darker-water lakes. They’re still very willing to chase spinnerbaits and spoons – generally, anything obnoxious and flashy. Bigger minnows have been effective for anglers, also.

Panfish have remained partially in their late summer patterns, but have started to move into their fall habits. Many have pushed deeper, with the deep crappie holding over brush and suspended mid-depth. Perch are being found on softer bottoms around deeper weed edges, but also in the holes with the walleye. Bluegill are very scattered. Try drifting deeper flats with small plastics or worms.

Musky anglers are gleeful with this week’s drop in temperature. It has been highly anticipated, and you know the wish is for the trend to continue down. Trolling larger crankbaits along edges has been productive, and casting big rubber baits into what’s left of the green weeds remains a solid tactic. This week is the week to begin using suckers. This run of cold will get the big fish moving and working to fatten up for the winter. This is trophy time—patience and persistence might be rewarded with a monster!

This last weekend was a busy one on the water – no surprise, given the beautiful weather we had. These cooler temperatures will quiet things down on the water, and we can all settle in to a true fall fishing groove. The scenery is fantastic now. Get out there and enjoy it while you can.

Good luck and good fishin’!