Fishing Report: One last push for fall

NORTHERN WISCONSIN – As fall continues, the days are shortening quickly, and we can start to feel the approaching winter – albeit with some strangely warm days and nights mixed in.

Evening fishing time is almost a thing of the past. Water temps are dropping despite the warm days, and color is basically done up here. Hunters are happy with the improved sight lines in the woods. We are sincerely hoping for a cold and snowy winter up here!

Walleye fishing is as good and the fishing on the Chain is great now. The fish are moving to the holes and deeper water for the winter now. You'll be able to find them on your electronics in each hole. Jigs and minnows are the way to go for the rest of the fall. We also know of some anglers who have has success jigging Rapalas in the holes. Large fatheads are best, or bigger sucker minnows if you’re going for size. On the bigger lakes, the fish are also in deeper water off the breaks. Use 1/8 ounce jigs, unless the wind forces you to go bigger to keep in touch with the bottom. The fish in these lakes will be either on deeper rock bars or off the breaks in water as deep as 35 feet.

Panfish action is getting good for crappies on the Chain right now, as the crappies start to school in the holes. They are hitting minnows or those smaller Rapala jigging minnows with abandon in those holes, and are tightly schooled. This is a great pattern for those anglers willing to panfish at this time of year. Some perch are also being caught in the weeds on minnows.

Bass fishing is slowing now, and very few anglers are even trying for largemouth. Smallies are still hitting in deeper water on Ned Rigs or jigs and minnows. Look for deeper hard bottom areas for these fish. On clear water lakes you can get them as deep as 30 feet.

Northerns are hitting everywhere, with some concentration in the weeds. They will feed off the weeds in deeper water if the bait fish are out there also. Jigs with sucker minnows or pike chubs, or Mepps are the best way to fish these guys.

Musky action has been good, starting from the shallows all the way up to as deep as you can go. Suckers are working, but we’re seeing a ton of action on artificials, too. Jerk baits and divers are leading the pack. These fish are starting to respond to the temperature drop and the change in light, with their annual feeding binge before winter arrives. They’re just generally hunting right now for anything that will fill their belly – and this provides the best action of the year for big fish. Suckers are working fine and are not hard to get this year, but there’s nothing like casting and getting a hook into a nice, big and feisty fish.

Looks like we’ve got another rollercoaster of a week as far as temperatures go – warm in the middle, but cooling again, although we are still much warmer in general than we’re used to. We’ve got one last push for those monsters through the fall, then time to put the boats away and get ready for ice!

Good luck and good fishin’!