Wired2Fish August 31, 2020 "How to Neko Rig Bass Along Bottom Transitions"
"Transitions zones like outer grasslines and hard and soft bottom edges are magnets for late summer bass. Wired2Fish's Mitch Anderson explains how to find and catch bass along these productive underwater highways using a Neko-rigged worm.
While fast-moving baits like a crankbait or heavy ChatterBait can be the deal, finesse tactics like the Neko rig or drop shot appeal to all moods of bass and excel at picking apart key edges.
Anderson explains how he uses Humminbird's 360 Imaging to make accurate casts (lineups) down these edges, which maximizes keeping the bait in the strike zone. Like other finesse tactics, Neko rigging requires a sensitive rod and reel setup. Anderson details his go-to rod, reel and ..." View Video to Learn More >> How to Neko Rig Bass Along Bottom Transitions
Jeff Sundin Fishing Report August 28, 2020 "Dabbling The Dabble-Able"
It's almost September and usually by now, I can find a few crappies moving into early fall habitat. I've been checking some of my favorite holes and for the most part, there have been no meaningful signals that any early fall movement has begun.
It shouldn't be a surprise, the warm and relatively stable weather we've enjoyed recently has not given crappies any incentive to move away from the cover of lush, green weed flats.
In fact, underneath the 75-degree surface water, the cabbage weeds we encountered on Thursday were at the peak of health. Green, full bodied and strong, they looked just as good now as they did at the height of the growing season during mid-summer.
Crappies located in several of those cabbage patches verified that many remain in late-summer patterns; but I almost missed finding them. On Thursday, they were letting us troll right past their noses without a single strike on our spinners.
After a couple of hours trolling and drumming up only one lost walleye and a boatload of northern pike, I asked the crew to put away the spinning poles and break out the jigging rods. Then I stopped over the tops of one heavy patch of cabbage, dropped a jig and minnow into a pocket and WHAM! I think we pulled 14 crappies out of that weed patch and as you can see in the accompanying photos, they were decent size fish.
If you’ve followed any recent reports, then you know that last Saturday, we caught crappie by trolling the Little Joes in the exact same type of cover. But on that day, the sky was grey, there was a little breeze and the fish were moving. On Thursday, the sky was clear, bright blue and the surface water was barely broken by a ripple. The fish were not in the mood to move at all.
This isn’t the first time I’ve written about “Dabbling”, in fact I described the presentation in detail last July and you can read that report for more details. Read >> July 31, 2020 "Convincing the Convince-ABLE"
I’m bringing it up again today because, like we did yesterday, taking this technique out of your back pocket at the right time could be the way you save yourself from a tough fishing day.
One caveat that I will add about the dabbling technique is that you can’t just try one spot and then give up if it doesn’t work; you need to be persistent. Yesterday, even after the success we had on that first weed patch, it took all afternoon to find a second patch of cabbage that contained another school of crappies. That spot was on the opposite side of the lake from the first spot. When we did find it though, the fish struck just as aggressively as the ones on the first spot did. In fact, we pulled out 14 more crappies at the second spot, giving us a total of 28, just 2 fish short of the crew’s 3 man limit.
This time, we didn’t pull out any walleye or perch, crappie and pike were the only inhabitants munching away in the garden. But often, there are other species of fish included int the mix. In some instances, we’ve caught 6 or 7 species all at the same time, the mix will vary depending on the lake you fish.
It’s important to know too that dabbling is perfect for those times when it is calm. But will not come into play on days like today, breezy conditions do not favor this technique. If you can’t hold the boat still and fish the weed pockets horizontally and deliberately, then it is probably best to wait before you try it.
For me, the point will be moot because after hearing all of the clamor about fishing on Lake Winnie, I’m going to go and spend the day there myself. In fact, I think I might be there tomorrow too, so there will probably be a good update about the big lake on Sunday morning. Read More Recent >> Lake Winnie Reports Here.
Have a great weekend and be safe on the water! 
— Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
You Are Invited To Become A Duly Deputized Fishrapper Cub Reporter
If you've been waiting for a gold engraved invitation to participate in the daily reports, then stop waiting and consider this your own personal invitation.
Helping your fellow fishermen and women stay abreast of fishing conditions in your area is good for everybody and it's easier than you think!
You don't have to write a book, you don't have to share your secret fishing spots and you don't even have to mention your lake. But even a few words about general trends, seasonal patterns and local weather conditions can really help.
Be like me, become a duly deputized "Cub Reporter", it's good for fishing! Contact Us or if you prefer to be "social", Fishing Reports Minnesota, the Facebook counterpart to this page is open to the public, so you can post your own fishing update or just share a photo of a nice catch.
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report August 26, 2020
"Walleye anglers continue to struggle through the dog days of walleye fishing. Successful walleyes anglers have reported that jigging raps, fished in 20-30 feet of water, at the base of sunken islands, have been very effective on walleyes. Several reports of jigs tipped with big minnows, have also surfaced as a effective technique to catch walleyes. Trolling large shad raps, during the evening, over large flats, continues to be very effective on big walleyes.
Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass continue to hit topwater lures early and late in the day. Whopper ploppers and frogs have been the most effective. As the sun gets up, bass go down and anglers begin catching them with spinnerbaits and beetle spins. Several anglers report catching several smallies in the high teens and low 20’s on jigs tipped with a large minnow, out on top of sunken islands during the day.
Lake Trout anglers continue to catch nice lakers while trolling deep diving crankbaits. Anglers have been finding them 20-30 feet down below the surface, over deep water. Anglers fishing from a canoe have been having luck jigging heavy bucktails, right down on the bottom, as they drift over deep water.
Northern Pike anglers continue to find very active pike in weedbeds. Anglers have been catching quality fish with spoons, spinnerbaits and suckers fished under a bobber. As with last week, anglers have reported that bigger pike seem to be cruising the weedlines, while the smaller pike are being found inside the weedbeds.
Panfish anglers have been finding good number of gills on weedlines. Small worms or wax worms tipped on small hair jig has been very effective. Crappies remain challenging for many anglers. Crappies are typically scattered and often suspended in deep main lake basins this time of the year. Anglers with good electronics and willing to put in the time to locate crappies, are catching the majority of crappies right now. Once located, anglers have been catching them with crappie minnows or small jig and twisters." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism August 25, 2020
"More great walleye fishing on the south end of Lake of the Woods this week.
Anglers are targeting different schools of fish, following multiple patterns around the lake. Fish are being caught in 14 to 36 feet of water. Trust your electronics.
Two strong patterns, pulling crawler harnesses and trolling crankbaits. Covering water and moving is important. Best spinner colors, hammered gold, pink, glow white, glow red or orange. Mix up crankbaits until you get size, shape and colors dialed in. 2.2 - 2.8 a good range for speed. Shiny or brighter colors are good starts. Some schools are active, some inactive. Different feeding windows throughout the day.
On the Rainy River... Summer patterns continue. "Resident" walleyes are scattered on flats and along breaks. Trolling crankbaits or crawler harnesses this time of year to cover water is effective. Anglers reporting a mixed bag of fish. Target sturgeon in deep holes with sturgeon rigs and crawlers or frozen emerald shiners. Smallmouth bass and pike active around current breaks, rocky areas and in bays.
Up at the NW Angle, until the US-Canada border opens, guests can travel across the lake staying and fishing in MN waters. There are shuttle-passenger services available to the Angle via boat. Check with your favorite NW Angle resort for options.
Excellent walleye fishing this week. Various schools of walleyes throughout the Angle. Some nice fish around Four Blocks and Little Oak Island. Other fish over mud in "no man's land" north and east of Little Oak Island.
Spinners with a crawler or trolling crankbaits both are producing good numbers of fish. Again, some big pike caught this week by walleye anglers. When targeting pike and muskies, casting bays and trolling rocky point areas will produce. Smallmouth bass on rocks in 5 to 15 feet of water" — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Lake of the Woods, Border View Lodge August 25, 2020
"More great fishing! We continue to be working both Big and Little Traverse Bays. Each day creates a decision made based on the weather. There are schools of Walleye in many locations and our Walleye Master Guides are keeping up with them all across the lake.
Some are drifting or tolling with spinners, while others choose to troll with plugs. We have been working a variety of depths this past week from 14-32 feet depending on presentation and weather.
A few helpful reminders for everyone, if you’re feeling sick please do not come. In Minnesota wearing a mask while you are indoors is required. This includes check in and check out, buying items in the store, on your way to and from dining tables, bathroom or the bar. If you have been around others who are sick, please quarantine or get tested before going out.
We have had a great season with wonderful memories being made. Don’t let the end of summer coming near give you a false sense of urgency or place a demand on you to come when you shouldn’t. Also, prepare yourself for things taking a little longer than normal. Our staff is doing its best, but things take longer with extra cleaning and social distancing.
Dinner reservations are more spread out and even though we have more tables we are not able to use them all. Many have tried to point at the empty tables and say hey, what about that one, but it doesn’t work that way anymore. Also, you need to plan on doing your part by waiting for the fish cleaning house to empty before entering.
Plan that you may not be able to just jump right in and start cleaning your catch. This is especially true when all of the guides are cleaning fish, typically 5-6 PM every day.
The week ahead is looking great! More of the sunshine with highs around 80’s and lows at 50’s for the overnights." — 1-800-776-3474 Border View Lodge
Jeff Sundin Fishing Report August 24, 2020 "Advancing The Advance-Able"
Let us say that you’ve finally learned all of the rules and most of the tips and tricks that make winning your favorite game easier. Now that you’ve gotten really good at it, you win more often than you lose and that’s what makes playing so much fun; for you.
But then the rules change. Your way of playing still works fine if everybody else plays the game your way. But folks that have learned how to use “new rules” to their advantage begin kicking your butt up a tree. It’s not as much fun watching them win as it was being the winner yourself.
If you were like some folks, you would throw up your hands and declare that the game will never be the same, that it is ruined forever. Some might even suggest getting rid of the “new rules”, declaring that we have to “do something” before it’s too late. Maybe you would say something like, “the old ways were good enough for me, and they should be good enough for you too.”
That’s one way you could perceive it, unfortunately it is also a great way to get left behind.
The concept is not unique to fishing, but as a guide, I’ve already seen this theme play out several times during my life in the fishing business.
I recall some of the advance gadgetry that folks “just knew” were going to ruin fishing forever. The “Green Box”, the electric trolling motor, the paper graph, Loran C, the Color Selector and let us not forget monofilament line.
Every technological advance in fishing has had both cheerleaders and nay-sayers.
I remember fishing the 1999 Governor’s Fishing Opener with then Governor Jesse Ventura. At the time, there was a controversy in the Minnesota Legislature about anglers using underwater cameras. There were legislators pushing hard for a bill to ban them. The fish would never stand a chance and we needed to eradicate them from our state, some said.
But, as I prepared to move from one spot to another and Governor Ventura saw me dial up our next fishing spot on my GPS, he looked at me, eyes wide open and said; “Why are they so worried about underwater cameras when you have that thing to work with? This is the thing they should be upset about.”
He was right, all you’ve got to do is glance into my boat for a few seconds. When you look toward the screen of my Humminbird and see how effective GPS charting has become, you’ll wonder how there’s even any fish still left in the lake. That development has blessed me by advancing my ability to find and catch fish, I get 100 times more times the use out of this than any underwater camera.
There’s a price, advanced charts, like the Lakemaster ones I use have also made it a lot easier for the average angler to find good fishing spots. Gone are the days when I knew something that they didn’t, the playing field got more level for them. Some days my work is harder because I have to compete with more people, but even with more anglers, knowing more spots, I can still find fish to catch.
Over the past few days, conversations about more new game changing technologies have been coming up. Last week in my boat, a 20-year veteran crappie tournament pro talked about a new generation of tournament anglers who use forward-looking sonar units to seek out and catch crappies. “These guys go after fish that most folks would never find. They can single out one big crappie, go after it and catch it, these guys have been kicking my butt;” he said.
Also last week a reader emailed me with a You Tube video link. It led me to a video in which the author gives a lengthy dissertation about how new fishing technologies are ruining the sport forever. I could see his point, a younger generation of anglers who possess new and improved gadgetry do make it harder for us old-timers to keep up; but not impossible.
When you think about it, technology can never ruin anything. It only makes it easier for one generation to change the rules on a previous one. The answer, hard as it is to swallow, is that technology never goes away and if we want to stay in the game, we’re gonna have to keep up.
Of course, what is beautiful about the sport of fishing is that we do not have to “keep up” unless we want to. If I wanted to, I could easily choose to go back to my roots and simply anchor a small boat along the edge of the Lily Pads. Just like when I was a kid, I could fish for panfish with a cane pole and rest assured, I would catch more than enough fish to please me and there would be plenty of fish on hand for a weekly fish fry at the Sundin house.
The problem is that if I did that, it’s likely that I wouldn’t make very much money as a fishing guide. So unless the bills stop coming in, I guess the best idea for me is to learn from the youngsters how to play the game the way they do. That’s what will allow me to stick with my day job for a while longer.
Keeping up with changes in technology isn’t easy but using the latest tools to their best advantage is how society has evolved. The way I see it, “The Game” is not ruined, nor is it threatened, it’s the same as always. First, we look for a fish and then we try to catch it. We are free to participate at whatever level we choose and use whatever tools we have available and/or can afford.
My best advice is simple; don’t allow the changes to make you uncomfortable. In fact, if you really want to have fun, get with the young generation of anglers and ask then for some guidance.
Over the past several years, I’ve fished with many young anglers and found them to be incredibly welcoming and warm. They are passionate about fishing and have been willing to share their knowledge, at least with this old timer.
Whatever new gadget comes around the corner, I plan on doing my best to learn how to use it. If I get stumped, I’ll call the kids, they can help, they always do.
OH and by the way, I see that my family re-shared a fishing video from a few years back. If you never saw my “Lucky Kid” video, this might be an appropriate time to watch. View Video "I Was A Lucky Kid"
Did I just use the word appropriate, OMG what in the world is happening to me? — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Jeff Sundin Fishing Report August 20, 2020 "Factual Facts About Defining Fall Turnover?"
I was reading a fishing thread about Leech Lake in one of the facebook fishing groups when I stumbled into some comments about the “Fall Turnover”. Typical of most conversations about the turnover, the authors of those comments passed along a series of completely inaccurate advisory information about what it is and where it happens.
Since this is the time of the season when the subject often comes up anyway, I’d like to call your attention to an article that I published in September of 2018. In it, misconceptions, including my own, about what the turnover is, along with where and when it occurs are debunked.
If you’re interested in actual, factual information about where a turnover occurs, or not, then this is a good starting place. Read >> Fishing The Fall Turnover In Natural Lakes — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report August 19, 2020
"Walleye - Walleye fishing slowed considerably this last week as several fronts blew through the area. Still several anglers reported a excellent trolling bite this last week. Deep diving crankbaits that reach 15-30 feet were key to anglers success. Anglers simply trolled over large flats or open water during the evening hours. Couple of anglers also reported success trolling lindy rigs or jigging with larger minnows, out and around sunken islands in 20-25 feet of water.
Smallmouth - Smallmouth bass have been a major challenge for walleye anglers fishing around sunken islands. Smallies have been aggressively hitting jig and minnows, jig and half a crawler and even deep diving crankbaits trolled to close to sunken islands. Some of the biggest smallies in the lake are being found out there right now. Anglers are also still reporting a good early morning topwater and spinnerbait bite along the shoreline.
Pike - Anglers have been reporting a good pike bite on many area lakes. Anglers have been catching good numbers with some big pike mixed in, while trolling or casting large spoons or casting spinnerbaits along weedlines. Small pike have largely been located inside the weedbeds, while bigger pike are patrolling the weedlines.
Stream Trout - Stream trout anglers continue to catch quality size trout shallow during the evening hours. During the last 2 hours of the day, if the wind calms down, anglers are finding trout surfacing. Anglers simply troll small crankbaits, flatfish or slip bobber a crawler to catch these trout.
Crappie - Crappies continue to largely be found suspended and scattered, out over deep basins. Anglers are using their electronics to locate crappies in the basin. Once located small jig and twister, beetle spins and crappie minnows fished under a bobber are being used to catch these fish.
Lake Trout - Lake trout fishing has been good this last week for anglers targeting lakers. These anglers have been catching lakers trolling spoons with leadcore or with down riggers. Anglers have been trolling over deep water fishing 20-30 feet down." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism August 18, 2020
"There was an excellent "dog days" walleye bite on the south end of Lake of the Woods this past week. The two best patterns are crawler harnesses and crankbaits over the deep basin.
Although different schools of walleyes are relating to different parts of the lake, big numbers of walleyes are on the deep mud in 30 - 36' of water. Cover water by drifting or trolling. Crawler harnesses in hammered gold, pink, glow or orange.
Crankbaits in colors best for stained water, orange, pink uv firetiger, chrome / blue, firetiger, and gold are good for starters. Mix up crankbait size, shape, rattling vs non rattling, speed and direction of trolling until you dial them in. Some schools are active, some inactive. Keep moving and you will have success.
On the Rainy River, walleyes are scattered on flats. Trolling crankbaits this time of year to cover water is effective. Mix of walleyes and saugers living in the river. Target sturgeon in deep holes with sturgeon rigs and crawlers or frozen emerald shiners. Smallmouth bass and pike active around current breaks, rocky areas and in bays.
Up at the NW Angle, the US and Canada border remains closed. For now, guests can travel across the lake, only if staying and fishing in MN waters. There are shuttle and passenger services available to the Angle via boat. Check with your favorite NW Angle resort for options.
At the angle, it was a great walleye bite this week with a nice variety of sizes. Most anglers fishing the mud adjacent to reefs and islands throughout the Angle. Spinners with a crawler or trolling crankbaits both are producing good numbers of fish. Lots of pike caught this week by walleye anglers.
Pike and muskies being caught casting bays and trolling rocky point areas as well. Smallies around rocky areas in 5 to 15c feet of water." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Lake of the Woods, Border View Lodge August 18, 2020
"Good Fishing, but too much wind this past week! Except for today, the forecast is showing much less wind compared to last week. The Walleye Master Guides are looking forward to more great days of drifting with spinners.
There continues to be a great bite in both Big and Little Traverse Bays. The weather this past week had much to do with the decision of where to be. Again, Anglers brought in great catches with some wonderful trophy releases.
A few helpful reminders for everyone, if you’re feeling sick please do not come. In Minnesota wearing a mask while you are indoors is required. This includes check in and check out, buying items in the store, on your way to and from dining tables, bathroom or the bar. If you have been around others who are sick, please quarantine or get tested before going out.
We have had a great season with wonderful memories being made. Don’t let the end of summer coming near give you a false sense of urgency or place a demand on you to come when you shouldn’t.
Also, prepare yourself for things taking a little longer than normal. Our staff is doing its best, but things take longer with extra cleaning and social distancing. Dinner reservations are more spread out and even though we have more tables we are not able to use them all. Many have tried to point at the empty tables and say hey, what about that one, but it doesn’t work that way anymore. Also, you need to plan on doing your part by waiting for the fish cleaning house to empty before entering.
Plan that you may not be able to just jump right in and start cleaning your catch. This is especially true when all of the guides are cleaning fish, typically 5-6 PM every day.
The week ahead is looking like less wind, and we really appreciate that! More of the sunshine with highs around 80’s and lows at 50’s for the overnights." — 1-800-776-3474 Border View Lodge
Fish ED Video August 2020 "Leadcore Trolling for Deep Water Walleye"
August is THE prime time of the season for trolling up deep water walleyes on Lake of the Woods. If you've never done it, but have thought about giving it a try, then here's your chance to learn from the pros.
In this episode of Fish Ed, host Jon Thelen is joined by Nate Altendorf and in it, they will show you a great way to get Bandit Walleye Deep crankbaits down super deep, and you don’t need downriggers!
Jon and Nate explain in easy to understand language how to use lead core line to get your crankbaits down to depth when the walleyes make there move to the lake basin.
See how utilizing a Bandit Walleye Deep and lead core line will put more giant walleyes in your boat! View Video and Leran More >> Leadcore Trolling for Deep Water Walleye
Lake Winnibigoshish, Joe Thompson, August 16, 2020 Four Seasons Resort
"The walleyes are biting. All methods are working. Trolling, jigging, live bait rigging, jigging raps, and bobber fishing are all catching fish.
The key is finding the fish and then they will bite. We are catching a lot of small fish right now. Some are keepers and some are just a tad small to keep. If the growth continues as it has this summer, Most of the 2018 year class will ..." Read >> Lake Winnie Fishing Update August 16, 2020
Jeff Sundin Fishing Report August 14, 2020 "Guiding The Guide From Anywhere In The Boat"
It all started earlier this summer on Red Lake. We were fishing near a group of other anglers when one of my fishing partners said, “what the heck is that thing in front of that guy’s boat?”
I didn’t know it at the time, but I know now that he was pointing at a device called the “De View”. In my fishing partner’s opinion, it looked silly, he saw no reason for having one, but for me, the first impression was the complete opposite. “HEY, wait a minute, I could use one of those things, I said, I wonder where it came from?”
What the De View is, is a directional aid that installs on the shaft of any bow mount electric trolling motor. The De View gives an angler, operating from the back of their boat, an easy indicator showing the direction that the trolling motor head is facing. And where they come from is a company called Debilt, the North Dakota based company who manufactures the handy gadget.
There’s no doubt that a bow mount trolling motor is essential equipment for anybody who wants total control of their boat. There are certain presentations that only work effectively when a bow mount is deployed.
If you sit in the bow seat while you’re running one, there’s no problem, you can see which way your trolling motor is facing at all times. But for folks like me, who run their electric motors from the cockpit, not being able to see the trolling motor head can be super-frustrating.
In my case, I was always struggling to see around folks when they were sitting in the bow. Me trying to hold a steady course by getting a glimpse of the trolling motor made my customer(s) nervous too. Sometimes they’d see me straining to see around them and then try to adjust by moving from one side to the other, it was not very comfortable for them either.
Now that I have the De View installed on my bow mount trolling motor, we can all relax. The directional arrow sticks up above the heads of passengers, where I can see it. Now I just watch the arrow and know exactly which way motor is always facing. My boat control is vastly improved, and it allows all of us to focus on fishing more effectively.
Before, I opened the box, I was both curious and skeptical about how durable the device might be. But when I unpacked the pieces, I was pleasantly surprised, both the mounting clamp and the directional flag are solid, made of Aluminum I think, and very well crafted. It took me only a few minutes to assemble the pieces and install it on my Terrova, on the Alaskan. When I want to move it over to the Pro V, it takes 30 seconds, without tools, to remove it from that motor and install it on the Ulterra.
The flag snaps in and out in a few seconds too, so you can keep it stored in your rod locker when you’re not using it. The whole system is well thought out, easy to use and highly effective; I could not be happier with mine.
Yours can be on the way in just a few minutes, they are readily available online. Just use this link to check them out at De View, by Debilt dot com.
OH and by the way, Happy Trolling !! — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Wired2Fish August 2020 "Redneck Ingenuity: 10 Clever Ways to Use Zip Ties in Your Fishing Boat"
"To a country boy with a good imagination, a good ole zip tie is about as useful as duct tape. I use these all over the place when it comes to fishing and thought it might be beneficial to some of you to compile a list of the most common and the most unique ways I use a zip tie. So let's layout 10 ways to use a zip tie in your boat.
Let's start off with the obvious. Most everyone has used a zip tie to bind wires together when rigging graphs and other electronics. It's quick, easy and clean. Just group whatever wires you have together, snip the tag end off and voila.
I do recommend one additional step however. Once you have the zip tie secure and the tag end cut, cover it with a few wraps of electrical tape. The tag ends can be sharp and leave a pretty nasty gash if they're in a high traffic area.
This one is a little different. My dad first showed it to me and to my knowledge he's the first to ..." Read >> 10 Clever Ways to Use Zip Ties in Your Fishing Boat
Jeff Sundin Fishing Report August 13, 2020 "Rainy Lake Fishing Holiday"
Rainy Lake has been a busy place these past few days. I can’t think of a single time since Monday when we sat more than a few minutes without a boat passing by. The intensity of the traffic on the lake may explain, in part, the sluggish mood of walleyes.
The weather didn’t help much either, we drove into Island View on the heels of heavy rain and thunderstorms last Sunday evening. Monday morning, during our first few hours on the water, the “stormy weather”, still lingered in the atmosphere and that’s when our best fishing of the trip occurred.
By around noon on Monday, a stiff west wind blew in clear, cool air and the whitecaps turned into rollers. From that point on, even the best fishing reports were about small schools of fish, scattered willy-nilly on the lakes numerous reefs and deep points.
The wind and heavy seas persisted until Wednesday morning when the lake went flat, and the weather began warming up. Even though it was easier to travel, the fish we found through exploration were harder to catch. With calm seas, boat traffic intensified too and there was significant competition between anglers in search of an “un-tapped” school of fish.
Besides all that, I and the Hippie Chick did not fish awfully hard either. The whole point of this trip was to relax, enjoy each other’s company and celebrate our anniversary. In other words, we didn’t work too hard at getting the fish to bite. If I marked a school of fish and they didn’t bite on the first pass or two, we just moved on, checking structure until the next school was located.
Now hold on a minute, before you get the idea that I’m saying that the fishing was slow, let me add that it really wasn’t, it just wasn’t as fast as usual. Susan commented that this was the first time on Rainy that she had to work for a fish, and that is true. Most of her experiences up here have featured fish that bite as soon as she drops line in the water. I think we were just due to arrive during an off-peak period. Besides, we already had one fish fry and we have enough for a couple more when we get home; that’s good enough for me.
The fish that we did catch were very typical of Rainy Lake; lots of small fish, a few “slot-fish” and a handful of eaters. I would say that the strong walleye year class of 2018 must have occurred on Rainy like it has on other lakes, there are a lot of fish in the 11 to 13-inch range. It’s nice to see all of those small fish, it makes me feel good about the prospects of more “easy days” to come.
Because of the intense pressure on the lakes well known reefs and bars, I explored more shoreline structure than I usually do. I didn’t find a ton of spots, but in the end, that paid off for me because our two best fishing spots were places that I’ve never fished before. I spent a lot of time cruising along shoreline breaks in water depths of 24 to 32 feet of water. Every so often, I’d stumble into a small school of walleyes and most of the time, fish in these isolated schools struck our lures.
Every fish we caught came on Lindy Rigs tipped with air injected night crawlers. In the rocks, the No Snagg Sinkers are helpful, we fished for 3 days without ever losing a sinker.
Today, the fun and games are over, we are heading back into “home territory” to find some good fishing spots for upcoming customer trips. Whatever we drum up, you’ll be the first to know. — Jeff Sundin 218-245-9858 or EMAIL
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report August 12, 2020
"Walleye fishing continues to be challenging for some, but good to excellent for others. Key has been the time of day these anglers are fishing. The first two hours of the day and last two hours of the day have been the best time to be fishing for walleyes.
Jigs tipped with half a crawler and dragged on the bottom, has been very effective. Dragging lindy rigs, tipped with crawlers or minnows and trolling shad raps during the evening hours has also been very effective for many anglers. Key areas to look for walleyes continues to be sunken islands and tradition areas in 12-18 feet of water.
Smallmouth Bass continue to be caught on topwater lures, early and late in the day.
Whopper ploppers have been hard to beat, but pop-r’s and hulla poppers account for their fair share of bass. Anglers are also finding smallies out around sunken islands. Out here anglers have been catching them with jig and twisters or jig and half a crawler.
Largemouth Bass continue to be found in shallow lily pads and wild rice beds early and late in the day. Topwater frogs dragged on the surface, has been very effective on largemouth bass. When the sun gets up and the topwater bite cools off, anglers transition to weedlines and continue to catch bass with spinnerbaits and soft plastics.
Stream Trout anglers have been catching rainbow trout high in the water column in 3-5ft of water, late in the day on area stream trout lakes. Clam evenings have been the key to this shallow water bite. As the sun goes down, water temps drop and rainbows rise to feed on the surface. Anglers have been catching rainbows by trolling small crankbaits, flatfish and small spoons, high in the water column.
Pike - weedbeds, has been very effective. Pike are also being found out around sunken islands, but in lower numbers.
Panfish - Crappies continue to be found scattered out over deep lake basins. Anglers locate them using their electronics, before fishing for them. Jig and minnow has been very effective, but jig and twister or hair jigs have also been effective for catching crappies. During the evening hours crappies are being found in weedbeds and weedlines." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism August 11, 2020
"Fishing remains excellent on the south end of Lake of the Woods with a nice mix of eaters, slots and trophy walleyes.
Walleyes are hanging out over the deep mud in 30 to 36 feet of water. There are two great ways to catch walleyes at this time of year, crawler harnesses and crankbaits.
Cover water by drifting or trolling. Crawler harnesses (snelled spinners) in hammered gold, pink, glow or orange with a 1-2 ounce weight. The second technique is trolling crankbaits through various schools of walleyes over the deep mud. Get lures down with lead core line, a 4 ounce bottom bouncer, snap weights, 3 way rig or downriggers. Switch colors often but some starters, pink uv firetiger, chrome-blue, firetiger, and gold.
On the Rainy River, walleyes are scattered on flats and in deeper holes. Trolling crankbaits this time of year to cover water is effective. Mix of walleyes and saugers. Sturgeon anglers targeting deep holes with sturgeon rigs and crawlers or frozen emerald shiners. Smallmouth bass and pike active around current breaks, rocky areas and weed edges.
Until the US and Canada border opens, guests can travel across the lake to resorts in the Northwest Angle when staying and fishing in MN waters. There are shuttle-passenger services available to the Angle via boat. Check with your favorite NW Angle resort for options.
Strong walleye bite with lots of eater fish on the mud adjacent to reefs and islands throughout the Angle. Much like the south end, spinners with a crawler or trolling crankbaits both are producing good numbers of fish. Pike and muskies being caught casting bays and trolling rocky point areas. Smallies in their summer pattern, 4 to 15 feet deep in rocky areas." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Lake of the Woods, Border View Lodge August 11, 2020
"Another week of drifting with spinners and another week of great catches! Our Walleye Master Guides continue to work Big Traverse Bay in the deeper waters 36 foot or so. Crawlers on a spinner work great, some Anglers are using lead core with plugs or spinners. There has been great success either way.
A few helpful reminders for everyone, if you’re feeling sick please do not come. In Minnesota wearing a mask while you are indoors is required. This includes check in and check out, buying items in the store, on your way to and from dining tables, bathroom or the bar. If you have been around others who are sick, please quarantine or get tested before going out.
We have had a great season with wonderful memories being made. Don’t let the end of summer coming near give you a false sense of urgency or place a demand on you to come when you shouldn’t. Also, prepare yourself for things taking a little longer than normal. Our staff is doing its best, but things take longer with extra cleaning and social distancing.
Dinner reservations are more spread out and even though we have more tables we are not able to use them all. Many have tried to point at the empty tables and say hey, what about that one, but it doesn’t work that way anymore. Also, you need to plan on doing your part by waiting for the fish cleaning house to empty before entering.
Plan that you may not be able to just jump right in and start cleaning your catch. This is especially true when all of the guides are cleaning fish, typically 5-6 PM every day.
The week ahead is looking great again! More of the sunshine with highs around 80’s and lows at 50’s for the overnights." — 1-800-776-3474 Border View Lodge
Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report August 6, 2020
"Walleye - Crankbait bite for walleyes has been excellent this last week, as several groups reported catching nice limits of walleye while crankbaiting. Crankbaits that dive 15-30 feet of water and trolled over large flats, during the evening hours, has been the ticket. Other anglers continue to report catching walleyes with spinner rigs, tipped with crawlers or minnows, worked around sunken islands in 15-25 feet of water now. Many of the anglers catching fish out here have reported that walleye are there one day, then gone the next, so anglers should stay mobile to keep catching walleyes.
Bass - Topwater fishing remains excellent for both smallmouth and largemouth bass this last week. Whopper ploppers have been most effective on smallmouth bass, while frogs have been best for largemouth bass. Smallmouth continue to be located shallow in 5-10 feet of water, early and late in the day, on large rocky flats or around timber in the water. Largemouth bass continue to be located in the thick weedbeds, lily pads and wild rice beds. Frogs fished over these areas early and late in the day, often results in excellent fishing.
Panfish - Crappie anglers have been finding crappies suspended out over deep water 15-20 feet below the surface. Good electronic are key to finding these scattered, suspending fish. Crappie minnows suspended under a bobber has been very effective in catching crappies. Sunfish continue to be found in weedbeds and particularly on weedlines. Small jigs tipped with either a wax worm or small angle worms, has been very effective on them.
Pike - Several large northern pike were caught this last week as water temps cool down to more comfortable for large pike. Large spoons, buzz baits and spinnerbaits have been very effective for covering water and catching not only small pike, but big pike too. Anglers should focus on weedlines on large weedbeds or areas around current coming in or out of a lakes.
Lake trout - Lake trout fishing has improved this last week. Anglers have been catching lakers 20-30 feet down, over deep water. Crankbaits fished behind planner boards have been most effective. Blood nose colored crankbaits have been very effective." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358
Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism August 4, 2020
"The deep summer "Dog Days" patterns for walleyes are in full swing on the south end of Lake of the Woods and are producing excellent fishing.
As a rule, the big walleyes are hanging out on the deep mud in 30 to 34 feet of water. There are two main techniques working well, drifting or trolling spinners with crawlers or leeches. Best boat speeds are from about 1.0 to 1.25 MPH. Hammered gold, hammered silver and glow white are good starting colors.
The second technique is trolling crankbaits through various schools of walleyes over the deep mud. Switch colors often but some starters, pink uv firetiger, chrome/blue, firetiger, and gold.
Some walleyes are still being caught shallow based on forage opportunities. Different schools taking advantage of current conditions in different areas. Watch electronics and go fishing!
On the Rainy River, walleyes are scattered on flats and in deeper holes. Trolling crankbaits and covering water effective. Sturgeon living in deep holes throughout river. Smallmouth bass and pike active around current breaks, rocky areas and weed edges.
Up at the NW Angle, until the US / Canada border opens, guests can travel across the lake staying and fishing in MN waters. There are shuttle services available and fishing for multi species has been excellent. Check with your favorite NW Angle resort for options.
Good walleye fishing continues north of Garden Island, around Little Oak Island and areas north and east of Little Oak with deeper mud. Spinners with a crawler or trolling crankbaits both producing good numbers of walleyes. Pike and muskies in deep bays and rocky points. Smallmouth bass in 4 to 14 feet in rocky areas reacting well to crankbaits." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH
Lake of the Woods, Border View Lodge August 4, 2020
"Crayfish matter! We are still having a great bite drifting in the shallow sand areas with nice sized keepers. The deep pods of crayfish have seemed to finish molting, while they put on a harder shell the big Walleye deep in the middle of Big Traverse are now biting strong while drifting it with spinners.
Yesterday Captain Lanny’s crew put on a clinic with one big Walleye after another, the trend lasted a couple hours.
Another week of projects here at Border View Lodge, the new floating dock is in and we are continuing to work on leveling the permanent docks from the frost heaves.
The week ahead is looking great again! More of the sunshine with highs around 78 and lows at 50 overnights." — 1-800-776-3474 Border View Lodge
Wired2Fish July 31, 2020 - Should We Be Wearing Life Jackets while Fishing?
"Many go an entire lifetime without knowing of or being involved in a drowning. Unfortunately, I've been personally affected by two drownings in recent years. A year ago, an older gentleman died in my arms after falling into the water. And just last week, I lost my close fishing buddy after he drowned while bass fishing.
The message could not be any clearer to me. Wear your life jackets.
Most reputable tournament organizations worth their salt have a mandatory rule to have life jackets on and buttoned up anytime the big engine is running and the kill switch must be attached to the driver. It's second nature and is just something we know and do without thinking. Most organizations, however, allow anglers to remove them when they are fishing.
Accidents occur while running across the lake, no doubt, but many also occur at ...." Learn More >> Should We Be Wearing Life Jackets while Fishing?
Fish ED Video July 2020 "Trolling For Summertime Basin Walleyes"
Windy, turbulent conditions combined with stained water, can make life interesting for a walleye angler to say the least. In fact many anglers just throw up their hands and decide not to go out on less than ideal days.
But anglers committed to giving walleyes a run for their money, even during tough conditions can still bring in respectible catches.
This week on Fish Ed host Jon Thelen shows you a new take on walleye crankbaits under less than ideal conditions! The Bandit Generator lets you add 2 glow sticks to help grab a walleyes attention, in rough, dirty water.
Jon also shares a great trolling strategy that allows better boat control in rough water. Don't skip this video, it will definitely help you put more walleyes in your boat this season! View Video and Leran More >> Trolling For Summertime Basin Walleyes