Gavin Forrest and his 24-inch walleye / Coopers Gateway General Store in Kabetogama
Forage is abundant and fish are on the move to summer locations yet anglers continue to catch nice numbers of walleye.
The presentations most often mentioned by successful anglers are live bait rigs and spinner rigs tipped with a leech or crawler. Anglers are encouraged to stay mobile until a group of fish is located.
Voyageurs National Park and its surrounding communities are welcoming visitors back again as water levels continue to drop.
NORTHWEST REGION
Walleye anglers fishing Leech Lake are having the most success early and late in the day when using slip bobbers and leeches in 10-15 feet of water along the weed edges, rocky/windblown points, and at the edges of the main lake reefs. Walleye anglers fishing Bemidji area lakes report fast action when using live bait rigs with leeches or crawlers at the deep weed edges and sharper breaks, with some fish also being pulled from depths of 35 feet. On Lake of the Woods, good numbers of walleye are being pulled from depths of 10-15 feet at the sand and rubble, and from depths 25-31 feet of water over the mud. The best tactic is to pull spinners with a crawler or minnow through these locations. Once fish are located, anchor and jig them with a frozen shiner.
NORTHEAST REGION
While flooding remains an issue on Rainy Lake within Voyageurs National Park, the No-Wake restriction has been lifted on Namakan, Kabetogama, Sand Point Lakes. Walleye anglers report excellent fishing on Lake Kabetogama when using live bait rigs and spinners tipped with leeches or crawlers in 7-16 feet of water. On Ely area lakes, the best walleye fishing seems to be in 10 feet of water or less on the shallow flats with scattered weeds, along the wind-blown shorelines, and in areas around current. Live bait rigs such as spinner rigs and lindy rigs tipped with a crawler or leech have been the most productive. Lake trout are congregating in area lakes and reports have been good. Rainbow trout are responding well to small rapalas and small salmo hornets trolled over deep water. Anglers fishing from shore are taking stream trout when floating a crawler off the bottom or casting small spoons. In Cook County, trout fishing on Lake Superior has been good for anglers working spoons down to roughly 160 feet in the water column. On the inland lakes, walleye are eager to hit leeches and other live bait in 8-13 feet of water near shore. Closer to Duluth, Lake Superior anglers continue to take nice bags of lake trout and coho salmon. The inland waters remain great for walleye fishing, especially in 15 feet of water at the mid-lake humps and other structure.
CENTRAL REGION
Smallmouth bass fishing on Lake Mille Lacs has been spectacular despite all the forage in the lake. Anglers report the most action when using swimbaits or jig worms in waters ranging from 3-18 feet deep. Alexandria area lakes are giving up walleye to anglers using crawlers or leeches on live bait rigs at the weedlines, underwater humps and sunken islands in 18-35 feet of water. In Otter Tail Lakes Country, most of the walleye are coming from the mud where the bugs are hatching, but there are always some fish to be found in the weeds and at the rocks. Spinners, crankbaits and bottom bouncers are very effective.
Comments