Explore Minnesota Weekly Fishing Update - Oct. 10, 2019

Fall fishing near Lutsen / Joe Ebsen

Most walleye anglers continue to have success using a jig tipped with a shiner, chub, fathead or sucker minnow. Muskie action has been good, with active fish found at the rocks and remaining green weeds. A slow and large presentation is often the key to success. Water temperatures have dropped into the 50s in many areas of the state.

Please remember that water temperatures are very cold so it is extremely important to dress in layers and wear a life jacket out on the water due to the risk of hypothermia. Learn more.

For rules, regulations and other helpful information on fishing in Minnesota, consult the DNR's Fish Minnesota web page.

[Northeast] [Northwest] [Central] [Minneapolis-St. Paul Area] [Southern]

Northeast Minnesota

Duluth - Lake Superior, St. Louis River and inland waters

According to the upcoming forecast, there is a chance of snow this weekend. Many anglers have turned their attention to hunting so there has been very little fishing pressure. 

Lake Superior remains quiet in the Twin Ports areas. Stream fishing in the region has been fair compared to other years, but some anglers are having success near the mouths of the rivers. Migratory salmon have been especially active. Favored techniques have been casting small spinner baits or floating slow-dropping plastics. Stream fishing should continually improve this fall.

The St. Louis River continues to recover from the recent rains. While it is fishable, it can be challenging. Anglers that do head out will want to try jigging with 1/8-  to 1/4-knuckle head jigs tipped with larger sized plastics or live bait. Walleye are the usual catch, but don't be surprised if you pull in a few northern pike or crappies as well.

The water temperatures are falling quickly on inland waters, with many coated with leaves. Casting the shorelines with double-jointed stick baits has produced some nice northern pike and bass. Walleye and crappies can be found in the contour break areas where they are chasing bait fish. In fact, this a great time of year work a crappie hole and take some bonus walleye. Choose a larger minnow, such as a shiner or large chub, for live bait set-ups. If that doesn’t work, downsize your presentation. Also consider soaking an oversized sucker minnow over the side of the boat or under a big float. This is the time of the year for large, active predator fish such as muskie and trophy walleye and northern pike.

Please remember that both the air and water temperatures are dropping fast so dress for the occasion and be sure to wear a life jacket. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com

Grand Rapids

Fishing has been excellent for several species in the Grand Rapids area. Walleye anglers are doing well on Big Jesse, Cutfoot Sioux, Swan, Trout and Wabana lakes. A jig tipped with a shiner or rainbow chub worked at the deeper edges of the cabbage near deep drops has been very productive, but it is essential to work your presentation slowly. After dark, trolling crankbaits through 6 to 20 feet of water in walleye feeding areas is another great presentation. Crank baits with a slight rattle can be extremely effective after dark.

Muskie fishing is also in great form where tullibees and whitefish are gathering to spawn. For the best muskie action, check the rock, gravel and green cabbage areas on Moose, Deer, Spider, Big Cutfoot Sioux and North Star lakes.

Panfish are starting to move to their wintering locations in the deeper holes, with anglers taking nice numbers. Pay close attention to your electronics to locate schools of fish.  www.visitgrandrapids.com

Northwest Minnesota

Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

Fall fishing is strong, with good numbers of walleye being pulled from the south end of Lake of the Woods. Walleye are staged in front of the Lighthouse Gap (mouth of Rainy River) in 18 to 24 feet of water, as well as in front of Zippel Bay, at The Fields, Long Point, Rocky Point, Knight, Bridges and Garden Island. Successful anglers are jigging with live and frozen shiners. Gold, pink, glow or a combination of these colors are working well. Some large northern pike are also being caught.

On the Rainy River, anglers are catching a mixed bag of fish in 12 to 16 feet of water in Four Mile Bay, at the mouth of the river at Wheeler's Point, and at a various spots up river all the way to Birchdale. The current is strong so larger jigs have been best. Sturgeon anglers continue to do well.

Up at the Northwest Angle, anglers continue to take nice numbers of walleye in the neck-down areas, at the points and at the mouths of the bays. Jigging is producing the majority of fish. Crappie and muskie anglers are also doing well. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bemidji

The walleye are very active on Lake Bemidji! The fish are spread out in 4 to 30-plus feet of water so electronics have been extremely helpful. Once walleye are located, use a lindy rig or jig with a large minnow. Jigging rapalas and puppet minnow style baits are great choices when searching for deep water walleye.

Muskie fishing remains hot, especially on Cass and Plantagenet lakes.  Don’t overlook the smaller muskie waters such as Big and Little Wolf lakes.  These are great options for those with smaller boats and when the wind is blowing.  Concentrate your search on the greenest weeds you can find.

The panfish bite also continues to improve as water temperatures drop. The crappies are schooling in the basin areas, and anglers are taking nice numbers once the schools are located. These fish are often deep so please bring them up slowly and handle them carefully if you may release them -- barotrauma can effect fish coming to the surface from depths of just 25 feet. If a school of fish is below that depth, simply catch and keep what you want to eat and move on to preserve the population. 800-458-2223; www.visitbemidji.com

Walker - Leech Lake

Perch action remains strong on Leech Lake, especially off Sand Point and in the narrows in 5 to 8 feet and 10 to 15 feet of water. A jig and minnow or a crank bait is best for turning walleye in 7 to 9 feet of water, as well as on the 10 to 15 foot breaks around Star/Oak, Hardwoods, GrandVu Flats, Sand Point, Cedar Point and additional shoreline breaks in Walker Bay.

Muskie anglers continue to have the most success on the main lake rocks, but a few larger fish have been caught at the remaining green weed beds. 800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com

Hackensack

Water temperatures across the area have dropped into the 50s, and fishing has been really good despite the rainy/cloudy/cold weather.  Walleye fishing has been very good on Leech Lake, as well as on many of the smaller area lakes. Larger minnows have been hard to come by so many anglers have been using small sucker minnows, shiners or fatheads. Depths of roughly 20 feet have been best.

A few anglers continue to chase smallmouth bass. The best action has been in areas similar to the prime walleye locations where bouncing a hair jig or swim bait has produced the most numbers. Rely on your electronics to located fish so you're not fishing lots of unproductive waters. They aren't tearing it up, but once located, they’re taking the bait.

Muskie fishing remains very good. While total daily numbers may have dropped, the fish seem to be more willing to bite. Shallow waters along the reed beds and shallow rock structure have been best. While topwater lures and faster buck tails are turning fish, the big and slow stuff seems to be more productive. 800-279-6932; www.hackensackchamber.com

Central Region

Pine River Area Lakes

Water temperatures in Pine River area lakes have cooled to the low 50s, causing a spike in walleye and northern pike action. Walleye anglers are pulling fish from 5 to 10 feet of water during low light hours, and from waters as deep as 40 to 50 feet during midday hours on sunny days. Jig and minnow combinations are working very well, but nightcrawlers may turn fish as well. Anglers trolling shallow-running crank baits are taking walleye and northern pike along the steeper drops on the larger area lakes. Both species prefer larger baits in the fall, so don't be afraid to use live bait and artificials that are larger than used during the summer months. Crappies are schooling over deep water bays and moving up to the shallows during low light hours. Please note that it is even more important to wear your life vests when water and air temperatures cool to current levels. 800-728-6926; www.pinerivermn.com

Brainerd Area Lakes

Fishing continues to improve for walleye anglers, with Gull, Round, Hubert and North Long lakes producing good numbers of fish. Many of the smaller lakes are also starting to kick out nice numbers. Water temperatures on most lakes are in the mid-50s, and walleye can be found anywhere from the weedlines down to 50 feet of water.  Expect fairly large schools of fish once a group is located. Larger chubs on live bait rigs, hair jigs with plastics or a rainbow minnows, and jigging raps are all producing fish. 

Crappies are biting in the muddy basin holes. Bluegills remain in the weeds, feeding heavy. Northern pike and bass have moved a bit deeper, but are still active. Area lakes should turn over following the cold snap this weekend. 218-825-0410; www.visitbrainerd.com

Willmar

Anglers report that the fish are active and hungry throughout the Willmar Lakes Area. If you're searching for walleye, head to Minnetaga, Big Kandiyohi, Diamond, Foot and Green lakes. Fishing right before dusk in 10 to 15 foot depths should provide the best action. Diamond Lake is also producing lots of crappies and sunfish. For nice-sized northern pike and bass, check out Foot Lake. The majority of anglers have switched over to fathead minnows for the most success. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Encourage kids to take an interest in fishing by bringing them to Fort Snelling State Park on Saturday, Oct. 26, for Go-n-Seine. The MN DNR uses special nets, seine nets, to study fish populations. This seining program will demonstrate how these nets are used and how habitat and water quality affect different fish species. Dress for the weather and meet at Shelter A on Picnic Island. Signs will be posted. No registration required.

Stillwater - St. Croix River

As of Oct. 6, the St. Croix River was giving up lots of walleye, sauger, white bass and other species, keeping it interesting on each outing. Jigs, plastics, rapala shad raps, jigging raps, bottom fishing, casting rigs and some other techniques were all catching fish. Minnows also turned a lot of fish, especially in 10 to 20 feet of water. The water temperature was roughly 54 degrees, and the river was running high. 651-351-1717; www.discoverstillwater.com

Southern Minnesota

Lanesboro/Preston - Southeast Bluff Country Rivers and Streams

Rain continued to fall late last week, creating muddy and high water in most streams and rivers. Still, areas that missed some of the rainfall were expected to still provide good trout angling opportunities. Some blue-winged olives were observed hatching, and small grasshoppers emerged from the grass as soon as the sun came out for a bit.

Anglers are reminded that most area streams and rivers will close to trout fishing on October 15. Anglers will be allowed to fish in limited waters in three state parks (Whitewater, Forestville and Beaver) and in the city limits of five towns (Preston, Chatfield, Lanesboro, Spring Valley and Rushford).

The National Trout Center in Preston offers the following fishing tips for fall trout.

1. Sleep in and fish midday: The nights temps are in the 40’s, and waters have cooled. Both the aquatic insect and the trout activity pick up after the sun hits the water. Best fishing times are 10AM-4PM.
2. Wear camo, conceal yourself and keep a low profile: Once the water clears, the trout are wary of unusual movement in and around the streams. Keep quiet, stay inconspicuous in camo outerwear and move slowly.
3. Fly anglers should use terrestrials and streamers and spin angers should use fast moving aggressive lures. The trout are still feeding on grasshoppers, winged ants, and all kinds of big bugs falling into the water.  The trout are getting territorial and aggressive as spawning begins.
4. Make your flies and lures move. With lots of leaves and debris in the water,  the trout are becoming aggressive toward rivals and egg predators.  Aggressive movement of bait sized things in the water attracts the trout’s attention.
5. Bring your camera. This is a catch and release season so plan to take pics. The trout are super-colorful with their breeding colors and the fall colors all make for memorable pictures in the Driftless.  

Before you go, check out the DNR’s Stream Flow Report for the most current conditions, as well as the "Area Highlights" section of the Lanesboro Area Fisheries web page for stream maps. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com

Be sure to visit the Explore Minnesota Fishing & Hunting page for information to help you plan your next Minnesota fishing trip!

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