Minnesota North Outdoors

Hello everybody!

    Here it is late August already with just a few days until September. Summer is just about over and many of you will be out in the woods or in a blind somewhere in the next few weeks. I, on the other hand, will be out on the water enjoying some of the best fishing of the entire season.
    Shorter days and falling water temps always get me excited about fishing. It means that Lake Vermilion and many other northern Minnesota lakes will get very active for a number of species.

    As water temps fall Walleyes on Lake Vermilion tend to seek out sharp vertical drops with deep water close by. Shorter days with less daylight seem to be the trigger that gets them started on this migration. You'll start to see more and more Walleyes relating to the deeper holes and sharper drops.
    The best way to target these fish is with a jig and minnow combo. A slow vertical presentation is what you are looking for. It allows you to fish right over the fish you are marking on your sonar. This presentation is by far the best way to go once the lake turns over. Typically turnover sends most of the Walleyes deep. Once they become adjusted to the changes they can roam just about anywhere however most of the Walleyes will stay deep right up to ice-up. After turnover trolling crank baits can also be very effective in catching roaming Walleyes.
    Main basin areas tend to be the most productive for both of these presentations.

    The fall Muskie action on Lake Vermilion has become legendary in the last several years. Several fish of state record size have been released in the last decade on Vermilion. There is a real strong chance that some day soon we will see a new state record Muskie come out of Lake Vermilion. There have been several Muskies over 50-pounds caught in recent years and a few that exceeded the state record mark of 54-pounds that were released.
    The reason for these fall giants is simple: Food! Both Ciscos and Whitefish spawn in the fall and when they come into the shallows to spawn, many of the largest fish in the system follow them to take advantage of the almost unlimited supply of rich oily food at a time when they reall need it. Many of the Muskies that come into the shallows in the fall are open water fish that have rarely seen a lure in front of their face.
    Trolling and casting can both be very effective in the fall. Large cranks and rubber are favorites among many Vermilion Muskie anglers late in the fall.

 Smallmouth Bass

    The smallmouth action is also very good in the fall. They tend to move into wintering holes once the water temps fall into the low 50's.
    Before that they will start to move back into the shallows for a short time feeding heavily on minnows and crawfish along rocky points and saddle areas. As things cool off they will start to look for areas similar to where the Walleyes are. Main lake points and reefs with sharp vertical drops into deep water are a favorite location.
    Jigs, dropshot rigs, spoons and live bait rigs with large minnows are all very effective for these schoolers. You can often find them as deep as 40-feet late in the fall, so don't be afraid to go deep, even deeper than you might think. It's very important to release these fish as it's not unusual to get on a school of large fish.
    Just remember that it takes 10 to 12 years to grow a 4-pound Smallmouth on Lake Vermilion. They are hard to replace.

     Another great thing about the fall fishing is that you'll typically have the lake all to yourself.

Especially during the week if you get that chance. So dress a little warmer and get out to take advantage of some of the very best fishing of the season on most northern Minnesota lakes, especially beautiful Lake Vermilion.   
    Have a great week everybody and please remember to put some back, the future of all of our lakes depends on it.

 

"Ace" <*)))><