Otter Tail Country Tourism
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Keep Fishing into Fall - Minnesota Fishing Tips
Many people park their boats for the season towards the end of August - they take it out of the water and think about winterizing it.
This might be a good call, if you're not really interested in catching fish.
See fish take the opportunity to "fatten up" in the fall - get all the forage they can get before their metabolisms slow down in the winter. Many people think fish lose their appetites in the fall, but realistically they're still working on getting ready for those long, cold winter months.
Walleyes will be hanging out in 10-30 feet of water, with some diving Rapala type lures working well. Days when the pressure is rising are good days to get out there, so keep that in mind.
To get those big northerns interested in your bait, take a chewed up, older Rapala lure and remove the hooks. Attach a black leader to the tail-end hook loop, and to the leader attach a DareDevil type lure - nothing irritates a northern pike like watching other fish enjoy a meal! This will get the lazy fish moving.
Look for your panfish (perch, bluegills, sunfish,crappie, etc) to move to mid-depth areas out from the deeper parts of the lake, preparing for winter. Look for good underwater cover areas 8-10 feet deep and use similar baits and lures to what you use in the summer: small hooks, lures, and small worms.
So there you have it. You can keep on fishing, and avoid all the other anglers, by keeping that boat on the water a little longer. Don't be afraid to try a new lake this fall, either. You won't have much competition, and this could prove to be a very relaxing experience - but also an excitement-filled fishing excursion!
-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team
This might be a good call, if you're not really interested in catching fish.
See fish take the opportunity to "fatten up" in the fall - get all the forage they can get before their metabolisms slow down in the winter. Many people think fish lose their appetites in the fall, but realistically they're still working on getting ready for those long, cold winter months.
Walleyes will be hanging out in 10-30 feet of water, with some diving Rapala type lures working well. Days when the pressure is rising are good days to get out there, so keep that in mind.
To get those big northerns interested in your bait, take a chewed up, older Rapala lure and remove the hooks. Attach a black leader to the tail-end hook loop, and to the leader attach a DareDevil type lure - nothing irritates a northern pike like watching other fish enjoy a meal! This will get the lazy fish moving.
Look for your panfish (perch, bluegills, sunfish,crappie, etc) to move to mid-depth areas out from the deeper parts of the lake, preparing for winter. Look for good underwater cover areas 8-10 feet deep and use similar baits and lures to what you use in the summer: small hooks, lures, and small worms.
So there you have it. You can keep on fishing, and avoid all the other anglers, by keeping that boat on the water a little longer. Don't be afraid to try a new lake this fall, either. You won't have much competition, and this could prove to be a very relaxing experience - but also an excitement-filled fishing excursion!
-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team
Labels: fall, fishing, fishing tips, lakes, lakes country, pointers, weather
posted by Al
at
2:29 PM
