Last week finally felt like October. The Monday front knocked summer out of the air, a round of wind and rain came through Thursday night into Friday, and then Saturday morning brought a hard frost to most of the Northwoods. It does look like you can put your long johns back into storage for the time being, though, as this week looks like high pressure and lots of sunshine to start. Temps look to sit in the mid-60’s all week, with nights in the 30’s and 40’s and the next possibility of rain coming late week or over the weekend. We’ll take whatever rain we can get. With the color in the trees gone dark for the most part, the golden glow of the tamaracks is stunning right now.

The cold nights and the wind did a number on water temperatures. Most area lakes have dropped into the low 50’s and upper 40’s, with the Chain on the warm side of the scale. Turnover in the works throughout the area now. A lot of the smaller and mid-sized lakes have flipped or are in the middle of it, and the bigger, deeper lakes are right behind them. You’ll know it when you see it – off-color water, leaves and weed junk suspended in the water column, and that musty smell at the landing.  Water levels are still low on many lakes outside the Chain, so be aware.

The walleye bite has been up and down, as you’d expect with the fronts we’ve seen come through – and turnover. It’s been rough out there. The fish that were on the shallow cabbage have mostly moved out. Look at deep breaks, holes, and hard-to-soft bottom transitions in the 18 to 30′ range. On the Chain, find the holes and the deep edges of any weeds that are still green. A jig and fathead or small sucker is the go-to now, worked slow along the bottom. The evening low-light bite has been best, and that will continue as we move deeper into Fall.

Northern have been the most dependable fish going, per usual. Concentrate on any green weeds left in the bays and the first break outside the weed edge in 8 to 14′. Spoons, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits worked with a long pause are all catching fish, and a sucker under a float is a good way to go for the bigger pike.

Bass are near the end of the line. The cooler water has slowed the largemouth way down, but the warm afternoons this week should give them a little life on the last green weeds and nearby wood. Fish slowly in the warmest part of the day with a jig, Texas rig, or live bait. Smallmouth are bunching up on deep rock and gravel in 20 to 30′, and when you find them there can be a lot of fish in one spot. Hair jigs, blade baits, Ned rigs, drop shots, and a jig and minnow all work. On lakes that are turning over, they can be hard to find for a week or two.

Panfish are cooperating. The bigger perch are moving off the weeds out to the sand and mud flats in 12 to 20′.  A small jig and fathead or a piece of crawler is all it takes. Crappie are schooled over the basin edges and around deep wood and cribs in 15 to 20’, usually suspended a few feet off the bottom. Look for them with your electronics, then use a small jig and plastic or crappie minnow just above them. Bluegill are holding on the deep weed edges in 12 to 18′ and will hit a small jig tipped with a waxie.

Musky fishing is getting better by the week. The fish that were following and turning away a couple of weeks ago are starting to get more serious. They’re shifting off the shallow weeds toward the deep weed edges, steep breaks, and rock humps -but a warm, sunny afternoon can still pull some shallow. Now’s a good time to move from bucktails and topwater to glide baits, jerkbaits, and big rubber. Work them slowly, especially as the water cools. Now is also the time when it’s definitely worth keeping a sucker out while you cast, to work the breaks with a quick-strike rig. Stable weather like we’re expecting this week can be very good for musky, especially in the afternoons and during the last hour before dark.

From here on out it’s all about the deep breaks and holes, big bait, and fishing slow. Walleye and musky both get better as the water cools, and the best big-fish action of the year is still to come. Mornings this week will likely be cold and foggy, and if you’re out at first light you might hear some duck hunters, too. Afternoons should be beautiful, and the boat traffic is about as light as it gets. It’s a great time to be on the water – get out there and enjoy it, because November is just around the corner!

Good luck and good fishin’!