Ranger Rick
11-11-2009, 12:02 PM
Well the days are ticking by and November 30th and the closing of muskie season is coming upon us.
The good news is the muskies are biting fairly well. They are on the hard bottom apron outside of a prodominate food shelf. Many are locating themselves on in-side turns with steep contour lines.
The warmer weather we have experienced has gotten them biting on artificials again. The muskies have also moved a little shallower from 18 to 24 feet to 12 to 18 feet. I have seen 2 thirty pounders caught this week, so they are starting to "stoke up" for the winter. Suckers are still the N0. 1 producer. Yesterday's long range forcasts calls for temperatures in the forties the rest of the month, so the lakes should stay open the rest of the season. Those of you that are "hard core" muskie fisherman like me should find this to be great news. We also have beautiful 12 to 15 inch suckers here at Guides Choice Pro Shop.
Walleye are relatively easy to catch right now with location being the "key". Once located they are biting well, we have had several of the suckers grabbed by large walleye the last week. Look for them in 8 to 25 feet on the Eagle River Chain and other dark water lakes. On clear, deep lakes start the hunt for them in 12 feet to 30 feet and out on some submergent rock reefs. The best presentation is a jig and minnow. The favorite minnow are XL fatheads, but some guys are using sucker minnows and redtail chub three to four inchers long.
Northerns are hitting well on all crankbaits, especially those resembling perch or sucker minnow and have a flash. Live bait such as small 6 to 10 inch suckers and chubs are deadly in front of a northern. Look for them in 8 feet on The Eagle River Chain and 10 to 12 feet on clear deep lakes.
The perch bite is good when you locate them. They are mixed in the same depths as the walleye on most lakes. Actually some walleye fisherman are reporting getting nice size perch on jig and fathead minnows while they are "ripping" walleye.
Bluegills are probably the least sought after fish at this time, but if you are after them look in depths of 10 to 15 feet using a slip bobber, crappie minnow, red worms, waxies are the best bait.
Crappies are in the same pattern as last week. Some are hanging around cribs 12 to 14 feet deep. Some are near weed edges in 8 to 15 feet of water depending on the clarity and some are on the bottom near the mud/rock transition at the foot of steep breaklines. Slip bobbers and crappie minnows are best used on the weed edge while a "corkie" with a bare hook and split shot tipped with a crappie minnow or small fathead work best on the deep mudlines.
It seems all the species of fish have "turned it up" this week with the warming trend.
Come on up north, we have some great fishing going on.
"Ranger" Rick
The good news is the muskies are biting fairly well. They are on the hard bottom apron outside of a prodominate food shelf. Many are locating themselves on in-side turns with steep contour lines.
The warmer weather we have experienced has gotten them biting on artificials again. The muskies have also moved a little shallower from 18 to 24 feet to 12 to 18 feet. I have seen 2 thirty pounders caught this week, so they are starting to "stoke up" for the winter. Suckers are still the N0. 1 producer. Yesterday's long range forcasts calls for temperatures in the forties the rest of the month, so the lakes should stay open the rest of the season. Those of you that are "hard core" muskie fisherman like me should find this to be great news. We also have beautiful 12 to 15 inch suckers here at Guides Choice Pro Shop.
Walleye are relatively easy to catch right now with location being the "key". Once located they are biting well, we have had several of the suckers grabbed by large walleye the last week. Look for them in 8 to 25 feet on the Eagle River Chain and other dark water lakes. On clear, deep lakes start the hunt for them in 12 feet to 30 feet and out on some submergent rock reefs. The best presentation is a jig and minnow. The favorite minnow are XL fatheads, but some guys are using sucker minnows and redtail chub three to four inchers long.
Northerns are hitting well on all crankbaits, especially those resembling perch or sucker minnow and have a flash. Live bait such as small 6 to 10 inch suckers and chubs are deadly in front of a northern. Look for them in 8 feet on The Eagle River Chain and 10 to 12 feet on clear deep lakes.
The perch bite is good when you locate them. They are mixed in the same depths as the walleye on most lakes. Actually some walleye fisherman are reporting getting nice size perch on jig and fathead minnows while they are "ripping" walleye.
Bluegills are probably the least sought after fish at this time, but if you are after them look in depths of 10 to 15 feet using a slip bobber, crappie minnow, red worms, waxies are the best bait.
Crappies are in the same pattern as last week. Some are hanging around cribs 12 to 14 feet deep. Some are near weed edges in 8 to 15 feet of water depending on the clarity and some are on the bottom near the mud/rock transition at the foot of steep breaklines. Slip bobbers and crappie minnows are best used on the weed edge while a "corkie" with a bare hook and split shot tipped with a crappie minnow or small fathead work best on the deep mudlines.
It seems all the species of fish have "turned it up" this week with the warming trend.
Come on up north, we have some great fishing going on.
"Ranger" Rick