Fishing Report September 2011

September 16-19, 2011

The fall colors are beginning to show around Woman Lake as water temperatures have dropped into the low-mid 60s.  The small walleyes continue to be active with lots of 10-17 inch fish ready to bite.  You might need to sort through a number of the smaller fish (less than 13") to find a batch to keep for the frying pan.  They seem to be moving deeper now, mostly caught around 21-23 feet deep with both leeches and crawlers working well on live bait rigs.  I also have reports of bigger fish being caught after dark by trolling shallow running crankbaits over the reef tops and shallow shoreline flats (6-9 feet deep).  Muskies will start moving into very shallow water soon, so don't be afraid to toss your big baits right up onto the very edge of the shoreline.

September 1 - 8, 2011    Voyagers National Park

I went on my annual boat-in camping / fishing trip with a couple close friends to Sand Point Lake in early September and enjoyed stunningly beautiful weather and outstanding fishing.  Water temps were in the 60s and winds were mostly calm all week so our many fishing spots were easily accessible.  The walleye and smallmouth bite was very consistent and the same was true for larger northern pike.  We also caught nice crappies (10-13 inches) each evening along the tops of large weedbeds.  We awoke early one morning to hear a pack of wolves howling over their evening kill about a mile west of our campsite.  The scenery alone makes the trip worthwhile.  If you have never been up to Voyagers National Park, I highly recommend you check it out.  I have included a few pictures for in the Catch Photos section.