Fall walleyes showing promise on Leech lake

Fall walleye fishing has been pretty good. Walleyes can be found in many areas and structure types. The numbers for me have been coming off large sand flats. These areas also give up some nice perch but for numbers of perch look else where. I have not spent much time on points or shore lines but have heard there can be a decent bite with some wind. I have got some larger fish on or near deeper break lines but the numbers have been on the flats. Ijg and fathead minnows are working well. (don’t just drag the jig) Depths have been from 7 to 12ft. In most cases the top of whatever flat you are fishing is where to start.

Fishing the flats can be frustrating as they are large and fish are every where on a flat. As in any time searching you need to find the first one. I never make the same exact drift or troll until connection is made. Then you need to work the immediate area over. This doesn’t always work of course but its how you find schools a lot of the time. If its an off shore flat you are fishing, I like to start on top but near the break but you have to give a flat time and have some patients. Keep moving till you find the first one!!

Another point I want to make is how you work your jig can be the difference between catching and not catching. I had a couple boats move in to where I was fishing. They could plainly see how we were fishing (and catching) but just moved in close and didn’t adapt and would just move on. If im trolling (witch was the situation with the other boats) I like to go 1.0 or a bit more and rip the jig. I was basically running circles around boats that were “slow troll jig dragging” where ever we would catch a fish. I guess this last piece of the report was a rant but if you are going to move in on a spot, go with the flow and don’t park or hover a spot you saw a fish caught.

Talked to a DNR guy at access today, he had been stationed at federal dam yesterday and told me lot of guys had their limits of both perch and walleye.

Great report Tom!

That is some good eats right there. Nice report, already passed it on to some guys heading up tomm. morning.

Those photos are a good reminder to dress in layers this time of year too!!!

Slow start for us. We came up emptyon some flats , caught three of pine point this morning.

Lots of boats on the west goose islad flats, but not a lot of catching from what i could see.

Greetings all,
We arrived at Leech on Sept.27th to find 63 degree water temp. I was looking for a little cooler water, oh well. We picked up a few on the Flats, a few on Pine and a few on the Big Hard wood. My son in law caught the new club record of the Hard Wood, 27.5″, way nice, pictures and back in the water. We were in about 6-7 foot of water, caught on a swim jig and fathead. I will post a picture later on in the week, back at work and busy, you all know how it is!!!1 CURDOG

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Slow start for us. We came up emptyon some flats , caught three of pine point this morning.

Lots of boats on the west goose islad flats, but not a lot of catching from what i could see.

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The flats can be frustrating as the fish are not on all of them nor all over the ones they are on. I was out sunday and did well on a shoreline line flat but I would have thought with the strong n/e winds pine point should have been good. That’s another area that can be frustrating as there is a lot of 10ft water all around the point. Some times in the fall as in spring they can be real tight to shore on the first 5ft break. Few boats get in that tight.