Sure do miss the good old days of trolling ML during the full moon. Dave Koonce cooking brats for the crew was always a highlight. Got me thinking that it’s a full moon this week…is anyone going to go up and pull a shad rap around? I know we have to be off the lake at 10:00, but that should give 3-4 hours of prime trolling time.
I was considering it but have been fishing until 10:00 numerous times already including this past weekend and pretty much the only thing going has been a few walleyes all 2013 and younger. So my thoughts are to wait until the next full moon on Oct/31 at which time the water temps should have dropped and can pull stick baits versus raps. Instead I may fish P2 were the chances of catching big fish seems to be better.
Has anybody been catching anything of size in the evening?
I never used to miss it. When the youngest set her wedding date 10 yrs ago she made sure it wasn’t a full or dark of the moon night. Since the regs changed it just hasn’t been the same for me. When the helm pump went out on my Pro V that was it. I have had the pump rebuilt this summer but haven’t put the new one in yet.
For me it is a question of weather.
I’ve bucked 4 fters but with my rig being a 25 ft tritoon I’d like it reasonably calm. Wind has howled for the last 3 days here in Wahkon. Great for blowing leaves off our new sod but not so good for pontoon control.
I have used shad baits alot but for me my go tos are Rattling Rogues, Husky Jerks, F11 Raps & even Tail Dancers. All depends on H2O temps.
BTW. I have a raft of 100 + Cormorants swimming out in front of my place right👹 now w/ 40 gulls circling for scraps. 🤔
Went out on H-W launch Saturday to deposit some of my “Brother from a Different Mother” very dear friends ashes into his beloved ML. Family invited me and his other long time pal. It was a shory jaunt out to 1st reef and JB’s S in L pulled a nice 20″ in 10 minutes. Billy T & I just told stories about the good old days. Maybe 15 minutes of fishing but many lines down and some misses on hook sets but who knows if they knew what they were doing.
There are PLENTY of 22″ to 28″ fish in the lake. The rhing is it is just fishing and if you are not getting bit after 15 minutes change something up.
Launch Capn did say they have been doing better and better each trip and shallower & shallower. Now bear in mind they don’t take those barges in on shallower structure than, oh 8′ in my observations. ( An observation since it was my 2nd time in the last 40 yrs I had been actually on a launch)
I’m hoping maybe on December 1st when the regs switch over? Depending on bay ice obviously.
DT
I’m hoping maybe on December 1st when the regs switch over? Depending on bay ice obviously.
DT
I can remember about 5 years ago when the new December regs started and there was still open water. The die hards were still out there trolling too.
Will be making a go of it on the Halloween full moon weekend. Looking forward to it!
Water temps still in the 60’s last weekend. Pretty decent day time bite going out there.
-J.
I’ve had fun fishing ML under a harvest moon…good times.
Q: I only hear about this body of water for October full moon trolling.
– Are there other lakes or rivers that provide the same level of action
?
Pete
Will be making a go of it on the Halloween full moon weekend. Looking forward to it!
Water temps still in the 60’s last weekend. Pretty decent day time bite going out there.
-J.
I’m either going bow hunting or to Milly over Halloween. Milly sounds like a good choice. Mike make a day trip over there that weekend.
DT
Will be out on the East / SW side Saturday from 2pm until 10PM. Trolling / Casting / Jigging for whatever bites. 1st time in a few years I have fished in October because of the shutdowns. Bundle up it’s going to be a cold / damp one.
I will also be up that weekend for some evening trolling. Can’t wait
The Tullibee spawn when the water is 42 degrees. When trolling at Oct Full moon on the rocks you can feel your Rapala bounce off them and that is what the big girls are feeding on ( I had a 24″ eye with a 17″ Tullibee tail sticking out of its mouth and still hit my lure). Biggest fish I caught have been between 10-2am out there. With Day light savings time being Nov 1st this year we might catch the tail end of the moon phase but that gives you a extra hour of darkness.
Been trolling this moon in hayward area, gin clear water, had an eye go airborne last night. Damnest thing ya saw. Long lining rapalas in 8′, fish on, thought it was a small mouth when I saw it jump ear out water. Got up to boat dang thing was a walleye.
Nothing better banging rocks in fall!
Been trolling this moon in hayward area, gin clear water, had an eye go airborne last night. Damnest thing ya saw. Long lining rapalas in 8′, fish on, thought it was a small mouth when I saw it jump ear out water. Got up to boat dang thing was a walleye.
Nothing better banging rocks in fall!
What raps? Husky jerks.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mr.Beads wrote:</div>
Been trolling this moon in hayward area, gin clear water, had an eye go airborne last night. Damnest thing ya saw. Long lining rapalas in 8′, fish on, thought it was a small mouth when I saw it jump ear out water. Got up to boat dang thing was a walleye.Nothing better banging rocks in fall!
What raps? Husky jerks.
That one was actually a shad rap, we were hitting the first break still.
Been trolling this moon in hayward area, gin clear water, had an eye go airborne last night. Damnest thing ya saw. Long lining rapalas in 8′, fish on, thought it was a small mouth when I saw it jump ear out water. Got up to boat dang thing was a walleye.
I’ve only seen it happen once, and it happened on leadcore no less. A buddy and I were trolling the basin August of 2017 and the fish hit like a ton of bricks. It was late afternoon and we were trolling pointed away from the sun, so looking back off the stern the sun was somewhat in our eyes. I was net man and as my buddy got it closer to the boat the fish cleared air not once but twice. Being that it was silhouetted I thought he had on a new state record smallmouth. Nope, 28.5″ walleye.
I was up trolling ML and it was the opening of deer season as I remember a lot of orange in the lakeside bar. Don’t remember how many years ago but will never forget the incredible northern lights that night. Stopped fishing and just watched. It was truly amazing sight.
How did everyone do? We caught 4 from dark to 9:30 all before moon came up. Caught 9 (8 eyes and 1 smallie) on minnows from 2-dark. All perfect eaters (on normal lakes) with biggest being 21. Bright orange chrome HJ or silver flicker shad. Had a lot of short bites trolling but when I would slow down (normally running 1.4-1.6) we would get nothing. Did catch one realing in the line to change out lures, when I looked down I was 14′ behind the boat.
Beautiful day as outside of a few drops the rain went around us. Was nice to be out again.
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How did everyone do? We caught 4 from dark to 9:30 all before moon came up. Caught 9 (8 eyes and 1 smallie) on minnows from 2-dark. All perfect eaters (on normal lakes) with biggest being 21. Bright orange chrome HJ or silver flicker shad. Had a lot of short bites trolling but when I would slow down (normally running 1.4-1.6) we would get nothing. Did catch one realing in the line to change out lures, when I looked down I was 14′ behind the boat.
Beautiful day as outside of a few drops the rain went around us. Was nice to be out again.
I didnt make it up due to prior obligations, however, i did hear reports from guides that it was abnormally slow. that being said, someone always seems to find a way to crush them when other cant.
I’m hoping maybe on December 1st when the regs switch over? Depending on bay ice obviously.
DT
It’s quite a ways off, but the next 10 days are going to do next to nothing for cooling the water. I wouldn’t be shocked if people can open water fish when the regs change. There’s no good chance of frost during that 10 day timespan with daytime temps in the 50s and 60s for the area.
Water was 49 yesterday morning and hit 55 when I left.
Water was 49 yesterday morning and hit 55 when I left.
49?! Holy cow that’s getting down there already. You’d think it may actually go up a little this week though, its supposed to be 80 on Friday.
Water was 49 yesterday morning and hit 55 when I left.
Was the 49 near shore or in the harbor?
Saturday main lake water temps 56-58. Sunday was a little cooler at 55-57 with fog coming off the water during the morning.
Northwest corner of lake 8-15 ft…Took until about noon to get up to 55-56
It being warm this week will have little to no influence on whether it’s open on December 1st. We just saw it drop 12 degrees in four days and it barely dipped below freezing for parts of a couple nights. Lows of zero and highs that don’t get above freezing aren’t uncommon in late November. If the water is 40 degrees it can get to 32 real quick. The mercury playing tag with 80 late this week won’t change that IMO.
But I like the optimism! I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it’s open 12-1-20 too. 
The weather is looking good for the Full Moon weekend! As long as the wind stay at that 5-10mph, should be a pretty good weekend up at the pond!
Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 30. South wind around 10 mph.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. South southwest wind around 10 mph.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind around 10 mph.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
-J.
Well there is slush and ice crystals being blown in at my place. Water temp has to be in the mid 30s
Good luck. In my experiance that is too cold.
Anyone planning on fishing Saturday night? Keep going back and forth on if I should make the trip up or not.
Friday is a GO for us right now. Saturday they are now predicting wind gusts up to 30. That may send us packing…. 
-J.
I was planning on going Saturday evening but the wind forecast has me thinking that may not be the best idea.
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