Lac Seul

I’m going to Lac Seul for the first time this June. Staying near Ear Falls. Anyone have any tips on how to fish Lac Seul? Jig, bottom bouncer, Etc?

I fish the Ear falls area every june last 50 years or so you can just about count on a jig bite with minnows early june and leech and slip bobbers late june. I use a shad rap and my depth finder to locate fish, or areas to recheck at a later time. You can pm me if you want.

Mike

I have friends who go every spring in that area… Lots of fish, we go later in July… I would assume that you could spend most of your time working windy shorelines and extensions from shore and find fish… Most of our fish are from deeper points and main lake structure.

Mark

Thanks Mike.
I will message you soon.

Thanks Mark.
We debated going later into summer such as July or even August.

Have fished the Ear Falls end for the last 10 years, in early June. I would 2nd what Mike said. I have tried a bunch of methods and baits but a jig and a minnow is hard to beat. The fish are usually stacked on points. It is one of the easiest lakes to fish. Just keep hitting points, end of islands until you graph fish. The fish you see on the graph are usually biting. I would also recommend having a mapping chip and watch out for the rocks.

Due to tea colored water, trolling bottom bouncers is usually the most efficient way to fish the lake (especially after that spring to summer transition which is usually early June). 1-1/2 ounce Bottom bouncers seem like a good size. Go bigger if it’s windier or you’re fishing deeper than low to mid teen depths. Firetiger spinner rigs are a good option. Smile blades + slow death hooks do WORK on some days/spots.

When the fish are aggro, make sure to have salted shiners and plastics to improve your efficiency over standard live bait. I’ll never forget one evening where we were running out of daylight where I was catching a 20″+ class fish on every pass on this “spot on a spot” with a smile blade spinner rig and a plastic. We had to LEAVE the spot while there was a guaranteed big fish each pass (regulations permit night fishing). In this case, live bait only slows you down.

Lots of timber up there. Some of the best spots tend to have a lot of snags. Make sure to bring a lure retriever. Cabelas Snagmaster works well, and almost always will retrieve at least your bouncer.

A jig and a single tail grub pitched along the bank is the best way to get trophies.

If you are an expert at boat control, trolling cranks would probably be the ultimate way to fish this lake. But the timber makes it hard. With iPilot Link, it might be feasible once you record a track that is free of timber.

If you’re looking for a more minimalist way to fish the lake: Some guys swear by floating jigs on this lake. On paper, it makes sense due to all the timber. But I haven’t tried it.

I do well for walleyes on Lac Seul with 1/4 oz jigs with crawlers, and with 1/2 oz egg sinkers 2 to ahead of a floating crawler harness and swivel. Non floating harness work well too but will produce more snags.

Last year was ann odd one for me as I hit a weed bite that was the best for aggressive walleyes and the larger girls seemed to be there as well. I ended up casting over the tops of the weeds with rapalas and probing the open gaps between weed groups. I used spinners and some spoons but regular floating raps cranked to the opening pause swim pause before weed edge or just weed clump twitch and hang on. Paddle tail jigs were good at times too.

Mike

Robb L wrote:

I’m going to Lac Seul for the first time this June. Staying near Ear Falls.

Same Robb. I’ll be up June 27 for a week. With the package we got, we get 3 dozen minnows per boat per day. Usually by that time I would have already switched over to a leech + spinner/slip bobber, but the resort owner says they don’t even carry leeches. From those experienced, is it worth my group picking up a few lbs of leeches on the way or likely do just fine on minnows/plastics/cranks? Most reports sound phenomenal regardless

By that time on a normal year the leech bite should be on. The mayfly hatch should be going too. That can pose a challenge but remember not all areas of the lake have hatches at the same time. I would suggest one pound between two people should do the trick. Leeches kinda look a little like mayfly nymphs.

Tactics for mayflies are a whole nother thread.
Mike

Travis I’ve been there in June and it was still snowing. From my experience minnows will still work great in June but it’s possible that the leech bite will have turned on by then as well. If you don’t pick up leeches I wouldn’t be the least bit worried but a pound of leeches is pretty cheap insurance, too. If you get on the right bite it won’t matter what you throw at them. Good luck!