The "Rookie" Report

steve-fellegy wrote:

Been out only three times since my last report ( twice in the past 3 days after being tied down dealing behind the scenes with this Lake Mille Lacs mess) so not so much info to relay the past week or so…

A week ago Sunday, the Walker Bay/chub bite dried up for me as we got only one fish per hour. Not unlike other slower days, finding the fish was the issue–not the bite itself.

Day before yesterday–in BIG NW winds–again looking for a good school of deeper Walker Bay fish came up empty–more or less. So after two hours of “hunting”, we headed for the main lake and put small cranks/lead core down in some basin/flats type areas–14-15 ft. of water. ( too deep for SMALL cranks without the lead and I don’t like deeper running bigger baits) And as usual–if you find the first one–and stay in that area–things can get good. We got the limit of nice keepers in a little over a hour working a football field size school–all mid-day/early afternoon by the way.

Yesterday ( Tuesday) we headed right back to the same school we left on Monday. But this time it was first thing in the morning. NO BITES in two hours! So back to Walker Bay–chubs in tow–and after hunting a few down on the screen–only had two to show for the 4 hrs. on the water at noon. After a 1.5 hr. shore stop–headed back out to the main lake lead-corin’ area that didn’t work in the morning and just like clock work ( same as the day before mid-day/afternoon) the rods bent over quite often. A dozen good ones in the boat in a couple hours with a couple gettin’ off at the edge of the net! So we got bailed out with another afternoon bite on the small cranks.

That’d be all I know.

Great report Steve!

What type and size of small crank are you referring to? #5 shad raps? #4 Hornets? Might be heading over to Leech this coming Sunday……

Mocha wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>steve-fellegy wrote:</div>
Been out only three times since my last report ( twice in the past 3 days after being tied down dealing behind the scenes with this Lake Mille Lacs mess) so not so much info to relay the past week or so…

A week ago Sunday, the Walker Bay/chub bite dried up for me as we got only one fish per hour. Not unlike other slower days, finding the fish was the issue–not the bite itself.

Day before yesterday–in BIG NW winds–again looking for a good school of deeper Walker Bay fish came up empty–more or less. So after two hours of “hunting”, we headed for the main lake and put small cranks/lead core down in some basin/flats type areas–14-15 ft. of water. ( too deep for SMALL cranks without the lead and I don’t like deeper running bigger baits) And as usual–if you find the first one–and stay in that area–things can get good. We got the limit of nice keepers in a little over a hour working a football field size school–all mid-day/early afternoon by the way.

Yesterday ( Tuesday) we headed right back to the same school we left on Monday. But this time it was first thing in the morning. NO BITES in two hours! So back to Walker Bay–chubs in tow–and after hunting a few down on the screen–only had two to show for the 4 hrs. on the water at noon. After a 1.5 hr. shore stop–headed back out to the main lake lead-corin’ area that didn’t work in the morning and just like clock work ( same as the day before mid-day/afternoon) the rods bent over quite often. A dozen good ones in the boat in a couple hours with a couple gettin’ off at the edge of the net! So we got bailed out with another afternoon bite on the small cranks.

That’d be all I know.

Great report Steve!

What type and size of small crank are you referring to? #5 shad raps? #4 Hornets? Might be heading over to Leech this coming Sunday……

Yes….All of the above.

Only out again twice since the last report.

Same music/song as the last time I tuned in.

“Trollin’, trollin’, trollin’…WALLEYEEEEE!”

Yup–lead core–12-14ft. on the main lake flats with small shallow diving cranks. Find the first one and the area becomes much smaller fast. The schools are about the size of a football field–that’s it.

Yesterday (Monday with the big cold front) we went 2 hours with one 19.75″ ‘er in the box. In the next 2 hours we had 3 limits of keepers in the box ( 15″- 19 plus”) and a few more “too bigs” and a few too small. They sure are not afraid of bitin’ mid-day.

So–no live bait for a while–until the “Gypsies” do their thing again?

Out twice since the last report–yesterday and today only. Famine–and then feast…

3-4 hrs. of “scouting” got ONE 10″ walleye yesterday ( Wednesday) Today (Thursday) I went out for keeps –back to the same trolling tune/stage that was the theme the past couple weeks and ended with 3 plus limits of white-tips ( 9 dandy keepers and a mix of “too bigs” and “too smalls” to make a total of around 13-14 walleyes)in a 4 hr. run. Again–lead core/small cranks/12ft. to 14 ft. sand flats in the main lake.

Not great–not bad! Consistently inconsistent so go figure.

We spent 4-5 hrs. on the lake this morning ( Saturday). We had to scratch hard but managed to boat 12 walleyes–7 nice keepers–2 too big and 3 little guys. Same program–lead core/ small cranks main lake flats 12′-14′.

Got out for about 4 hrs. today with my favorite wife in tow and the guy called “Shefland” on IDO.

Trolled the lead core with small cranks in 11′-13′ on the flats and wound in 10 walleyes–8 good keepers and one of each–too big and too small. Flat calm and hot today–nice!

It has been perfect weather for lead core. We have found the same bite on our side of the lake.

If you are fishing shallow with lead, do you have 50-100′ of fluorocarbon leader or are you fishing close to the boat???

DaveB wrote:

If you are fishing shallow with lead, do you have 50-100′ of fluorocarbon leader or are you fishing close to the boat???

I use a ten ft. 10lb. mono leader on the lead core. 50-60 ft. of lead core out total –depending on the depth of course—as I make sure the bait is within 1 ft. of the bottom at all times. 10 ft. rods out from side of boat…but the rod out the back right over the motor gets just as many as the longer rods off the sides.

Great-thanks!

I had not been on the water for a few weeks with a big south wind rolling so I rounded up a side kick–aka “Shefland” on IDO and put the bobbers out in 4ft. -5ft. of water today ( Friday). They sunk quite often–boating 17 walleyes ( 8 keepers–the rest too big or too small) between two anchoring locations in about 3 hrs. of fishing. 70-73 degree water temps…

With my favorite wife’s relatives in town from Arkansas, no fishing since last Friday–until this morning–they talked me into a short trip. Put the lines in the water at about 9:30 am. in the middle of the new cold front’s teeth…as brisk NW winds gusted to over 20 mph.

I’ve said countless times–” there ain’t a walleye in the world that has read In-Fish or been to a walleye fishing seminar.” So that said–the walleyes as in most cases, didn’t know the cold front was suppose to slow the bite down today.

We had to be in for lunch at the Chase to meet more non- fishing relatives by 12:30 pm. We were on schedule after a 20 minute boat ride back to the dock– 9 dandy (17″-19.75″) keepers and three too big of lead core/small cranks walleyes on the flats in tow.

Dang cold front! lol Heck “Shefland” and the dog Ranger only got 6 walleyes this morning with his one lead core line in the water–with 4 nice keepers and the rest too big. Dang cold front! We need some “stable weather”…

.

Sounds awesome Steve. I have found the same bite down on my end of the lake as well. Hopefully we will see you this weekend out there.

Been on the water three times since the last report.

This past Friday, a short 2.5 hr. run with two Arkansas relatives was a little slow with 4 keepers in the box and 2 too long and one too short.

Saturday brought one keeper to the box the first two hours but 11 more the next 2.5 hrs. after a short move with three lines in the water. 3 too big were frosting.

Missed out on the shallow bite in the big south wind Sunday. Word has it bobbers didn’t float for long in 4-5ft.

Today was the toughest I’ve seen for awhile. In flat calm seas, with three lines we managed only 6 in the box for a 5 hr. effort with one too big and no shorts.

All were on the same lead core pattern. But no doubt, with the wind/waves rolling, a good shallow bite is consistent with bobber rigs and or straight jiggin’.

Good Report Steve. I have the same thing going on this end of the lake. Still a lead core bite for me unless its windy. I am getting the jigs pulled out in hopes that they start going shallow.

Again, only two ventures out since the last report.

This past Thursday we got run off the lake after about 3 hrs. by rain. Lake condition was a mild wind. We tried the lead core pattern areas and came up empty. Ended up boating 6 keepers on the bobbers in 4-5ft.

Yesterday ( Monday) with the famous IDO angler, “Shefland” in tow, we boated 13 walleyes in around 4 hrs. Kept a good bunch of eaters and put a few eaters back–only one too big. All came on the bobbers with a big wind rolling into 4-5ft. We might have caught more but we had a years worth of tangles lol. And puttin’ the anchor in the wrong place so we couldn’t cast to the fish ( me) …and well–let’s just say we/I fished like “rookies”–and still got the limit plus. It wasn’t pretty but…lol

Hey Steve/Josh-

I’m making a trip up to Leech this weekend (fishing Friday and Saturday), I’m fairly new to the lake, and wanted to get your thoughts on which technique to employ and which locations to focus on to catch some walleye in Late September? It sounds like the leadcore trolling bite has slowed down on the sand flats from earlier this month and jigging with chubs/minnows hasn’t quite picked up. It also sounds like you have done pretty well with bobbers in real shallow water Phil? Any advice/thoughts from either of you would be appreciated!

We plan to stay on stony Point, so we should be in a good location to travel to most spots on the lake.

Jaydon M. wrote:

Hey Steve/Josh-

I’m making a trip up to Leech this weekend (fishing Friday and Saturday), I’m fairly new to the lake, and wanted to get your thoughts on which technique to employ and which locations to focus on to catch some walleye in Late September? It sounds like the leadcore trolling bite has slowed down on the sand flats from earlier this month and jigging with chubs/minnows hasn’t quite picked up. It also sounds like you have done pretty well with bobbers in real shallow water Phil? Any advice/thoughts from either of you would be appreciated!

We plan to stay on stony Point, so we should be in a good location to travel to most spots on the lake.

It is relative to the amount of wind/waves you have at the time. The shallow fish are always there but you can’t get close enough to fish for them in the calm stuff. Waves allows one to get within casting range and catch them. The deeper fish are easier to “access” in calm conditions-less apt to be scared out of fishing range by the boat.

Maybe too early to forecast, but the long range wind forecast is predicted to be fairly heavy out of the SE. this weekend. The upwind side of Goose Island and Pelican Island should offer a good shallow option( 3-5ft.)–along with West Goose Flats–7-9ft. Those will be “community” spots/areas. Countless little nooks and cranny’s along the wave beaten shorelines will hold catchable fish–3-5ft. And any shallow mid-lake rock pile ( tops out at less than 8ft.) will have potential too.

I surely would not be surprised if the lead core/small cranks 11-13ft. bite on various flats will go again too. Find’em–they will bite. There ain’t any fences down the so just because we have not gotten them where we had been, doesn’t mean they ain’t out there somewhere…

I like the anchor in with the big waves–better “boat control”. ( if not in the way of other drifting boats etc.)

Awesome, thanks for the detailed suggestions Steve. I will try a few of the areas/techniques you recommended and will see if I can run into a few ‘eyes. Any recommendations on live bait on the bobbers or color patterns on the cranks? I will check back in after the weekend to let you know how I fared.

Thanks Again,

Jaydon M. wrote:

Awesome, thanks for the detailed suggestions Steve. I will try a few of the areas/techniques you recommended and will see if I can run into a few ‘eyes. Any recommendations on live bait on the bobbers or color patterns on the cranks? I will check back in after the weekend to let you know how I fared.

Thanks Again,

Leeches, crawlers and minnows…all can be a player. Crank color is a military secret…lol

Steve you have any openings Wednesday the 30th to Saturday the 3rd? Have a large group going up might be able to talk some people into a trip

Jonesy wrote:

Steve you have any openings Wednesday the 30th to Saturday the 3rd? Have a large group going up might be able to talk some people into a trip

Open the 30th/1st ( this week I assume you mean) only of those dates–booked the 2nd and 3rd. Feel free to call and discuss details…thanks.

Spent the past three days on the southern/SW corner of the lake. With a good south wind creating a good chop out a ways from shore–I fished shallow small rock humps in 3-5ft. of water with the bobbers and they sunk often and consistently. Getting “keepers” in the areas I fished was on the tough side. Most fish were 23-26 inches plus…”too big”. The guys with me liked the big fish opportunity and got their limits of keepers to take home as well. Lots more “keepers” being caught on the west/north side of the lake…..

No ventures onto Leech Lake since my last report but have a couple days on the smaller lakes just south of Leech. ( lakes will go unnamed) this past week and a few more days in the plans in the next ten days or so. Big chubs deep–as usual in the fall.

It was a great open water season on Leech Lake and I look forward to bigger and better things next year already! Thanks…turn out the lights–the party is over.

Good luck with the rest of your season, I really enjoy your reports.