Hello everybody,
This will be my last report for open water this season. My guiding season is about over until we get some ice.
The walleye action has been hot since turnover and I expect it to continue that way until ice up. My favorite locations are mainlake points and shoreline breaks, that fall sharply into the main basin. Look for hard to soft transision zones at the base of these deep structures. They should be holding both good numbers and sizes of walleyes.
My best presentation has been 3/8 oz fireball jigs tipped with small sucker minnows. The 3″ to 6″ minnows work the best and I also do well with shiners if I can get them. The bite has been very soft this season so I am using a stinger hook on all my jigs. About 80% of the fish I catch are on the stinger so it’s very important to use them for good hook-ups. We are also catching a good number of Jumbo perch mixed in with the schools of walleyes. Many are in the 12 to 14″ range, so it’s really a nice bonus to get along with all the walleyes.
Consentrate on locations that fall sharply into deeper water, or in deep holes adjacent to shallow flats. Most of the best walleye action has been in these areas and it should hold up for the remainder of the season.
Have a great fall everyone and I’ll be back in a few weeks with some insights on the upcoming hard water season. 