Well I dusted the cobwebs out of my boat and headed up to the lake on Saturday to get into the Fall trolling run. I have not been fishing for over a month and I was itching to get back in the saddle again. Many things were telling me it was September; the water temps, the massive amounts of boat out as the sun was setting when I was coming out of the harbor, the fall trolling bite starting to happen in the shallows, cranking bent lip Shad Raps and Husky Jerks, but it felt more like the end of October with temps in the mid 30’s by the time we got off the lake about 1 am. BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr! Last night I shared the boat with Stacie and my buddy Torre. This was Torre’s first Fall trolling run, but I have a feeling not his last. 
Here is his biggest Fall trolling fish so far. 
With the wind pounding the west shore the plan was to troll the East side reefs in search of some decent schools of fish. The water temps were still in the 66-67 degree range on the Eastside. However, I’m thinking with this east wind forecasted for a while, it could be cooling off fast. Our boat ended up finding a few different schools of fish, but the bigger fish eluded the boat for us. The fish in the first picture was the largest of the night at just over the 23” mark. The first stop we hit a reef that I have not been to in about 2-3 years. We started trolling bent lip Shad Raps and Husky Jerks in 4-8 feet of water. Concentrating our speeds around 1.8-2.1 mph seemed to work the best for us with the usual ‘S’ turns. It was a great sight to watch the September moon rise out of the Eastern sky line fairly early in the night.
We started out having to compete for trolling space at the beginning of the night, but soon the competition dwindled off to only a few. To start the evening I concentrated on the inside and outside drops of the rock reef we were working. The bigger fish came on the outside edge of the reef, but better numbers were coming off the inside. Surging of the rod tip seemed to be a good triggering device to entice the fish to bite this evening. In the second picture are some of the baits that seemed to produce for my boat Saturday evening. Stacie caught her first “Rough Fish” of the year trolling as it put up a good battle before entering the net (3rd picture). I’m really excited and hoping to get her into some nice fish this Fall, hopefully the school work doesn’t pile up to bad on her.
It was nice to see my old trolling partner out on the lake also as Mike W. passed by on a run. I hope you did well Mike and we need to get together soon. The bigger fish really seemed to be aggressive and hammering our baits as shown here in the last picture. This was one of a few fish that had the bait totally engulfed and then some. 
With about 4.5 hours of trolling we saw about 16-18 fish come boat side and saw a range of fish mainly 15-23” and one 10” fish. I would have liked to get into some bigger fish, but I was happy none the less just to be out fishing again. 
I’mmmmmmmmm PUMPED 
to get back out and check some other spots. I can’t believe it is really here. The best 4 months of the year. Until next time, lets remember to be safe as there are a ton of boats out there right now and I look forward to seeing everyone as the fishing gets better every week from here on out.
Great report Rob. I can’t wait for next month.
It will be my first time on the pond for the fall bite!! 
Thanks for the heads up on where the active fish where Rob. Didnt have much luck following you guys around that reef so went back to the north end of it where I cought my first fish and decided to work that area over a little closer with some different baits. Finely was able to trigger 4 nice eyes pulling the lures threw the shallows and off the steep drops. Picked up a couple of 26’ers and 2 23″ers. There where more there but they where just smacking the lures and letting go. Looking forward to fishing the east side more this year.
I ended up with 6 for the night and one of those rough fish. It was slower than friday night but the size was a little better.
It was a great night to be out there.
You guys did a little better then we did, but you had one more line.We only hooked up with 9 fish and kept 5. I stayed out till midnight. Shads did nothing for us #12 HJ cought all the fish in 12 fow. Nothing 7-8 feet. In the harbor I saw schools of millions of small perch 1-2″, the whole area they were thick. To bad there were no eyes in there, or maybe there was?
Was that Hunters harbor? There was a northern in there at 330 chasing minnows around. It was interisting to watch him go after them.
Last week was my first time on Mille Lacs in the fall. It was everything I expected! We arrived late Tuesday evening, set up camp at the state park and decided to head out early in the AM. We worked several rock areas from popes point to spider island during the day using multiple tactics and boated several small eyes with two 16-18″ for the frying pan. I expected more, but it was better than working, and the weather was unbelievable for September! It was in for an early supper and time to head out for the famed night bite. We were not let down! We started trolling near popes point with shad raps in 8-10 ft. and picked up two 20″ers in the first ten minutes. After another thirty minutes with no fish we opted to anchor and watch the sunset with slipbobbers/leeches on a shallow reef near spider island and caught three 18-20″ers in 3-5 ft. After the sun went down we started to troll a nearby flat with shad raps and caught five more eaters for our limit for the day, as well as a couple just over 22″. It was only 11pm, we made another pass and caught a 26″er, quick CPR and we decided to head in and clean the fish and rest up for tomorrow. Thursday morning we ate a good breakfast of fresh Walleye and headed out. We trailered up to the NW and fished the mud for half a day with no keepers, only a few small fish. In the evening we repeated day one’s tactics with the average size being larger. We were able to keep four more for the pan, 16-21 1/2″ and released four 22-26″ers with a few short fish in the mix. As a bonus I caught a 19 1/2 smallie on a slipbobber, what a fight! Friday morning and another breakfast of fresh walleye. Today was wind/rain/more wind. We opted to start the day trolling due to the weather and we chose right. Same areas, same depth, and same lures as the last two evenings worked well with the overcast and the wind. We only needed three for our limit, and had those in the first couple of hours, with several short fish, and at least three that were 22-26″ that were CPR’d. No digital camera on this trip, but will definately bring it next time. I’m already looking at the calendar to see when I can sneak up for a couple more days! Thanks to everyone who provides reports here as I have been reading the forums for awhile and have been able to take lots of good info and make a memorable trip!
See you on the water!
Chad
Sounds like you guy’s did ok!!! This time of year can be alot of fun. The tree’s are turning color, the fish are starting to bite!!
Keep us posted on your next trip to the pond, and do remember the camera next time. I even left mine on shore the other night and missed out on a number of photo opportunities.
We bobber fished most of the time Thursday night I think we picked up 3, Friday 5, and Saturday was real slow with only 2 eyes and 6 or so perch. We fished 6-8 fow with leeches. I didn’t see to many nets Saturday evening but we only fished to dark. I think we had a better bite with overcast skies also. Pretty clear on Saturday.
Here is a picture of a 23″ that Harland hooked Saturday.
Nice report Rob.
Wish I could have made it. 
Hope to here more of the same from you. 
……BB
25″ on Thursday night, bobber fishing.
probably pulling cranks from here on out.
It sure started feeling like fall fishing when the sun dropped.
Nice fish D!
Hey Bruce, maybe you can talk Rob into taking us out in his new plastic boat when he gets it!
Thanks for the update Rob! It’ll only get better from here on out. Hope to see the IDA gang in October.
Rob,
thanks for the good report.
I couldN’T find anyone to go with me tonight, so am getting my FIX from a few reporters, like yourself.
WalleyeChaser,
Welcome to IDA, and thanks for the nice 1st post. don’t forget your camera!!!!
Jack..
Hey Rob great report. Are you having any problems fishing the rocks with those shallow shad raps…those lips keep breaking off on me after only hitting a couple of rocks.
Nice report Rob! Marty got 1 26″ over on the West side in around 8′ Otherwise we struck out. I had Nav light problems that took a while for Marty to fix. And I was leary of going to far away from Eddies if the problem returned. Nice to get out anyway.
dd
Wallychaser, Welcome to IDA
This is a great place and from the sounds of it, you got into some nice fish. Congrats. 
Dman, some nice fish.
Now we just got to get Kooty off his 
and get that boy fishing. 
Bruce, When is Tuckner going to take us out?????
Thanks Wade!
When are you dragging that Iowan / Cornhusker 
up to MN? What are your dates you will be eating Johnsonville Brats??? Let me know and if I have an open seat, I would enjoy sharing the boat with ya! 
C’mon Jack, the fish aren’t going to jump in the boat, when it is in the garage.
Bill Marty – I have never had an issue with the lips on the Shad Raps until Saturday, I did lose one lip to the Rocks.
DD – Fishing is better than not fishing. I have heard some mixed reports form the past weekend. Some guys found them others didn’t. It will only get better.
Rob, Tuck is a bit short on boats,
but I don’t think that is going to slow him down. 
Do you have that Plastic boat in your hands yet? 
Thats not one of them kits that you glue together is it? Later……..BB
This was our last trip 6′ fow slip bobber and a ultra lite
25″, he beat me
Awesome picture and the kid even knows his motors.
NICE HAT 