Lake of the Woods fishing report for 10/15/2012

More winter weather and snow dropped the water temperatures on Lake of the Woods into the lower forties. For those that battled the high winds and the cold came excellent fishing for all species. Crappie, Walleye, Muskie, and big Smallmouth Bass were caught in both numbers and size while fishing the Northwest Angle.

We have to talk a little bit about the fantastic Crappie fishing Lake of the Woods has to offer in the Fall. Colder water temperatures really turn these fish on. Areas near water in the thirty to fifty foot range with main lake points and shallow bays nearby are a good place to start the search. Once you catch one Crappie, that is usually a sign that even more are present. Fish the area very well, covering all depths. One day they may be over thirty feet of water and the next over fifty. Warmer weather and rising water temperatures can slow the bite down, but big Crappies can still be caught. This week, Crappie fishing started off fairly slow, with only a few fish caught by our guests, however, the last couple days have been some of the best Crappie fishing we have experienced all year. Most of the Crappies in the Northwest Angle are in the fourteen inch range with some fish pushing sixteen inches. It will  be interesting to see if the Crappie bite continues to be strong in the upcoming weeks with some consistent, cooler weather.

Jigging for Walleye is a common method that is productive year round. Most areas where Walleyes are caught by jigging will produce fish from ice out til' ice up. Rock reefs, main lake points, and current areas are the areas you want to target. This year, 30 feet of water seemed to be the best depth overall. Although the Walleye fishing on Lake of the Woods is some of the best in the world with great spots all over the place, there are still a lot of small honey holes where Walleyes gather by the hundreds.

 Pictured above is Scott holding his very first Muskie.

The Muskie trolling bite has been fairly good as of late. Lots of Pike were being caught casting areas that were holding Muskies earlier this fall, so trolling was tried, tested, and very successful. Some large fish were caught trolling large crankbaits thirty to fifty feet behind the boat over twenty to forty feet of water. Steep shorelines with schools of baitfish high in the water column were the areas targeted with success. With the colder air temperatures at night, the trolling bite should only get better.