LOTW: NW Angle Area- August
FlyfishMN
Posted 7/30/2013 12:14 PM (#654491)
Subject: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 59


Location: Minneapolis, MN
I'm taking my boat up to the NW Angle for the first time on August 7th for four days. We're willing to fish anywhere from Monument up through the Narrows, and possibly further. Any advice on lures (Bucktails vs. anything else, does the big stuff work or is it more small stuff), locations (rocks, sand, weeds, etc.) (islands, shorelines, humps, cliffs, etc.) , or any general areas to check out? Would definitely be willing to PM a report for anyone heading out there or check out any of your good spots.
PGreg
Posted 7/31/2013 7:40 AM (#654668 - in reply to #654491)
Subject: RE: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August




Posts: 40


Location: Cave Run, KY
Here's what I learned from last week at the Angle. Weather rules! Water Temperature two weeks ago was 80. Last week when I left it was 67. I think this drop was the #1 reason for the slow bite for me. One day sunny and flat, the next day "Ocean waves". Out of the water I always thought my 619 hull was hugh. Those seas made me glad it was. Waves made the rocks hard to see, Big Rule #1 Have a good Map Chip or know your trail. Monkey rocks almost ruined my trip this year. Monument had a good bloom going on. Sandy bays near the shore held fish on warm sunny days. You could actually sight fish at times. Otherwise, dead. Lots and lots of follows with fish mostly loosing interest after the first turn in the eight. Finally, I decided to get agressive in the eight and try to provoke them to eat. Once they did they were agressive. What I did learn was to stay put where you had the follow and be agressive in the eight. The fish were either schooled or came back to bite. Watch for the follower six foot behind your bait. Lots of them, they would disappear then reappear quickly during the eight. Best Bait=#5 buchertail black and charturse. Out performed tens for me. Best Structure=Reeds. BTW if the bite is still off and your attitude starts to go negative fish the rock for smallies and pike with small cranks. These guys will pump you back up. Good luck.
Moras6
Posted 7/31/2013 1:56 PM (#654778 - in reply to #654668)
Subject: RE: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 18


sent you a pm
DEMolishedyou2
Posted 7/31/2013 7:07 PM (#654841 - in reply to #654668)
Subject: RE: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 434


Location: Omaha, Nebraska
PGreg - 7/31/2013 7:40 AM
Big Rule #1 Have a good Map Chip or know your trail.


I am going to add to this and say get a good Canadian Hydrographic paper paper and first plan ahead where you are going for the day and get a feel for the area. When on the water, before you take off for your next spot, pull the map out and look over it quickly. Then use your map chip to help you get to the spot. Make sure there are no major discrepancies between the two.
tswoboda
Posted 7/31/2013 8:57 PM (#654859 - in reply to #654491)
Subject: Re: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August




Posts: 349


I'll also be making my first August trip to the angle in a couple weeks. Was there once two years ago but it was late June so I'm assuming it will be very different fishing. We are staying at Youngs Bay. Last time we mostly fished the windigo islands area and our best success was in warm sandy Bays and rock or rock/weed structures near assumed spawning locations. Should we concentrate more on rock structures; points, saddles, and island clusters near more open water for this time of year?

There's so much of that structure up there that our goal is to pick an area and really learn it. Any advice on a particular area to focus on? I.e. bishop bay, monument bay, outer bay, worth running up to the Skeet island or big narrows area? We are willing to put miles on, just don't want to run all over the place when we really have no spots for starting points.

Last thing is we are wondering about algae blooms. Are there certain areas that are more prone to them and others that are safer bets to find clean water? The plan is to put some miles on searching for clean water if we run into a nasty bloom.

Thanks for any and all help guys, just trying to make a first August trip for relative rookies as successful as possible. PMS are certainly welcome!

Edited by tswoboda 7/31/2013 9:02 PM
Musky Brian
Posted 7/31/2013 11:12 PM (#654876 - in reply to #654859)
Subject: Re: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 1767


Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin
tswoboda - 7/31/2013 8:57 PM

I'll also be making my first August trip to the angle in a couple weeks. Was there once two years ago but it was late June so I'm assuming it will be very different fishing. We are staying at Youngs Bay. Last time we mostly fished the windigo islands area and our best success was in warm sandy Bays and rock or rock/weed structures near assumed spawning locations. Should we concentrate more on rock structures; points, saddles, and island clusters near more open water for this time of year?

There's so much of that structure up there that our goal is to pick an area and really learn it. Any advice on a particular area to focus on? I.e. bishop bay, monument bay, outer bay, worth running up to the Skeet island or big narrows area? We are willing to put miles on, just don't want to run all over the place when we really have no spots for starting points.

Last thing is we are wondering about algae blooms. Are there certain areas that are more prone to them and others that are safer bets to find clean water? The plan is to put some miles on searching for clean water if we run into a nasty bloom.

Thanks for any and all help guys, just trying to make a first August trip for relative rookies as successful as possible. PMS are certainly welcome!


This is a very goofy season because of the weather...it was a very, very late spring with high water levels. Then in late June the water temps sky rocketed until they got near/at 80 degrees. Now it has been several weeks of cooler weather, last I heard water temps were under 70 in some places which is unseasonably cool. By the first week of July we were basically only fishing rocks, weeds/reeds/sand were basically ghost towns. I will always check rocks first, but if you seem to be in a funk sometimes they can go back to those weedy/sandy areas when the lake temps are dropping later in the season ( extended forecast looks like a lot of 60 degree days).

All of the sections of the lake you mentioned can be good/great and are all worth checking out. All is takes is a combination of your map/chip and your eyes to start breaking it down, especially when a rock bite is on and you don't need to search for cabbage ( not too much left up there anyways). Look for "stars" on the map to indicate rocks... sometimes in clusters, sometimes alone. Broken rock shorelines, reefs, mini points, isolated reed patches...if it looks good, it probably is. I'm going up in a few days so we'll see if it is different now, but as of a few weeks ago it certainly seemed some parts of the lake were "hotter" then others...if we were relegated to staying near camp I don't think we would have done close to as well.

The algae bloom will move according to the wind. I wouldn't worry about it....
sworrall
Posted 7/31/2013 11:26 PM (#654878 - in reply to #654491)
Subject: Re: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 32886


Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Please... try a 10" weighted Suick and pull it fast, let it rise slow. Give Joe Cooper a call if you are interested in a Guide.

Toss a Tackle Industries RSC-16 FW-27, available here:
http://www.tackleindustries.com/probassfishinglures.html

Toss this lure and work it as a twitch bait.

Blades work, so does topwater. Stupendous area, great fishing, huge history, and cool shore lunch stations. Have a great trip!
dougj
Posted 8/1/2013 7:13 PM (#655017 - in reply to #654491)
Subject: RE: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 906


Location: Warroad, Mn
Algae is starting to rear it's ugly head. Fishing is sort of on the slow side (one today, lost two more). Hope that changes!

Doug Johnson

Edited by dougj 8/1/2013 8:19 PM
sworrall
Posted 8/1/2013 7:23 PM (#655018 - in reply to #654491)
Subject: Re: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 32886


Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Doug, we'll be back up for a longer trip, hope to hook up. Saw Dick sitting in his ride looking like he was making some notes, decided not to rip up to him unannounced, will definitely hook up next time.
FlyfishMN
Posted 8/2/2013 12:01 PM (#655142 - in reply to #655018)
Subject: Re: LOTW: NW Angle Area- August





Posts: 59


Location: Minneapolis, MN
Thanks for all of the reports and suggestions. I think we've at least got a plan for starting out. Can't wait to get there...