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Posts: 568
| A question for all those who head north to fish shield lakes. I'm lucky enough that my bro owns a place on the manitou. A classic lake trout type lake . Since I'm a working stiff and can't get up there near as often as I'd like I have only put in serious hours in the summer months . I burn up my vacation time and funds before oct rolls around. Usually either don't go up to close up camp or it's a very short trip
So , to those who have had the opportunity to fish alot both summer and late fall ,how much better is summer ? The tou' is tough enough in the summer. How much lower are your numbers on shield lakes in the late fall vs summer. I know the chance at the sow is greater in late fall but want to invest my time as wise as possable. Are no fish weeks very common for you late season hunters ? Thanks MD |
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Posts: 427
Location: Roseau | I fish LOTW and catch more and bigger fish in the fall trolling than fishing in the summer. The days are shorter and feeding windows seem to be shorter, but when they decide to eat they eat, catching 1 to 3 in a hour. Weather is less of a factor also. I would pick fall if i only had one time of year to fish!! |
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Posts: 109
| I would choose a date after Sept 1st. and the later the better in my experiences up there. |
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Posts: 109
| I would choose a date after Sept 1st. and the later the better in my experiences up there. |
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| I also fish LOTW throughout the season every year, from the Angle area to around 50 miles to the northeast, and I know it is definitely not the trout water in Manitou but for the angle it is comparably quite clear on the northern end of my range. That being said I would take October over July just about any day. They both have their pros and cons, many relating to other fishermen and the pressure, but overall I really prefer the tactical approach to the fall versus the summer. I like the rocks and the bait choices for the fall.
The biggest difference I experience is that you don't see as many follows, but overall you catch about the same number of fish per day, if not more in the fall. Less fishermen out there and the fish can really get concentrated in the fall compared to the summer, truly benefiting you. The fish you encounter in the fall are usually pretty serious about crunching baits. Obviously the conditions can be brutal in the fall, but being prepared for the conditions is all that really matters. I am also someone who will cast at all costs. Only on the most brutal days will I stop casting and troll, which can be good or bad depending on the day, but trolling can definitely increase percentages if you can tolerate it.
When I fish the angle I typically seek out the clearest water in the area, just as a habit or instinct. I would imagine that the comparison of these experiences on lotw versus the crystal waters of manitou is that everything will be slightly diluted. Numbers are obviously down on trout water, but the trade-off is that there are some serious HOGS, especially in October. October fish are as fat and heavy as they are going to get.
My response in a nutshell is that there is absolutely no reason to avoid October if you can handle the cold, and who knows you may grow to prefer it to July.
Good Luck
Fishwizard
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I say go July...Yes, you MAY increase your chances to get a bigger fish in the fall, but not necessarily. This year I saw way more bigger fish in July on Eagle then I did in September.If you head up in July fish will often be relating to rocks and in many instances the same spots you would fish in the fall. You get nicer weather, and more time to fish. October is too much of a gamble in my opinion, a vacation is supposed to be fun, sitting out there in 30 degrees of rain isn't always everyone's idea of a great time. |
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Posts: 568
| fish wizard ---thanks for your input. and thanks to the others also. When we have tackled fall fishing , it's been tough . there have been times when the weather was cooperative and we were able to find what seemed like acres and acres of cisco . But regardless of the technique we could not hook up. Not seeing any follows is tough on the PMA ! MD |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | On trout water I'd go early and hope it's a late spring. Lots of fish shallow if you get the right conditions. After that you can go almost anytime and hope for good weather. The fall trolling bite can be good, but it's much harder on trout water than in dark water lakes, really don't know why.
Doug Johnson |
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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | Interesting Doug, I fish a few Trout/Clear bodies of Water in MN and always had better luck in fall. Figured it had to do with the cisco migration. Maybe I should try one on opener next season. |
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| I do really well early season but it is risky depending on weather and water temps, otherwise I prefer late fall and even early winter, but I am generally after the ONE and not numbers. Frank Walsh of Bay Store Camp on Oak Island NW Angle has always mentioned late August being great time because of the higher pressure other months, and next year I will be there in September which is simply my favorite time in Canada for action. I always make it back October, November, or December depending on work. |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Probably doesn't work too well on Minnesota lakes as it has to do with spawning times on large Ontario lakes (slow warming, late springs). You are probably better off sticking with what worked in the past.
Doug Johnson |
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