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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | For the past several years my fishing time has been limited in September but I've had some of my best fish per hour and many of my biggest fish have been caught from mid September to early October.
Last year abd this year I took a week off to fish September and caught ONE small fish with not many others seen last year. I've been off this week since Friday and have BLANKED. No follows, no lost fish. A few missed hits but who knows what they were. Been fishing a few different lakes in the Barron/Chippewa/Sawyer county areas in WI. Mix of clear cisco water and stained flowage type water. Mostly fishing weedlines but have moved shallower and deeper some.
Due to home committments I haven't been able to fish until or after dark much but assumed I could at least SEE a fish or 2 during daylight hours.
I always enjoyed this time of year because it seemed like all it took was to clip on a bucktail, bulldawg, or topwater, throw it at a weedline, and catch fish. Last year and so far this year have been much different.
What gives? Anybody else struggling? Is anybody still finding a majority of fish deep/basin related?
Edited by curleytail 9/22/2021 7:06 PM
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Posts: 20238
Location: oswego, il | That is bizarre.and not something you would expect. Water temps in the 60's? Fish would have been going. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Daytime water temps about 67 to 68 in most places on the lakes I've been on. Figured my timing should have been pretty good. I'm at a loss! |
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Posts: 100
| Fish were shallow last weekend on the Eagle River Chain, which is dark stained flowage water. Look for the greenest weeds you can find. We did not move much, but what we did see and catch was on meddussas and bulldawgs ripped over weeds in 3-5 fow. |
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| Was out on the chain where I live yesterday and Monday. Winds were tough during the mid-day major. Had one hit a top water on Monday in 5 hours of fishing and put one nice low 40s fish in the net yesterday in 4 hours of fishing. Both were in less than 4 feet, on weed edges. Talked to a guy this morning who spent Monday and Tuesday, long hours, with a buddy on the Three Lakes chain. One mid-thirties fish in the boat, two follows. They planned the time because of the time of year and moon phase.
But again, here in Oneida County and in Vilas, winds were tough during what should have been peak hours. Not sure what impact that had, other than making boat control a bugger. But, the fish I moved were where I would expect this time of the year. Nothing on dawgs in deeper water. |
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Posts: 1293
Location: E. Tenn | North of 8 - 9/22/2021 9:43 PM
But again, here in Oneida County and in Vilas, winds were tough during what should have been peak hours. Not sure what impact that had, other than making boat control a bugger. But, the fish I moved were where I would expect this time of the year. Nothing on dawgs in deeper water.
Sunday and Monday were no fun at all. Took a wave that almost knocked me out of the seat. Yesterday and today somewhat better. One of the guys a couple cabins over got two, one in the upper forties in impossibly skinny water. Water temps are running in the low 60's
I'm liking the forecast for the rest of this and next week...
Edited by miket55 9/22/2021 9:54 PM
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Posts: 187
| Last two weekends produced 2 small fish. Fished hard probably 12 hours the first and 20 hrs the next with friday off. No follows. Temps were high 60s two weeks agao and low to mid 60s last weekend. Tougher than last year around the same time for sure. |
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Posts: 2356
Location: Chisholm, MN | Yeah it’s been pretty tough up here too. I caught one on the 11th but it was a nice one. Pretty much blanked the rest of the month. Haven’t fish all that much though. |
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Posts: 628
Location: S.W. WI | Hey Tucker,
I fish similar to you, same area (less on Cisco lakes)
I think it's a little different this year, but been ok. Size seems better this year- less numbers. Seems like shorter less frequent bite times. But when they are on its been good. Certainly nothing to do with moon times lately (rarely for me on my lakes)
Some of my money lakes in the past have been dead for long stretches, other tougher lakes were showing more. The days/times that I figure should be great - have not been so much this year.
Keep poundin- Good luck
Edited by Rudedog 9/23/2021 5:58 AM
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Posts: 68
| Up until last Friday afternoon it had been lights out for us in Northern WI. Caught at least 1 fish 9 trips out and had doubles and triples a few of them. Last Friday we moved 4 and caught 1 in the first 20 minutes of the morning major and never saw another fish until dusk Saturday night. Like other guys said, fish are in skinny water. I think the 30 degree drop in temperature affected them and then it got to almost 85 Saturday afternoon. One thing to remember, when there isn't much going on during the day, in my experience there is pretty much always a window at dusk or shortly after. |
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Posts: 50
| I was out last weekend fishing in northern Wisconsin and struggled too. I thought it was going to be good with water temps in the 60s and coming into the full moon. Between Wednesday night and Sunday morning put in a total of about 20 hrs fishing and only saw 2 total. I tried just about everything (weeds, rocks, deep, shallow, flats, breaks) and the fish just weren't moving. Water temps were 67 as well. |
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Posts: 50
| I was out last weekend fishing in northern Wisconsin and struggled too. I thought it was going to be good with water temps in the 60s and coming into the full moon. Between Wednesday night and Sunday morning put in a total of about 20 hrs fishing and only saw 2 total. I tried just about everything (weeds, rocks, deep, shallow, flats, breaks) and the fish just weren't moving. Water temps were 67 as well. |
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Posts: 186
| This entire year has pretty much been trash for me in western PA. The river has been high all year and we've been getting pounded with constant thunderstorms keeping the banks flooded. Another lake I go to, I haven't even seen any musky since the eclipse! Was out yesterday with windy, cloudy/some sun, and storms approaching in the afternoon and figured it would be good but didn't see anything literally. No musky, shad, bass, or bluegill around at all and was fishing a tapered bank that had weeds, downed trees, rocks, and deep dropoffs. Tried everything and still nothing. I haven't even seen any baitballs at the surface except literally 1 day! So you're definitely not the only 1. Personally I think with all the people on the water last and this year the fish have become conditioned to avoid that racket and been hanging out deeper and feeding at off times. |
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Posts: 122
Location: Twin Cities Metro | When things SHOULD be good and they aren't, think about fishing pressure. I like to think of fishing/boating pressure as an environmental factor similar to weather (and I think it can even trump weather in certain circumstances). If fish are getting harassed by baits and boats, I think they move out. As it seems from the responses here, a LOT of people had the same idea about that mid-September full moon.
If you aren't even seeing fish, you gotta try something different. They are either not there or so inactive that they won't move. Try odd sleeper spots. If fish have 5 bucktails per hour whizzing over their heads with trolling motors whooshing by every 20 minutes, you might want to fish them like it is a cold front...even if the weather is prime muskie weather.
My September has been...ok, but muskies haven't exactly been jumping in the boat for me either. Best of luck out there to everyone!
B |
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Posts: 168
Location: Alexandria, MN | Definitely been slower than average in central MN. Managed a few for our group last weekend, but it was a grind. Mostly smaller fish, too. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | the weather the last week or so has had them in a funk for sure. I fished 3 days in MN we got a few up to ~49, missed a few but overall they had lock jaw. Other guys I know were there and also fished for a few days after me and did not get many hits at all. One day we moved 18 or so but only had 2 hits.. windows were VERY short. like 15 minutes then shut down. not a lot a guy can do when fish are not active... I'd opt for days the barometer is low over anything else... |
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Posts: 255
| I've not been on the water at all for two months, sadly. But have to say all the posts in this thread have been very helpful, so thanks for sharing. I am up this weekend, and will post if i have anything that might be helpful. Weather change tomorrow, then cooler, then warming. Good luck, be safe. |
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Posts: 186
| Unfortunately for me fishing from the bank I'm limited to certain techniques. When they are not really interested and hanging deep I can't get down to them as well without getting snagged or shredding my braid. You can always get the bait to them my issue is getting it back. I hoping that after this crummy summer some new boat owners will change their minds and the used market will get flooded for next year. I haven't even had a follow that I saw at least since last September or October. Me casting for muskies is like people believing the world will change! One of these days lol |
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Posts: 2295
Location: SE, WI. | As Mr. Nelson says, they do seem to be in a little “ Funk”.
I think, with this warm Summer, Now a Quick cool down, the fish need to acclimate to the changes going on in quick water temp Fluctuations. A fish is a fish, and temperature changes sometimes put them off. The thicker weeds will hold some water stability, and that seems to allow for some kind of bite. Still getting 1-3 skis per 4-5 hour outings, but size has seemed to have taken a hit. #’s slightly off from last September, but hopefully they acclimate Quickly;) JD |
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Posts: 1482
Location: Brighton CO. | With the border being closed and places in Northern Wisconsin being so booked up i did not take a fishing trip this year (Resorts renting places by the day or weekend) Next year I'll make the drive from Colorado twice. June big fish dark water lake fall clear water. For years when my dad was alive we would head to Wisconsin or Minnesota for a late Sept trip. I would leave work by noon on Thursday on the road by 2 P.M. drive all night (from Denver area) Get to Minocqua go Rollie & Helens then to the resort unload off to one of our action lakes with some luck catch a couple of muskie back to the resort clean up and off to Honey Bear by Eagle river for Friday night fish fry. Fish from home base at the resort and do some lake jumping.
Outside of the first day we had good average size and one year in Minnesota we got 12 fish. And times we got smoked and went home skunked all week! The times we took a beating the weather was warm to downright hot and water temps going up not down. Wish I was there ! |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Thanks for all the replies. Finished the week with no fish on the boat. I admit to not fishing as hard as I would on say a trip to Canada, and fishing bankers hours several of the days might not have helped either. Then again I fished until a little after sunset 3 or 4 days. Fished a variety of lakes and depths/structure/baits and just couldn't get them going. I took a couple breaks on the flowage type lakes for crappies and continued to find them on stumps and cribs in 18 to 22 feet of water like we have all summer.
It was an interesting week. Years past I could fish a fish a 12 foot weedline on a clear body of water with the boat in 16 to 18, use a bucktail or dawg and catch fish. On flowages it was shallow weed bars with blades or topwater and do well. Mid day was often fine.
Something seemed different, and maybe I'm just in a slump where things didn't come together for whatever reason.
One interesting thing, on one of the cisco waters I'll usually mark bait in about 14 to 20 feet off weed edges. I couldn't find bait anywhere. Not off the edges or deep. On one of the flowages I had bait balls like crazy - almost everywhere at every depth. Often over cribs too. They were small enough they would sometimes peck a crappie jig but never got hooked. I'm guessing small perch or possibly a shiner migration of some sort.
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Posts: 255
| Friday to Monday report:
Flowage: nothing in 3 days
Lake: nothing in one day.
Summary: nada zip zilch
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Posts: 29
| annual trip to spider chain in hayard 3rd week of sept. past 5 or so years, we barely see fish. this month, we had 3 boats and only 1 small ski boated. i am pushing my crew to push back the trip a few weeks. seems like sept has felt like august the past few years. |
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Posts: 60
| We were in LOTW last week, boated 6 muskies 37 1/2 to 47 1/2
In about 3 days of fishing for them.
Just one of those things I guess.
Not bragging, we had a guide.
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Posts: 103
Location: Miller time Wisconsin. | My brother and I fished in Vilas county and boated 3 muskies in 3 1/2 days on 3 different lakes, nothing big, average length low 30's. They were eating rubber, bucktail and minnow tipped jig while walleye fishing. |
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Posts: 186
| Seems like with the high Temps and explosion in people the last 2 years that it has taken a toll everywhere. I don't even see the bluegill like I used to cruising the banks and in the weeds. |
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Posts: 68
| eljefe - 9/28/2021 11:17 AM
annual trip to spider chain in hayard 3rd week of sept. past 5 or so years, we barely see fish. this month, we had 3 boats and only 1 small ski boated. i am pushing my crew to push back the trip a few weeks. seems like sept has felt like august the past few years.
There was a pretty good winter kill on North Lake about 4 years ago. From what I heard there were a bunch floating when the ice finally went off. Could have something to do with your struggles. Also, fishing pressure has significantly increased after there were about 30 fish caught during the fall Hayward muskies inc tournament. Same thing happened on Lost Land and Teal as far as pressure. It's a simple fact that the more people targeting muskies means that more are caught, educated and mishandled/killed which in turn makes fishing difficult. Most northern WI lakes are so pressured that traditional techniques no longer consistently put fish in the boat. Also I see way fewer fish as well. Doesn't mean I'm catching fewer, fish either eat or don't show up. |
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Posts: 60
| Many its folks who go shut of of Canada Like me that scheduled a trip to musky Wisconsin??
Area got hammered last 2 years?
Only a thought...... |
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