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Posts: 3472
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya Everyone!
I've got a quick opportunity to hit lake of the woods over labor day weekend. Wondering how busy things would be that weekend as it is kind of the last weekend of summer. Anyone been up there at that point who can supply a touch of insight as to what I might expect?
I've not been there at that point in time of the year and am suspecting bloom to be quite possible (fingers crossed it would be over by then...) which is fine...I just want to go back...
Thanks everyone!!
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Posts: 1197
| I was there in September 1993 a week after Labor Day, 1993 was also high water year, there was a chance for snow the second day we were there but it was rainy and upper 30's all week we stayed at Red Wing Lodge in Sabaskong Bay and a very heavy bloom got out of it a little up in Burrow Bay and of course Whitefish Bay was clear as ever. The biggest fish from our group was caught in Whitefish Bay and was 47" I caught 38.5. After a week crap weather the sun come out the last day and I lost two average sized fish both on a chart Suick and the fish I caught was on a chart Reef Hawg. |
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Posts: 216
| Late August through September will usually have some bloom. It can be light, heavy or somewhere in between. You can always find clean water.
Usually low fishing pressure and some beautiful weather with few bugs. Of course there is no guarantee on good weather, but there is an excellent chance for enjoyable conditions. My favorite period to fish The Angle which I fish from mid-May through late September.
Fish are all over from weeds to rock reefs and also on the rocky shoreline points.
Many options with mid-day bites being best for me.
I like the shortened daylight as the fall deepens that way I don't feel compelled to fish longer and longer as in the summer. Help ease the pains in my old body.
Good Luck!!! |
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Posts: 357
| you'll be good. there is lots of current to keep things fresh. fish will be on rocks good by then |
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Posts: 572
| I've done quite a few trips late Aug and also including some early Sept. I don't think you need to worry much about boat/fishing pressure. There will be bloom, you can count on that. But as mentioned you can find clean water based on currents and prevailing wind. I've always contended that bloom affects fisherman more than fish but no doubt it is more enjoyable to fish cleaner water.
This time of year is definitely more "hit or miss" than the typical mid-summer trip...as alluded, the fish are more spread out at this time of year than any other. A variety of patterns could potentially be productive. Mid-lake reefs and main lake points connected or tied into the basin are usually the safest best bets during this timeframe. Best advice is to keep an open mind, try to establish multiple patterns early on and then key on what seems to be most productive. |
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Posts: 331
Location: Stevens Point, Wisconsin | Not very much pressure.
Some bloom depending as others have said, wind and current.
Pretty much a rock pattern but have had some good fish come out of broadleaf cabbage. If you don't find fish on mid lake rocks early in the day, come back after 1 pm. Water temps start cooling in the evenings so it takes some time to heat things up later in the day.
Bucktails as usual but I have done pretty well on jerks and twitch baits that time of the year.
The week after Labor Day you pretty much have the lake to yourself.
Ed
Edited by MuskyTime 8/2/2022 12:08 PM
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Posts: 3472
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya!!
Any reports on water drop? Notice board shows water levels have dropped almost 2 feet at this point from it's highest. Are some sand beaches starting to emerge?
Getting excited....although I am going solo this year...
Thanks! |
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| In the news section, the latest from Lake of the Woods-MN says that the lake continues to drop, that boat landings, etc. are now accessible. This was posted a couple days ago. |
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Posts: 26
Location: Foley, Mn | The water is down at least 2' from the high point. |
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Posts: 490
Location: NW WI | What do you mean by "bloom"; green algae? |
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Posts: 32801
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | 7.62xJay - 8/27/2022 12:20 PM
What do you mean by "bloom"; green algae?[/QUOT
Yep. |
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Posts: 1197
| Specks of algae on your lures! (And on your line) |
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Posts: 490
Location: NW WI | I'm accustomed to algae fowling baits and knots and can understand the irritation that comes with it. Just curious, do the fish change their habitat and forage because of a bloom up there? Or Is the question/concern more appointed to just lure fouling? |
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Posts: 157
Location: West Central WI | I returned from LOTW yesterday, staying at Mylies on Sabiskong Bay. The bloom was in full force. We had a couple calm says where it was all on the surface so impossible to see a follow. On more windy days, the bloom was mixed deeper so no problem with follows or seeing a muskie. We found several almost clear areas where wind pushed the bloom away. Fishing was hard with many at the resort struggling to put fish in the boat. Others had success but not as much as usual. Water temps ~73 in the morning and ~75 in the afternoon. When calm with bloom on the surface, I saw 80 once. We're back in two weeks to do it all again. Air temps day and night forecast to be close to 10 degrees cooler so I expect muskies to respond favorably and start eating more. We found the fish to be skinnier than we usually catch there. The water is going down BUT is still up 4' from average. A lot of familiar visual clues are under water and where there were sandy beaches, water extended into the woods. We still hit a few rocks with my trolling motor that would usually be out of the water. Bucktails and topwaters seemed to be the most effective last week. Spinners too. As a side note, we almost ran over two deer swimming about 200 yds from the shore. I was looking specifically on our track, watching for deadheads in an area where we saw a couple earlier. The deer were right behind my Helix 10 so when we ran by them about 10' to my right and they came out from behind the Helix 10 screen, I about had a heart attack. We stopped to take a photo but didn't approach them for a better shot because they were clearly agitated and headed back to shore. Felt kinda bad about that. |
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Posts: 51
| Heading up in a week, anyone have any recent reports? Never have fished LOTW this time of the year for musky. Any general tips? Rocks? Weeds if still green? Fish deeper? Anything will help |
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Posts: 309
Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | ^^ It is still summer up here even though the odd leaf is trying to turn brown. Fish will still be in the same locations they were a few week ago, which is mix of rocks and weeds. Fishing rocks and sunken reefs is easier all around but if in a busy area those fish will have seen a lot of lures so find a lure and cadence that gets attention and adjust. Patches of weeds on rocks is money as it is at any other time.
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Posts: 51
| Thanks Oracle |
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