Brrr, cold winds and falling leaves means fall fishing has arrived!
Brainerd, MN— Big fish are moving to predictable locations and feeding heavily this time of year: here’s how to catch them!
Walleyes are continually roaming in depths of 8-18ft (some are shallower in green weeds or sand flats, and some are deeper on the base of structure/weedlines). Check for walleyes on large sand or gravel flats, mid-lake humps, and wind-blown structure (rocks, weedlines, etc). We continue seeing schools of walleyes near weedline breaks on electronics, and at times suspended just off the structure. Catch walleyes by pitching a 1/8oz jig/crawler casted and slowly retrieved(with sporadic pauses and light jigging), occasionally contacting bottom is also effective. On sand or gravel flats in the same depth, pitch a jigging rap (Rapala)/Moonshine Shiver Minnow or Vexan Crystal Reaper to elicit reaction bites. The jig and minnow bite is steadily increasing, and will keep getting better (fatheads and sucker minnows up to 5-7″). Try longline trolling Smithwick Lures Floating Rattlin Rogues after sunset into dark on clear bodies of water for walleyes in 7-12ft of water; best if you’re not seeing a bunch of floating weeds on the surface. *Bonus tip: rigging a creek chub or redtail near breaks and weeds is effective when seeing large fish on electronics.
Panfish (crappies/sunfish) are roaming weed flats, bays and mid-lake weedy humps in 12-20ft. Large schools of fish are showing up on electronics in basin areas near weed flats/soft bottom areas. Fish are either holding tight to weeds or roaming the edges/tops or suspended in large schools out from weedlines. Target panfish with three main approaches: (1) jig/plastic under a bobber, (2) jig/minnow or (3) bobber/hair jig presentations. We opt for using Lindy Fatboy Tungsten Jigs and Mister Twister Sassy Stingum plastics or Lindy Hair Jigs to catch our fish on most outings. Move the bobber slightly to elicit bites! If they are present, but finicky, try using a small tungsten jig tipped with small leeches. If it’s sunny out, either fish shaded sides of weeds or inside weed beds/ pockets. Vertically jigging a Tungsten jig tipped with a piece of nightcrawler, angling worm or wax worms also works well.
Northern Pike have been on weedlines and weedflats in 8-16ft of water, weedline depth varies by lake so use your electronics to follow the edges or over the tops of weeds. We’ve been catching northern pike on the jig/miinnow combo, ripping the Smithwick Rogue Perfect 10 lure or reeling a spinnerbait over/through weeds.
Inland trout offers both family fun fishing and a challenge for novice anglers to find larger rainbow trout or lake trout. Pitch a small tungsten jig with a worm or the tail of a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum on fish higher in the water column (also try a Mepps XD Dressed). For deeper fish, jig a spoon tipped with a piece of soft plastic or wax worm, sometimes they’ll hit when reeling in. We find trout from the top of the water column down to about 40ft of water, with the most common depth 2-15ft. Also working is a 1oz jig/tube combo near submerged trees or suspended over the basin areas for lakers.
If you’re wondering where and how to fish the Brainerd Lakes Area or Mille Lacs Lake, tune in to Visit Brainerd for weekly fishing reports by Hawg Hunterz Guide Service LLC. Check Hawg Hunterz Guide Service LLC out on YouTube too. As always, have fun, stay safe and Happy Hawg Hunting!!
