Labor Day Weekend is upon us, and for our guests and friends heading this way, the fishing report is an optimistic one. Surface water temperatures are trending gently downward, the days are getting shorter, and weather patterns are generally favorable for angling. Combined, they have begun triggering seasonal movements of both walleye and perch, encouraging an uptick in shallow water action. Crappie and pike have been prowling the steep breaklines and are more active as well.
Phil Goettl with nice Lake Winnie Walleye August 28, 2024
The most recent heat wave, now passed, created a heavy algae bloom in Cutfoot and Little Cutfoot Sioux. Water clarity in the small lakes is low, we think somewhere in the 3-to-5-foot range. On Lake Winnie, the algae bloom is lighter, but still evident and water clarity out there ranges between 5 and 7 feet. The dingier water, combined with breezy conditions has made it easier for anglers to use traditional trolling and drifting presentations.
Within the past few days, there have been good reports from friends fishing on Lake Winnie using jig and minnow combinations, and there are still good reports from folks who prefer trolling the shorelines using spinners. Less common, but also being used by some, are shallow running crankbaits trolled across the flats. No matter which of these presentations you prefer, it is realistic to expect a mixed catch of pike, perch, and walleye, most likely in that order.
Key habitat varies somewhat from spot-to-spot but finding vegetation in water depths of 6 to 10 feet will get you in the ballpark. On breezy days, fish tend to rise above the tops, and out toward the clean edges of submerged grasses. On calmer, brighter days, they have trended toward heavier vegetation, and hold tighter to the plants. Rocks, gravel and isolated patches of vegetation on the flats are holding some fish too. That said, fish on some of the most popular “rock spots” on the flats have been heavily pursued and are less likely to be aggressive.
Whether you choose to search the grassy breaklines, or check out the gravel patches, you can use the same basic presentations. Spinners, tipped with fatheads and trolled behind a 3/16-ounce bullet sinker will allow you to cover most of the territory. They can be fished in water depths of 6 to 12 feet by controlling the length of line. In shallower water, run them about 25 feet behind the boat, allow extra line as you go deeper. Remember, spinners do not need to be fish on, or even near the bottom. In heavy vegetation, it’s ideal to tickle the tops, and run through the gaps between plants. Keeping your spinner a foot or two over the tops of rocks is ideal too, touching the bottom is not.
Jig and minnow combinations are producing fish right now too. The best all around size is 1/8 ounce, and when the wind blows, can be bumped up to ¼ ounce. The best all-around choice of bait, if you can find them, is large fatheads. Golden shiners will work, so will rainbows, and so will some of the minnows found in the “river mix” sold in local bait shops. Size is more important than species, an ideal minnow for jigging ranges from 3 to 4 inches in length.
If you have the technology and prefer to spot and stop when fish are seen, jigs and minnows will be effective too. The popularity of using slip floats and leeches can’t be denied, but they’ve been in use all summer long, and some of the fish seem to be “conditioned” to them. We’ve heard some folks’ express frustration because they see fish but can’t get them to strike. Maybe it’s simply time to offer those fish an alternative presentation?
Jumbo Perch showing up on Lake Winnie August 27, 2024
Perch, like the ones you see pictured here are becoming more prominent in the daily catch every day. Most of them come as a by-catch during the pursuit of walleyes and are located along the shallower shoreline breaks. To single them out, either move shallower and fish the flatter, sand and gravel patches inside of the main grass lines. Or locate shallow rocks adjacent to shoreline breaks. Key depths for perch in either location have ranged between 4 and 7 feet.
Trolling the spinner and minnow combinations have produced plenty of perch and can be used to maximize the odds of catching walleyes. Jigs and minnows though, are likely more efficient than spinners in many instances. Perch, especially when located on isolated patches of rock and gravel are likely to stay in that area. Stopping the boat and fan casting 1/8 or 1/6 ounce jigs tipped with medium fatheads might be better.
The size structure of perch on Winnie is all over the map right now but there are some nice ones. Expect to catch a lot of small, 6-to-9-inch perch, with a respectable smattering of fish in the 10-to-11-inch range. An occasional 12 inch fish may come along as a bonus.
Crappie fishing took a turn for the better a couple weeks ago, but the action has tapered off since then. There are still anglers catching them in both big and little Cutfoot. The trend for locating them has been to search along steeper shoreline breaks that lay adjacent to larger flats of mixed cabbage and coontail. On Big Cutfoot, that means water depths of 7 to 12 feet of water. On Little Cutfoot, they may be found shallower, key depths there range from 5 to 8 feet where vegetation is present. Alternatively, search breaklines in 12 to 15 feet of water looking for small packs of suspended fish.
Slow trolling with 1/16- or 1/8-ounce jigs tipped with plastic tails or spinner jigs works well. The 2-inch size twister tails, ripple shads and Keitech paddle tails are popular and productive. Beetle spins, road runners and other spinner jigs work well too, and can be used to cast into pockets and gaps in the cabbage.
Northern pike are turning up in many of the same spots where folks are catching walleye and perch. The deeper, outer edges of shoreline breaks seem to be best. Key depths for pike range from 9 to 12 feet and they can easily be seen on most of the better sonar units. Trolling spinners produces plenty of pike but may not be best for singling out larger fish. Speed trolling the flats using large crankbaits is working right now. So is fan casting larger jigs or swimbaits with paddle tails. Alternatively, large sucker minnows suspended below big slip floats will produce larger pike as well.
Large school of yearling walleyes on lake Winnie
WOW! That’s a lot of walleyes showing on the sonar screen! There were a lot of anecdotes about folks catching small, yearling size walleyes on the big lake. Yesterday, we experienced firsthand how many walleyes, presumably from the 2023-year class have survived the summer. The image you see here repeated for a couple of hours on the shallow flat we were fishing. The yearling walleyes were everywhere on the flat, and among them, larger, keeper size fish from the 2019-year class.
Yearling Walleye, Lake Winnie August 29, 2024
We’re not experts, but it doesn’t take a scientific analysis to at least feel optimistic that Winnie may just have another good year class of fish in the pipeline, we have our fingers crossed.
For many, the Labor Day Weekend represents the last hurrah before schools open and family life takes over as a priority over vacationing. For others, Labor Day Weekend represents the beginning of a new season, one that features cooler temperatures, fall colors and the emergence of fall fishing patterns. For us, it’s a little of both, sad to see the summer pass, but happy to see the fall arrive. Wherever you are on the path, we hope you’ll stay in touch, we’ll keep you updated as best we can.