Where
To Find Fish in Minnesota Lakes
If
an angler is to catch fish with any degree of consistency
in Minnesota Lakes, it is essential that you present
your lure or bait "where the fish are". Therefore
it is important to know the fish's habitat as well as
its habits. Structure, both above and below the water's
surface, are clues to the habitat of game fish. Other
features such as birds, fellow fishermen, and water
temperature, are also indicators of the location of
the fish.
Points
Points
attract bait fish and provide shelter from the sun's
rays for all game fish. Fish the side of the point adjacent
to the deep areas in the shade. Find and fish the end
of the point particularly if it has a good dropoff.
Islands
The
reasons for fishing a point could also be applied to
an island. The downstream end of an island provides
a backwater in which fish will lie in wait for food
being drifted into the eddy.
Sunken
Islands
Sunken
islands with deep water adjacent to at least one side
are excellent fish habitat. If the island is covered
with weeds, stumps or boulders, it could be one of the
best spots in the lake. Sonar is a great help in locating
these hotspots.
Narrows
Narrows
between lakes and in rivers cause an increase in the
rate of water flow which usually results in a cutout
channel. These channels provide oxygenated water and
shelter which attracts fish.
Overhanging
Banks
Where
a current is present, such as at the bend of a river
or near a high bank, the bank is often undercut. Food
is washed into these undercuts which attracts fish.
They also offer shelter from the sun's rays. They are
great fish-holding areas.
Dams,
Falls and Rapids
Below
these structures and geo-physical areas the water is
highly oxygenated which draws fish, particularly Walleyes
and Smallmouth Bass. Spring is the best time for these
areas. These are also excellent areas to fish in the
summer months particularly in the evening and early
morning.
Bay
Entrances
The
mouth of a bay often has a sand or gravel bar running
from one side to the other. Fish migrate onto these
bars to feed, especially in the evening and during the
night.
Weed
Beds
Weed
beds provide shelter, safety and food for game fish,
and as such are "fish magnets". Northern Pike
and Largemouth Bass are notorious for spending a lot
of time in the weeds.
Channel
Markers
These
markers denote the edge of a navigation channel which
is usually one of the deeper areas in a lake. A marker
is quite often placed over a sunken shoal. Fish around
these channel markers, especially on the deep side of
a shoal or bar.
Inlet
Streams
Streams
and rivers entering a lake bring food to the fish as
well as oxygenated water. These are superb angling areas,
particularly if weeds or other shelter features are
present. Rivers and streams are good areas to fish during
and after the spawning runs.
Minnesota
Fishing Reports
Minnesota
Walleye Fishing
Most
experts agree Walleyes were originally a fish of rivers.
Obviously, they have adapted to life in the type of
closed environments provided by lakes. True to their
heritage, however, Walleyes favor rivers or streams
as spawning sites when they are available. Walleyes
also spawn very successfully on windswept, shallow lake
shoals providing proper bottom content is available.
Walleyes in Minnesota Lakes can adapt to life in or
around timber, weeds, brush, rocks, or even open water,
and will utilize a variety of prey species as food.
In any body of water, Walleyes will not all be doing
the same thing at the same time. It isn't unusual to
find fish using weed edges, deep rocks, gravel humps
and feeder creek areas, all at the same time. Walleye
location in Minnesota Lakes is always an interesting
challenge. The fish will often move out to a hard bottom
edge during the day and move towards shore during the
evening. During certain periods they may also suspend
in open water in Minnesota Lakes. Time and time again,
you'll find the Walleye location depends on a host of
interrelated factors that can vary considerably from
one body of water to another. One factor remains constant,
however. The Walleye needs to eat. Except during the
spawning period, the fish always relates to forage of
some sort.
While
the Post-spawn Period is characterized as a resting
stage when fish scatter and feed little, a change is
imminent. The Walleyes bodies need nourishment, and
the resumption of regular feeding activities indicates
the beginning of a new pattern called the Pre-summer
Period. This period is the beginning of the fish's prime
growth time for the whole year. During this and the
Summer Peak Period walleyes grow the most in length,
though not necessarily in weight. During the post-spawn
recuperation period, the Walleye changes from a fish
primarily preoccupied with the reproduction ritual to
a fish primarily interested in food and comfort. When
water temperatures reach the high 50's or low 60's F,
you can usually assume they are back to biting. Pre-summer
is a time of emerging weedgrowth and a developing food
chain. Pre-summer is a time when fish are often hard
to pinpoint but it is one of the most effective periods
of the year for night fishing. More Walleyes are caught
at this time of the year in Minnesota Lakes by the average
fisherman than at any other time, largely because more
patterns are available. Slowly, though, as water temperatures
continue climbing upwards, there is a gradual tendency
for Walleyes to start keying on specific food sources.
Basically, Pre-summer is a time of transition when a
Minnesota Lake transforms from the cooler environment
of spring to the warmer environment of summer. Fish
begin regrouping and patterns begin to emerge.
As
the summer progresses in Minnesota, the Pre-summer Period
develops into the Summer Peak - a short period of fast-action
fishing. The final trigger that pushes Walleyes from
the Pre-summer Period into the short-lived period of
the intense feeding of Summer Peak always appears to
be the same: Namely, a span of relatively calm, very
warm weather. In many cases this is the first really
hot, summer-type weather of the season - and more importantly,
the first hot nights of early summer. The Summer Peak
in Minnesota is one of the best times of the year for
peak Walleye fishing. Not only do you encounter schools
of fish, but schools of aggressively feeding Walleyes.
Minnesota
Trout Fishing
Minnesota
is blessed with an abundance of fish and fishing lakes.
While species like Muskie, Northern Pike, Walleye and
Bass might get more attention from the majority of anglers,
the passion of the local Trout anglers dates back to
the state's earliest pioneers. Not every lake in Minnesota
can support every species of fish. Just as you wouldn't
expect to find a Walleye in a farm pond, Trout cannot
survive in lakes that do not provide the right combination
of water temperature, cover, and food sources. Despite
the variety of size, depth, water clarity, structure,
forage base, and vegetation in Minnesota Lakes, it is
a reflection of the Trout's particularly special requirements
that there are only about 200 lakes in the state that
can consistently provide everything Trout need to survive
and carry over from year to year. Popular Trout Fishing
species in Minnesota Lakes include Rainbow Trout, Lake
Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout.
As
with any animal, Trout need oxygen to survive. Trout
prefer water temperature somewhere in the range of 50-68
F. Water temperature much below that range cause a Trout's
metabolism to slow down, leading to less frequent feeding
and slower growth rates. Water temperatures much above
that range will place stress on Trout, and can lead
to increased fish mortality. Part of successful fishing
for Trout in Minnesota Lakes will require searching
out the portions of a lake which provide adequate oxygen
and suitable temperatures for Trout. Trout prefer areas
with cover in lakes including drowned trees or thick
weed beds along the shoreline. Mid-lake structures such
as drop-offs, rock piles, and submerged timber are also
Trout spots in Minnesota Lakes.
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