Green & Koronis…

I made a trip to Lac Qui Parle last Thursday for walleyes and found the fishing tough, so after four hours of that I loaded up the boat and headed home. My route takes me by Green lake in Spicer so I stopped and fished it for two hours. They say hind-sight is 20/20 and I wish that I would have stopped at Green!

The walleyes are deep, 30+ feet and active. There are bars and humps scattered through-out the lake. I fished an area in front of the county park and managed to catch a dozen fish on bottom bouncers-floaters and fatheads. I believe that a larger bait, red-tails or rainbows, would have produced bigger fish. Also, look for areas that have sand gravel mix and quick drops into deep water. Most of the fish were at the base of the drop and readily showing up on the electronics. If I didn’t see any activity on the graph then I moved on to the next spot. The water temperature was 54 degrees and Thursday was the day after a front moved through. It seems, based on past experience, that Green in the fall isn’t as swayed by fronts as much as other lakes.

Which brings me to Koronis, the fishing has been up and down. The area that has provided fish even on tough fishing days is the “long” bar in front of Stony Point. The fish have been in and around the weed patches. To keep from getting snagged I’ve been using a longer bottom bouncer, approximately 18″, and spinner combo with a fathead and moving quickly. Keep in mind, this method isn’t ideal for fish that are in-active and I’m sure that I am by passing some catchable fish with other methods such as lindy rigging. Anyway, look for the this area to be a magnet for the walleyes as the water temperature drops into the low 50’s/upper 40’s. I prefer trolling plugs at that time around low light periods.

Good luck and I want to hear from you.

Jon

Jon: I fished Koronis for the 1st time a few weeks ago, I had one excellent evening out there during the full moon. Its interesting that you say you use spinners this time of year, I usually put the spinners away as soon as the water starts cooling down. Are you not a jig and minnow fan, or do you do better with the spinners in the fall? Also, I will not leave the dock without bigger baits this time of year, either that or I will use a twistertail tipped with a fathead, I’ve always believed that bigger baits are the key at this time of year.

Do you fish Rice much? I had some luck out there around the last full moon also pulling cranks. I haven’t been able to hit the area lakes lately, I’m heading up to the Rainy this weekend, so Rice will have to wait for me at least another week or so. Hopefully I won’t be tired of catching those 10 pounders after I get back!

Jonn,

I have fished Green the last couple of years on ice, Spring and in October. Is there any particular pattern that you have discovered when targeting walleyes, during these times of year? Do they typically maintain the deeper stuff during the day, moving up onto reefs and bars in the evening? I have had success pulling/drifting spinner rigs with shiners in the fall, setting up on the deep “tie-downs” then their edges while ice fishing. I would like to hit Green before freeze up, but for sure after she freezes.

An yideas for this late Fall and early to late ice? Thanks

Keep the rods bendin’!!!

Jim W

Sorry about the delay on replying, computer problems at work. Anyway, yes, I use jigs after I’ve found an area holding fish. If I am catching fish, in a consistent manner, then I will stick with spinners and bottom bouncers. What I forgot to mention is that I usually will start with casting or pulling cranks. If the fish aren’t aggresive then I switch to baited rigs like bottom bouncers. If the fish still don’t respond then I switch to jigs or lindy rigs, but I have to be confident that there are fish present. It’s a matter of eliminating the fishless water, which at times can be a task. By fishing a body of water consistently, week to week and year to year, you should be able to develop predictable patterns to eliminating the fishless water.

I haven’t fished Rice this year, but in past years it’s been a real good lake for numbers of walleyes and big crappies.

Also, I made the trip to the Rainy River every fall for 8 years straight. I changed my plans this fall and fished Rainy Lake, what a fishery! Jon

Jim,

Green is a fun lake for me to fish in the spring, summer and fall. I’ve never ice fished the lake, so I’m not a good resource at that time of year. Hopefully, somebody will see your question on ice fishing and be able to respond.

Anyway, I’ve found that during the summer, (June-July-August), that the walleyes make very predictable trips to shallow water under low light periods. Right now, most of the bars are holding fish. Start shallow, around 10 feet then look deep for the fish, 30+ feet. Believe me they are active, even at that depth. Larger bait like redtails have been producing more quality fish. I used fatheads one day and caught smaller walleyes and perch. Hope this helps. Jon