Falling into Fall Fishing

Things are beginning to slowly shift into late summer and early fall patterns in Otter Tail Lakes Country. In many cases, walleye and crappie and northern are beginning to make seasonal shifts.  Areas that were void of fish last week, are suddenly crowded with fish and on the flip side, spots that were strong two weeks ago, might be lifeless now. For the next 10 days or so, expect fish to relocate. Also, keep track of your presentations—there’s a good chance you’ll need to change things like lure color, leader/snell length, trolling speed, and weight and lure size. Don’t be afraid to start experimenting with larger lures and baits, in particular. It’s instinctive for many fish species to eat larger baits in the fall because food sources (minnows) have grown up through out the summer.

The lakes around Otter Tail County are also beginning to cool. It’s an inevitable part of our upcoming fall and shorter days. Soon, there won’t be long enough periods of sunlight to keep the lakes warm which is another cue for fish to feed intensely. These are exciting times on our lakes and rivers. Be prepared for our rapidly changing lakes and fishing conditions. Keep an open mind to try new fishing areas and new baits and lures—fall is drawing near!

Good Luck fishing this week in Otter Tail Lakes Country.

By Ross Hagemeister, meisterguideservice.com