Fishing report for 10-02-2013

Hi everyone,

It was a picture perfect day to be on the water yesterday with abundant sunshine, a light South breeze, warm air temps and the trees starting to get into full swing showing off their fall colors. With the water temps back up to 66 degrees and evidence of a major bug hatch again with bug casings floating by and a gazillion little bugs flying back to the water and laying their eggs, the fish were anything but overly aggressive.

Using my PROaggressive lead-free jig, Charely and John and myself were able to boat crappie, only 2 walleyes, perch,bluegill, and a rock bass keeping 5 of the crappies. With the amount of natural food in the lake right now, the fish just take a half hearted whack at the bait. We had to really work the jigs to get the fish to commit. Luckily, the innovative design of the PROaggressive jig allowed us to work through the deep wood that were fishing without snagging up constantly.

The good news is that we are in for a major weather change. Cloudy, cooler weather with rain in the forecast hopefully will cool the water temps down and reduce the bug hatches and make the walleyes more aggressive in their search for food. Good fishing is in our future. Call me and we will go 'hunting' for walleyes. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

Tom, this is my first post, but I've been following your reports almost daily for the last two years, and definitely will order over the winter some of your PROgressive lead free jigs. Would you be able to talk in general about the upcoming turnover on the Chip. At what water temps does turnover occur? How does it affect the walleye fishing both during and shortly after turnover? Do you fish any differently during turnover for the walleyes? Also, just wanted to say, 8 of us were up staying at Deerfoot muskie fishing during September 14/15/16, and on the 16th at Noon we were having Lunch at The Landing, and we saw you and your two clients also come in for lunch, I had wanted to say hello to you and indicate how much I enjoy following your reports on your website, but did not get the chance prior to your going back out on the water with your clients. Carl Klein, Wausau

Hi Carl,

Most of the Big Chip usually does not experience a 'turnover' as such. The deeper stretches will, but a large portion of the Chippewa Flowage is not deep enough to develope a thermocline. That being said, when the water temps reach 55 degrees, any turn over will be complete. That seems to be the magic temperature if you will to indicate that the thermocline is gone from the entire lake. That holds true for any lake. 55 seems to be the temp for every lake to indicate turn over is complete.

There is a pattern I like to fish on deep clear water lakes that I refer to as the post turn over pattern that involves fishing the deepest portions of the lake. Until then I fish the same deep wood pattern that has produced very consistently for three years now. Ever since the weed pattern died 4 years ago. A bonus to fishing the deep wood pattern is the crappies are there too. And they are usually the bigger ones. Good luck fishing Carl. Let me know if this helps and if you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Walleyemaxx