September 26, 2015 fishing report

ANDY MYERS LODGE –EAGLE LAKE ONT
Fishing report September 26 2015

Since last report in August into early September fish locations and activity remained very consistent throughout but in the last couple weeks or so some things are starting to change so an update is in order. With the Indian summer and daytime temps averaging 60-70 for the past week going into next week, water temps are currently 62-64 and holding, cooler in the am slightly warming by mid day, cooling down again in the pm with the longer nights. The thermocline is very weak at 32-38’. With the past 6 weeks of revolving hot spells and cold fronts and dropping water temps followed with lots of wind mixing and stirring up the water column the lake is acting/threatening like it is trying to prematurely turn over. From all indicators it should go easily following the next cold front and resulting drop in water temps, though it hasn’t the fish are acting like it has in some respects. The walleye fishing has remained very good. There are some fish very shallow in the grass and actually an excellent evening bite there at 12-18’ on the edge of the sand grass, some deep at the rock/mudline transition areas 32-38’ in the main lake basins where they typically are in numbers this time of the season but the hammer time bite is at 18-24’ on rock piles in secondary shallower basins of large bays off the main lake basins. Back channel, Eldorado, and meridian basins are all doing well mostly fish 16-22” but enough slot fish and over 24-28” to keep it interesting. Fish are tight to structure and/or in the mud and don’t mark well. Find several marks and there will be lots more there. ¼ oz odd ball jigs and minnows or very short lindy rigs best. Any numbers of big deep water pike have not moved shallow as of yet but a few as well as some muskies are being caught with the walleyes on the shallower humps and an occasional surprise while casting muskies off rock piles or thicker remaining weeds. Some bass are still shallow 6’-10’ in bays with broken rock /scattered weed combos and are responding best to small crankbaits but lots are moving out and up onto the humps at 12-18’ in typical fall patterns. They are somewhat scattered yet with some bars having a few big fish and others with good numbers. The move is going on and it will happen quickly now moving forward. Avg. size is excellent with most fish averaging 17-19” and 20”+ caught regularly. 3-5” suckers on Carolina rigs or jigs by far best but weighted wackys, tubes, flukes on jigs will catch fish too. This bite will explode with the next drop in water temps into the high 50’s into some of the very best big smallmouth bass fishing of the season the last week of sept through mid oct. Musky patterns have been across the board with the yo-yo weather patterns of the last 6 weeks. Up and down 70-80 degrees for a week and rising water temps into mid/high 60’s to cold fronts lasting 3-5 days and 4-8 degree drops in water temps to low 60’s back and forth. Though it has been interesting and a challenge figuring them out on a daily /weekly basis with all the changes, bottom line is they have been biting and better than normal for this time of the season, and big fish too. One day last week there where 6 from 50-53” in camp plus another than somehow went through the net. With the drops in temps come fewer fish seen but higher %, up to 70% biting out on the cast and hard baits better than blades. With rising temps blades and even topwaters pick up and take over especially on the shallower patterns and more fish at boatside with the % reversing.in the last 4 weeks I have boated fish on bottom as deep as 28-30’ and as shallow as 2’ off rocks and everywhere in between as well as 5-10’ weeds regardless of their condition. With the scattering and constantly changing of patterns/locations trolling has also been a productive presentation alternative off and on breaklines. For consistency and big fish right now one could not go wrong with muskies just staying on the shallower walleye patterns/locations. We are really getting antsy and looking forward to the guided trophy musky hunts Oct 3-24 that AML is famous for and when traditionally some of the biggest fish of the year are boated. if you are looking for an opportunity to fish some of the best fall trophy musky water in north America with some of the best guides on Eagle lake this is it. It has been a great season so far and we are looking to close it out in a big way!! The goose / duck hunters are destroying them with limits by 9:00am the morn then out for some exciting fishing action or grouse hunting. Guides are gearing up and doing some preliminary scouting for the deer hunts with some promising candidates showing up still in bachelor groups and on trail cams. There are 2 openings left available for the 2015 hunt first 2 weeks of Nov during peak rut with depending upon weather trophy musky fishing possible if early kill for an awesome combo. There is also 1 cabin available for the fall trophy musky hunt Oct 3-10 and one 17-24 for 1-6 anglers.

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Steve Herbeck- prop. Emeritus, master guide, fishing instruction coordinator, US marketing liason