What live bait right now?

[th64]

Will be going to Alex. next weekend is it time to use minnows?

[Stick in Mud]

Water temps last night on Mille Lacs were 66, so we went with leeches and caught two nice ones on bobbers and a handful of tiny tiny ones. Someone else was out pulling crawler harnesses, too, so I think you might just have to bring all three!

[JohnMickish]

I personally would be using 5-7" creek chubs, suckers or redtails. The natural baitfish are getting to get bigger and harder to find, and with the water temps starting to fall walleyes are starting to look for bigger food. I would work some deeper edges ajacent to both shallow feeding flats and deeper water.

If you have never live bait rigged with baits this size it's a whole new game. These minnows are strong, and it will feel like you have a 10" walleye on all the time. When it stops moving, that's when it starts to get exciting!

[reinhard1]

i have to agree. now is the time for minnows and larger than normal. sure i get some with the fatheads in the fall, but shinners seem to out fish them in the fall along with what mnfishinguy noted. good luck.

[bigsam]

+1

[pinkfloyd4ever]

where would you target this time of year, like drop offs, deep flats, or what type of structure?

[Rick G]

Like everyone else I use minnows this time of year. Sometimes fatheads sometimes various types of chubs, it all depends on the lake/river I'm fishing.

[Cicada]

Don't get stuck on minnows alone. I have some of the best fall fishing with nightcrawlers through October. Sunday, I ran out of crawlers and they were outfishing the minnows two to one. I lindy rig in shallower water, say, less than 26 feet and bottom bounce with a small spinner/crawler rig in deeper water. Keep an open mind and let the fish decide what you should use.

[JohnMickish]

where would you target this time of year, like drop offs, deep flats, or what type of structure?

Not to sound like a smarty pants, but I'd target where I see fish on the locator.

The fish could be on a deep point, or shallow flat or still hanging around the weeds. Right now we are in a transition period with the water temps falling. The fish are somewhere between their summer and fall areas. If the lake you are on has a large flat with weeds and a sharp drop to deeper water, the break would be a great place to troll some minnow shaped (Floating Rapalas) at the depth you mark fish.

If you know the lake well, and you know where they are in the summer and know where they are in the winter, I'd look for obvious places between the two.

[th64]

Thanks guys-I'll post how we do

[Stick in Mud]

Don't get stuck on minnows alone. I have some of the best fall fishing with nightcrawlers through October. Sunday, I ran out of crawlers and they were outfishing the minnows two to one. I lindy rig in shallower water, say, less than 26 feet and bottom bounce with a small spinner/crawler rig in deeper water. Keep an open mind and let the fish decide what you should use.

I was up at Mille Lacs last weekend, and the only guy I saw who came in with a decent bunch of keepers caught them on spinners and crawler harnesses. For what it's worth.

[fishersofmen]

How do you guys rig up the larger minnows? The same way as a fathead except with a bigger hook? Through the head, behind the dorsal fin or as stated above whatever is working?

[JohnMickish]

I rig a #2 Mustad wide gap thru the lips. No need to go through the gills and into the back if your lindy rigging. Besides that, you want the minnow to run as natural as possible.

[Stick in Mud]

That's how I do it. The bigger hook is important, at least in my experience. Anything less than a #2 will hinder good hooksets with big minnows.