Who keeps fishing to the bitter cold end of open water?

[Animal]

After labor day I increase my days on the water by about 50% and the result is very rewarding. I fish almost exclusively lakes between Duluth and the Canadian border. With the exception for LOW and the Rainy River I notice that there is a substantial decline in lake traffic after mid- September. This includes excellent fall lakes like Rainy and Kabby-Nam-Crane. The smaller lakes rarely have anyone fishing them. Do you switch to hunting? Where do go and what are you doing till ice season?

[Bobby Bass]

My work keeps me busy the first half of the fishing season then from about Aug on I fish hard till late Oct. I to live in Northern MN so we can look at some cool water and I agree with you there is no one on the water after mid Sept. I used to bird hunt a lot but with so few birds I just fish. I do work my way south as the fall goes on till it just gets to cold on the fingers to hold a rod any more. Some great fishing to be had this time of year.. I do have the advantage of being able to go pretty much anytime that I want so any warm calm day I am on the water. Mostly Bass fishing but late fall northern fishing gets a few days of my time also.

[76k20]

I try to keep it as seamless as possible and will fish right up until ice starts forming on the lakes then I focus on the river until I can get out in my portable.

My wife thinks I have a problem, but hey its not crack I personally think its some of the best walleye fishing of the year, possibly just compared to the dog days of august. less pressure, the fish seem to school a lot tighter on the bottoms of steep deep breaklines and if you dont mind throwing on the carharts and long johns theres a good chance to catch a hog late in the fall too.

[outdoor ran]

I wish I could fish all fall but with my busy schedule I have to choose between hunting and fishing. So hunting wins since I fished all summer. One of these years I really need to try some muskie fishin in Sept. and Oct.

[Surface Tension]

I'm in the Duluth area as well. I'll definitely get my fill of the fall eye bite along with the staging crappies and the late Laker season. As the seasons change I feel the urgency to put the boat away and get into Grouse hunting, pheasants then deer. That couple months off the water gives me time to get ready for winter. Once the ice is walkable I'm ready to start the early ice eyes and so on.

[gunflint]

This year I won't put the boat away until sometime in november. I decided last year that it would be my last year for deer hunting and that as long as I have open water somewhere I'll fish until the bitter end.

I don't fish the hard water, so once the boats in dry dock. I have a long wait until opener. Although depending on circumstances I may store the boat in heatable storage and do some remodleing over the winter.

[CrappieJohn]

My boat gets "winterized" by fishing the Mississippi River Dams here in southeastern Mn. As long as the temp is above 28 degrees or so and the wind will not be a factor, I will be as likely to be found in the boat as on the ice.

[cheektowaga]

I was out on a small northern MN lake last year on November 5th, and had a great bass fishing trip. Personally, I can't wait until October bassing! It was the first year I did a lot of fishing in the fall and it's very rewarding. Gotta love these long MN falls we've been having the last few years.

[fiskyknut]

Ooooh ya the fall fishing! I'd say LOTW sees way less traffic after labor day, though the Rainy river sees a big increase once the Shiners start their run. I'd like to spend more time on the lake proper in the fall but always gravitate to the lower end of the river come October. September finds me on the Red fishing Cats moslty, hard to beat September out there for BIG Channel cats. A bit of Sturgeon fishing now and then on the Rainy too during the fall season. Hopefully I can walk out onto the ice around thanksgiving weekend.

fiskyknut

[Big Julie]

Gunflint:

I'm with you.

When I can't stand the cold, I'll stay off.

It's a magical time of year. :-)

[Dave B]

12 months a year out of my boat.

[Kab Dreamin]

I keep fishing Mille Lacs at night into November or until I am breaking skim ice in the harbors when I launch.

[Willy]

I'm with Tom. Rivers just start to turn on in the fall. Fish start to hole up and it's easy pickins. The Miss. whenever I can make it and the MN river until she's frozen!

[walleyejon]

I was on the Rainy the first weekend in December last year. Big chunks of ice floating by, vicious wind, sleet, snow.....you know the perfect weather for fishing. At least the fish didn't care. I boated 3 eyes over 27" in the first half hour that day, and the fishing had been that good since October. The only reason I hunt at all any more is to take the kids out. Once they are old enough to go by themselves, forget about it, I'll be in the boat. Fishing is way to good up here after Labor Day to mess around chasing ducks, geese, and deer all over the coutryside.

[The Grebe]

We usually fish the rivers down here until the ice build up in the rod guides gets to bad, then it's time to head for hard water a little further up north.

[TSCTSC]

Is there a limit or temperature of the water where I should no longer take my boat out ... am talking about operating temperature of the motor. Some people say that if it is too cold, you should not take the motor out. What temperature is that if there is one? If not, I intend to fish the season till I cannot take the cold no more.

[JWB475]

I fish until ice up, which means that often times to get to my favorite spots I have to deal with this...

However, as a result of that, I often wind up with one of these...

Which makes it all worth while...

[Anylakeanytime]

THAT IS AN AWESOME PIC JWB475! I LOVE IT!! Does the ice ever cut your line?

[Hemlock]

JWB, might that be up in this neck of the woods? Nice fish.

[delmuts]

usually it is not the water temp you have to worry about. if it is stil water, you are ok, but the air temperature is another thing. if the air gets to or below freezing; then after you pull your rig out of the water. you want to be sure to lower the lower unit so all of the water can drain out .if you leave water in the pump it can freeze and cause damage to the unit.

[Animal]

JWB475

Now that is what I call taking it down to the bitter cold end of open water.

I love those bigggggggggggg ones.

[Cyberfish]

I was out crappie fishin in my boat on spring lake, in the south metro, on december 15 th last year.