Fall Fishing in Wisconsin, Other Northern States

[NorthernBasser]

Hey guys.

 

I usually fish from April thru September. Come fall, I'm usually more focused on hunting.

 

This year I'd like to focus more on the fall bite.

 

How late do you guys in the colder, northern states fish? Thanks.

[Cak920]

I fish here in Wisconsin until there's ice. Even then I'll try open water on rivers for a while before switching to ice fishing. I probably go to about 70/30 hunting/fishing once we get midway through october

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, Cak920 said:

I fish here in Wisconsin until there's ice. Even then I'll try open water on rivers for a while before switching to ice fishing. I probably go to about 70/30 hunting/fishing once we get midway through october

What part of the state are you?

[Cak920]

About 25 miles south of Green Bay

[Scott F]

I'm headed up to the Minocqua area next week. I usually fish up there that second week in October every year. I can't say that I do great, but I have a good time.

[RichF]

I'm from Northern NY. Before I moved to VA, we fished thru the middle of November.  The best bite all year happens the last 2 weeks of Oct to the 2nd week of Nov.  

[gim]

Watch the water temp closely.  As long as its 50 degrees or higher, there will be at least a decent bass bite.  Below that, its winter hibernation mode.

[Bankbeater]

Down here in Mo. you can fish up until the lake freezes over.  Some of the lakes and ponds run late, and their fall bite starts in November.

[FryDog62]

21 hours ago, gimruis said:

Watch the water temp closely.  As long as its 50 degrees or higher, there will be at least a decent bass bite.  Below that, its winter hibernation mode.

Totally agree.  In Minnesota, below 50 I switch to Muskies and/or pike... I try to fish as late into the season as possible to try to cheat an extra month out of winter.  Maybe spring seems a little closer that way

[tkunk]

Musky fishing can be awesome.

 

Also, the big pike, which hang out in the deepest, coldest parts of the lake from late spring to late summer, move shallow and hang out near the last remaining weed beds.

 

I love bass fishing, but in WI, but I seldom fish for bass after early September.

 

TLDR: A bunch of giant, pelagic fish move shallow and become catchable, once the temps start falling.

[Eric Peterson]

I live in the Fox Cities but travel all over the state. When I pick out a lake I try to go to a lake with alot of fish and go on a windy day. Like to windy doesnt exist. Fish flats getting hammered with wind and they will be up there munching. I fish swim jigs, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits mostly.

[r83srock]

Man right now it’s hard for me! I’m fishing the wolf river every weekend, the smallies are starting to move and will continue to do so. I just can’t get myself in the woods yet, although I’m practicing with my bow often. Fall fishing is my favorite.

[Turkey sandwich]

I'm in PA and have done well into November.  The above post about watching water temps is really important, just like early spring through the spawn.  It dictates virtually everything.  Smallmouth will bite well after largemouth most years, but as the year progresses, I tended to find that I really sacrifice numbers of fish for quality of fish up until they stack up in wintering holes usually around the 40-45 degree mark.  Once that settles in, it gets very, very hit or miss.  

[Further North]

NW, WI here...I fish until there's too much ice to launch the boat.

 

Big, toothy fish replace bass as the primary target in there somewhere, depending on what's going on...it might be happening about now, last Sunday was 1 largemouth, 1 smallmouth, 1 pike and 1 musky....

[JackKlassen]

What presentations do you guys throw in the fall?

[Tlauz]

I was out this last Saturday in Northern Minnesota.  Water temp was 51 on a bigger lake and 49 on a smaller lake.  I caught 1 fish in 2 hours on bigger lake, but when I moved to smaller lake had a very good bite.  Almost all fish were caught on a white or chartreuse swim jig with a 5 inch grub trailer.  I was fishing it very slow.  Steady retrieve.  All fish were in less than 4 feet of water and most in or on edge of reeds.  It has been the same the last few years.  I can't find em on the bigger lake, but the smaller shallower one seems to hold a lot of fish and pretty good size.  The two lakes are connected by a channel. 

[NorthernBasser]

.

[MrPeanut]

I went up to southern WI last weekend, water temps were mid - upper 50's on a fairly small lake.

 

I had a few bites throwing a chatterbait on windy points, although I only hooked up with one.  I did find this girl hanging out in a foot and a half of water under a dock, which threw me for a loop since I didnt expect to get any shallow bites in those water temps.  Goes to show how little I still know! haha

 

 

[Further North]

On 10/20/2017 at 2:34 PM, NorthernBasser said:

SE Wisconsin here. 

 

I went out yesterday to a lake I do really good on during spring/summer. For the life of me, I couldn't get any hits. Fished mostly 4 ft and less water. 

 

Tried spinnerbaits, frogs, swimbaits, Senkos, Flukes, chatterbaits, Whopper Plopper, creature baits. Nada.

 

Didn't have any means to check water temps. Is it too cold already? 

Nope.  Not up here anyway.

 

What to throw?

 

Depends on what the fish tell me.  I caught a 40+ musky last weekend on a 7" Senko...Finesse seemed to be the deal that day...