Fall Fishing Spots On Leech Lake
August 26, 2016
Fall brings mild temperatures and a respite from the summer heat before the chill of winter arrives to Leech Lake. It also brings an amazing array of colors to the area, with beautiful hues of red and yellow reflecting of the waters of Leech Lake. Which offers the perfect backdrop to your next fishing trip! With fall coming fishing tactics and spots also change on the Lake. In this post we will share the best fishing spots and tactics for some of Leech Lakes most popular fish, during the mid-Fall months.
Walleye: As the lake transitions into fall, Walleye will start to wait just outside the shallows of Portage and Sucker Bays as well as shallow narrows as dying vegetation on the shores start to push smaller bait fish out into slightly deeper water. The edges of these shallow bays make the perfect locations to target Walleye. If you don’t have luck there, turn on the depth finder or look for moderate shallows with fairly good cover for bait fish and cast into the edges.
Panfish: For fall Pan fishing you will be fairly successful targeting the same locations as you would for walleye. Jigs with worms or grubs tend to work great this (or any) time of year.
Muskie: This can be the best time of year to target that perfect trophy, they largely stick to the same places as in the summer, but there is a shift into the somewhat deeper weed beds. Walker Bay, Submarine Island and Agency bay weed beds and edges around 15-20ft tend to give the best chances of getting a hit from a monster. Shift away from surface baits and move towards crankbaits for the best results.
Bass: Bass on Leech Lake will push out only slightly from their summer haunts so it’s best to target the edges of the wild rice beds just move into slightly deeper water. Steamboat, Boy Bay, and sometimes areas around Federal Dam provide the best bass fishing in the fall. This is the perfect time to target them with slow spinner baits, especially on warmer fall days when they are more active.
Northern Pike: If you love pike Leech Lake in the fall is the best place to be. Our pike are extremely active and aggressive this time of year. Focus on the same areas you would fish for Muskie (Walker Bay, Submarine Island and Agency bay), but use Jigs baited with minnows and unlike muskie expect constant hits instead of casts. The edges around Kabekona bay may be worth a check for pike if you are not having luck anywhere else.
Leech Lake is great for fishing year round but Fall offers less traffic and competition for anglers and is when many of the Lakes trophy fish are caught. We hope you join us out on the lake for some amazing fishing this fall. To sweeten the deal many lodges offer discounts ranging between 15% to nearly 50% off depending on the month. Fall really does represent an angler’s paradise on Leech Lake. Start planning your trip today and check out current lodging specials.