October Fishing Report and Jig Techniques
November 2, 2013 //
October Fishing Report
The month of October is one of my favorites for a number 
of reasons: beautiful colored trees, numerous days of perfect fall weather, and the fish bite like crazy! Many types of fish feed aggressively during this time period, but my favorite species to fish in October is the walleye. Catching limits of delicious eating sized walleye, with the possibility to land a fish of a lifetime at any point, is what fall fishing in Alexandria is all about!
The water temps at the beginning of October were much warmer than average, and even though this makes fishing a bit more comfortable, it can have a negative impact on the fishing. The fish are triggered by a number of things that winter is on its way, but I feel none are stronger than a dropping water temperature. That’s why I like to target the shallower bodies of water in early October, they cool much quicker and in turn generally have a better early fall bite. By mid-October the water had cooled to the point I was getting reports of a decent walleye bite on many of the deeper bodies of water across the area. For example, Carlos, Geneva, Ida, Miltona and Osakis are great deep water lakes in the fall.
Jig Techniques
The best all around and versatile technique for fishing in the fall is a jig and a minnow. A jig and a minnow sounds very simple, and it actually is, but there are small things you can do that will make you catch many more fish. I can have four people in my boat all with the same bait and each person can have completely different results.
Tip #1: Boat control – This has to be the most important tip. Practice makes perfect but you should be able to hold your boat as if you are anchored right over the fish. I’ve had my best luck year after year with this vertical approach. Your line should be as vertical as possible, regardless of the wind.
Tip #2: Hooking the minnow – Slide the tip of the hook into the minnow’s mouth and come out just behind the head. See the picture below.
Tip #3: Jigging your bait – it’s best to stay close to the bottom. I actually like to bounce the jig into the bottom and hold it 1-2 inches off bottom. This is the hardest thing for most of my clients to grasp, but once they figure it out they will be getting bites shortly.
Tip #4: Detecting a bite – Some bites will be a classic tap and others will be very soft almost like your jig is stuck in a soft mud. When fishing in the fall most bites are of the softer nature.
Tip #5: Setting the hook – This is a very important part of the process. As soon as you feel some tension don’t just swing your rod. You may catch fish this way, but you will also loose a fair number of fish. The proper way is to hold your rod very still, applying a very light pressure to the fish as it’s biting. Keep the line tight for a few seconds. This will make sure the fish has a secure hold. You can then give a very solid swing upward and keep the line tight all the way to the boat!
Over the next few weeks the water temps will be dropping sharply and the big fish will be feeding. This time of year I generally catch fewer fish but the consistent trophy potential makes the cooler weather bearable. Every time you get ready to set the hook it’s exciting to know it could be the biggest fish of your life! Use the tips above while fishing an outside weed line near deep water and good luck!
My next report will be sitting on SAFE early ice, so get your gear ready!
October Fishing Report
The month of October is one of my favorites for a number 
of reasons: beautiful colored trees, numerous days of perfect fall weather, and the fish bite like crazy! Many types of fish feed aggressively during this time period, but my favorite species to fish in October is the walleye. Catching limits of delicious eating sized walleye, with the possibility to land a fish of a lifetime at any point, is what fall fishing in Alexandria is all about!
The water temps at the beginning of October were much warmer than average, and even though this makes fishing a bit more comfortable, it can have a negative impact on the fishing. The fish are triggered by a number of things that winter is on its way, but I feel none are stronger than a dropping water temperature. That’s why I like to target the shallower bodies of water in early October, they cool much quicker and in turn generally have a better early fall bite. By mid-October the water had cooled to the point I was getting reports of a decent walleye bite on many of the deeper bodies of water across the area. For example, Carlos, Geneva, Ida, Miltona and Osakis are great deep water lakes in the fall.
Jig Techniques
The best all around and versatile technique for fishing in the fall is a jig and a minnow. A jig and a minnow sounds very simple, and it actually is, but there are small things you can do that will make you catch many more fish. I can have four people in my boat all with the same bait and each person can have completely different results.
Tip #1: Boat control – This has to be the most important tip. Practice makes perfect but you should be able to hold your boat as if you are anchored right over the fish. I’ve had my best luck year after year with this vertical approach. Your line should be as vertical as possible, regardless of the wind.
Tip #2: Hooking the minnow – Slide the tip of the hook into the minnow’s mouth and come out just behind the head. See the picture below.
Tip #3: Jigging your bait – it’s best to stay close to the bottom. I actually like to bounce the jig into the bottom and hold it 1-2 inches off bottom. This is the hardest thing for most of my clients to grasp, but once they figure it out they will be getting bites shortly.
Tip #4: Detecting a bite – Some bites will be a classic tap and others will be very soft almost like your jig is stuck in a soft mud. When fishing in the fall most bites are of the softer nature.
Tip #5: Setting the hook – This is a very important part of the process. As soon as you feel some tension don’t just swing your rod. You may catch fish this way, but you will also loose a fair number of fish. The proper way is to hold your rod very still, applying a very light pressure to the fish as it’s biting. Keep the line tight for a few seconds. This will make sure the fish has a secure hold. You can then give a very solid swing upward and keep the line tight all the way to the boat!
Over the next few weeks the water temps will be dropping sharply and the big fish will be feeding. This time of year I generally catch fewer fish but the consistent trophy potential makes the cooler weather bearable. Every time you get ready to set the hook it’s exciting to know it could be the biggest fish of your life! Use the tips above while fishing an outside weed line near deep water and good luck!
My next report will be sitting on SAFE early ice, so get your gear ready!
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