The fall full moon crank bite isn't just for Mille Lacs.

[Borch]

Any of you going to be hitting the local lakes after the sun goes down to troll some cranks? Lots of good options for some nice eyes right here in the St Cloud area. So far this fall my biggest was 27" but the bigger ones should be making a move soon with the cooling water temps.

Time's a wasting!

[Tippman]

There sure are. Too bad I can't drag myself away from chasing those darn muskies. Before I got into them this was my favorite time of year for big walleyes.

[The Donk]

Love to say yes, but I have a date with a 100+ year old... Oak tree that is! Possibly be able to make it out once, but there are too many things to hunt now for a fishing rod in the hands...

[cjac]

For sure! There's more to fall 'eyes than just Mille Lacs....

If it stays dry so I don't leave ruts in the grass I'm going to pull the dock out and will make an evening out of it on Rice. Not 'til the weekend but the waning moon can be productive too.

Chris

[Borch]

Talked to my dad who was out trolling a St Cloud area lake last night. Fishing was good for numbers. Most fish that he had while I talked to him last night were 15-20" with a couple over. No real biggies up to the point that I talked with him while he was fishing.

What was really surprising to be is that the water temps were still right arounf 54 degrees. I would have expected it to be 5-6 degrees cooler than that.

[Genofish]

Hey Borch, Would you mind emailing me to share some info for the area? I have been having some luck west of St.Cloud

[email protected]

[whippingpost]

Hey Borsch, I'm somewhat new to the night trolling thing for the area, and all I've ever done is Mille Lacs. Do you have any suggestions for me as to some decent lakes? You can post here, or e-mail me at [email protected]. It would be nice to have an alternative, especially when that wind gets to whippin. Thanks! PS. Went out to Mille Lacs last night and could only get 4 in the boat, all under 20 inches. None on the rocks, but all came from shallow bays on the southwest side.

[Borch]

Some of the lakes I like to hit in the fall in the St Cloud area are the Horseshoe chain, Grand, Pearl, Rice and Koronis. I used to have good luck on Little Rock as well but haven't been there for a couple years. This summer's water quality issues there has also kept me away. The bite is a lot like Mille Lacs with fish relating to rock and remaining weedbeds. Although I'd also suggest hitting those current areas as well.

A friend and I went out last night and caught about a dozen. Ended up with eight 15-19" fish for a couple of meals of fresh fish. We had 3 over 20" but nothing really big. Water temps around 52 degrees.

[Stick in Mud]

Hey Borch,

Don't forget to mention the river!!! And for all you impecunious folks like me, you don't even need a boat!

The piggies are hitting in the river now...apparently it's slow down by Sartell (I don't know why), but I know that they are snapping by the 10th street dam, down by Cathedral, and around Sauk Rapids. I've caught three big ones, the biggest being a fat 29''; I cleaned a 21'' with a fairly good sized catfish (might have been an eel pout) in its stomach! Needless to say, they are eating.

I have a few questions about fishing the lakes in this area (I live in Sauk Rapids). How exactly do you find the fish in Pearl and Grand? Just troll in large circles until you catch one? I've never understood how you guys catch walleyes in these "featureless" lakes. How fast are you going? Less than 2 mph? Man, I have a lot to learn.

And how's Clearwater kicking them out?

Carl

[Borch]

Nice fish Carmike!

Regarding the featurelss lakes, Grand actually has a bit of structure. The bar on the east side is a good starting place. But really it's about the weeds on both lakes. Work the outside and inside weededges. Looks for little points or cuts in the weeds as well. The weeds other than cabbage are really laying down making trolling them a lot easier.

The rivers are great places as well. When I stated the Chain I also meant the river sections. The river sections are my favorite parts to fish. A friend of mine is really pounding some nice eyes on the chain right now.

Well after getting back from my son's high school football playoff game in Detroit Lakes I hooked up the boat and headed to one of my favorite trolling lake and got my crankbait in the water at 2:15 am. I had my first walleye in the boat at 2:27 am. It ended up being one the best night's Ive had on the water for quite soom time. By the time I left the lake at 5:45 am I had boated 18 walleyes and caught 6 over 21". The biggest of which was a fat, thick 29" walleye, (I would have made the eye in my avatar look tiny). The only downside is that I was fishing by myself and had no one to take pictures of some really nice fish. Fish were shallow related to remaining weed clumps in 4-6 feet of water on a custom painted shallow floating rattlin rogue. I did have company even at those late hours. There was one boat out when I got to the lake and one out when I left.

Good Luck!

[whippingpost]

Thanks for all the great info! It's great to have a few options closer to home. I notice that you talk mostly about the night time bite this time of year. Do you see any day time bite? There is nothing better than night time fishing, but sometimes I need my beauty rest, and when I have a day off in the middle of the week, I don't mind spending it on the water.

[Borch]

The day bite is there. Usually deeper and using big minnows like redtails or creekchubs.

[Stick in Mud]

Borch,

Instead of complaining about not having someone to hold the camera, why don't you invite someone to go with?????

I know at least one person who'd be happy to go.

Carl

[Borch]

Quote:

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Borch,

Instead of complaining about not having someone to hold the camera, why don't you invite someone to go with?????

I know at least one person who'd be happy to go.

Carl

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It was a last minute decision or I'd have filled the seat I'm sure. But when you decide you're going fishing at 1:00 am it's tough to track down a person quickly unless you happen to be leaving a place that closes about that time of night.

[Stick in Mud]

What's that, the library?!?!?

[The Chemist]

Dad was up to the cabin last night and he was pitching a Rap into the shallows from the dock and was picking up smallies. Eventually had a large one strike but then had it spit the hook before he got it in. Shiners are up in the shallows right now.

[Borch]

Quote:

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Shiners are up in the shallows right now.

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It should be happening anytime then based on past bites, right Peter?