Riggin' and Jiggin'...WOW!

[Team Otter]

The fall riggin' and jiggin' bite on Gull Lake has found a spot on my calendar for the last few years. Well, I just returned from a 4-day stint up there of hard-core fishing and I have to say, it was probably one of the best early fall bites I've been fortunate enough to be a part of in quite awhile. Most of our fish came riggin' with small rainbow chubs in 23 - 26' of water on the wind-blown sides of sharp ledges or drop-offs that had weeds up on top. We did catch some fish shallower on jigs but the presentation of choice was definitely riggin'. Snell length averaged ~4 - 7' and blue and purple hooks with glow beads above them were the dominate colors, although we did stick fish with chartuese and white as well. Limits of fish for the pan came as quickly as within 90 minutes for 4 people or as slow as 3 - 4 hours but there was always action. Of all the adjustments we made throughout the course of our trip, the one that sticks out the most is the size of minnow used. Small rainbows ruled the roost over everything. In fact, by Day 3 and Day 4, we didn't buy any red tails and just went with rainbow chubs.

Walleye Dan, It was great talking with you last Thursday night on my way up. Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. I'll shoot you an e-mail tomorrow evening and return the favor.

Enjoy a few photos from the trip!

5 minutes into Day 1; 20.25"

Windy 24"er

Double Trouble

Typical Gull Lake "Eaters"

29.75", 11# GIANT

Awesome enough for a bonus photo

[rodmaker]

Holy (you know what)!!! You set the bar high for the rest of us to top!!!!!!!

Did you try Sandy Piont at all???

[walleyedan]

Nice job. That is a pretty walleye, really dark looking. Keep the lips tight, tightlines.

Take care,

Walleyedan

[Sportland_Bait]

Thats what Gull Lake is famous for! Nice job and nice report. The fall bite on Gull continues to attract more and more anglers every year. Mark it on the calendar and we'll see you again next year. It has been great lately, glad you were able to cash in on the action. Congrats!

Jason Erlandson

[hanson]

That one fish is a H-O-G!!!

[Team Otter]

Negative.

[Team Otter]

Lips are sealed.

[Team Otter]

Jason,

Oh, the calendar is marked. In fact, I'll be up there for at least 1 more stint in mid-October yet this year.

Thanks for your reports as well. All of that type of information really helps.

[squigglybert]

indeed that is a HOG, gotta love the fall bite on gull, favorite time of the year!

[sgas]

Hey Guys - if you don't mind me asking, where are you finding the blue and purple hooks? I have been looking for some time for different colors and all i can find is red, chart, pink & white. i have looked at cableas and GM.

Thanks

[Team Otter]

I've had my best luck finding them at Reed's, Mills Fleet Farm and other "ma and pop" type bait shops. One in particular that I frequent often in southern MN is Reel Fishing and Tackle in Madison Lake, an FM forum sponsor.

[walleyedan]

We bought all of them.

Walleyedan

p.s. Fleet Farm will have them soon.

[rodmaker]

I'm sure Thorne Bros. and Vados (Fridley, MN) has them. They carried them all Summer long.

[rodmaker]

Just to clarify, are these the purple & blue Gamagatsu (spelling) hooks that are kind of shiny,(hooks are colored) or the ones with paint on them.

[sgas]

Thanks guys - I will head over to fleet farm....hopefully they will have restocked since Dan was there

[B420]

Sgas,

I wouldn't get to worked up over hook color, those gull walleyes will eat just about anything right now.

[sgas]

That's what I like to hear!

[Team Otter]

Yup, those are the ones.

[rosspj59]

Congrats on the big eye Jamison. I only fished the lake once on my honeymoon. I gotta get back up there. Thanks for the report and pics.

[Team Otter]

Thanks.

[SALMON]

SHOULDN'T BE MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THIS YEAR AFTER READING THIS, GOOD BYE GULL....

[CrookedLake]

.......

[ddsbyday]

Gull is a big lake I am sure a few walleyes will make it through the bite. This is a fishing web site. People come here for tips and pointers. Reading about the dead sea and terrible fishing just does not interest me. I am Glad you guys are having a great bite because they just do not happen that often. I am thinking there is a Packer rig walleye or two out there that will make it through this season but will be in big trouble next year.

[SALMON]

WITH PICTURES AND REPORTS SPLASHED ALL OVER THE NET IT WON'T BE LONG AND GULL WILL BE OVERFISHED LIKE MANY OTHER LAKES.

[B420]

The DNR has only stocked about 15,000,000 eyes from 2000-2005. I think the "pay pond" is overstocked myself. They need some predator fish and harvest the thin out the herd. Those little eyes are everywhere on that lake.

[Team Otter]

Salmon,

I see it differently only because of "matter of opinion". When I return from a fishing trip, regardless of the lake, I like to share a detailed report for others that, for one, may just be getting into fishing and looking to learn or adsorb as much as they can or for others planning a trip to the same lake and probing for information. I like to add a few photos to a report, when possible, to give it a little more flavor. It also gives a person a sense of reality knowing that when planning and fishing come together and you have a good day on the water, the information and photos can be shared with others to enjoy too. It would certainly never be my intent to promote over-fishing a lake just based on a fishing report that includes some photos.

[LakeDocktor]

Jamison, Well said! I totally agree that posting a report with pictures isn't going to make everyone, reading and seeing the posts, flock to a lake. I merely read this posts to see how others are doing in different areas than I am fishing. It also helps me pattern certain presentations for others areas I fish. I fished Gull once this year and it was in the recent weeks and in my opinion the lake is in great shape for the future. There is a great upcoming year class present in the lake! But once again, it is a matter of opinion and some people just want to keep the lake all to themselves. One more point I need to make is, with the detailed information given in your previous post, it still takes precision and some skill to manage success you always seem to have! Reading snell length, depth ranges and bottom contour and duplicating isn't going to put fish in the boat for everyone. Just my $0.02!

[Chode2235]

I would like to agree with the last two posts. I spent a couple years out in Ohio, and although the fishing wasn't as good as it is back here, they have a really great web community at ohiogamefishing. They are really great about helping people catch fish, and are very encouraging of each other. I think its a great example (for the mostpart) of what a great fishing web community should be about.

The thing is people who are online reading a fishing web site are typically respectful of the resource, practice selective harvest at a minimum, are incredibly knowledgeable, a little obsessed, and more importantly like to talk fishing. So lets talk fishing. We all want to catch more fish, and encourage each other to do so.

I always tell my nephew that we put that one back so someone else can catch him. So he is still out there all you FMN'ers.

Besides do you think a bunch of people reading this website are really more harmful than the guides taking boats of people out almost everyday for their limits?

Anyway, my point is that it is the mentality surrounding fishing (and online fishing communities) that is much more dangerous than the actual information.

I am going to continue to post information on where, as well as how I am catching them. I won't tell you everything, as fishing is the art of seeking what is elusive yet obtainable. I hope you all continue to do the same, and together we can catch more fish and tell more fish stories.

[harvey lee]

Nice report Jamison. For anyone that doesnt know Jamison, he would not overharvest any lake. A report like this is great and the pics are even better. Any fisherman that decide to go to Gull will still need to find the fish and the changing patterns to catch them.

These reports really help out numerous fisherman, beginner and skilled alike. While fishing these lakes one always has to keep in mind that taking more than your limit is what will really harm the lake and we all need to practice C&R and selective harvest.

[skies_and_eyes]

People need to also remember that keeping a 19-28 inch walleye is more harmful than taking a bunch of little guys. Those bigger 19-25 inchers have nice genes and they also make a lot of eggs. Keeping small ones helps thin the massive schools on Gull, but selective harvest is a must.