Leaves changing/transition to minnows?

[PSU]

Hello All:

Have the leaves started to change yet? Coming up next Thursday for the weekend. Also, I assume with the cooler weather the transition to minnows is fully taking place?

Thanks

[Great Outdoors]

They were still catching walleyes on leeches in Shagawa and the White Iron Chain (6-18 FOW)a few days ago.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The leaves have started to change the past few days on Vermilion.

Minnows and crawlers are both working well on Vermilion.

Cliff

[Steve Foss]

There are pockets of color in quite a few places, and it will really start taking off next week. I'd guess peak color about a week earlier than normal, maybe the last few days of September. Really hope we don't get a bunch of heavy winds, because it's shaping up to be a great fall color year.

If you come up the North Shore, you'll find a good amount of color as soon as you turn off Hwy. 61 at Ilgen City and get up over the escarpment.

A week from now, I'd guess it would be more of a minnow bite.

[MarkB]

At this point, the "best" color, is the south shore of Pine Island, especially around the Lighthouse. Yesterday, my wife and I boated 12 walleyes including one slot fish and several 15"-16"+. 4 fish were caught on sucker minnows and 8 were caught on crawlers. Several fish were missed on both baits. Overall, for us, crawlers are still outfishing minnows at least 2:1 and since sucker minnows are $7.25/dz(Ely) and crawlers are $2.21/dz(Cook)it's kind of a no brainer

Good Fishing,

MarkB

[StillFishin']

I've got a lot of leaches left that are in good shape so I'll give them a try while the other guys in the boat use crawlers and minnows. Anyone using Gulp or cranks?

Stillfishin'

[Great Outdoors]

In Ely, the price for sucker minnows are $6/dz for light hortherns, $5/dz for heavy pike.

You need to shop around a bit

[DaveSorensen]

In Tower the price for light northern is $4.50, pike suckers are $4.25.

[Silver Scale]

Caught fish yesterday on cranks, minnows and crawlers. Anywhere from 5-26 fow.

Fish should start to bunch up in deeper holes soon.

[jonesen]

watching the leaves change before my eyes, the trees are turning fast this year

[Steve Foss]

The 3-4 inch light pike suckers are darn good bait this time of year. Great for a mix of smallies and 'eyes.

[MarkB]

Took the wife to Harvest Moon on Saturday. Stopped by the bait shop as you leave town towards Tower. Very nice lady working that day. I asked for 2 dz sucker minnows. The sign says pike suckers $7.25/dz. I gave her $100 bill and she gave me the correct change

MarkB

[Steve Foss]

That was Babe's, Mark. And it's $7.25/scoop for the light pike suckers there.

Dave, that's a great price for light pike suckers! Shoulda picked up some when I was going through Tower this morning!

[MarkB]

I stand corrected Steve. But let me add this, I "asked" for 2 dz and paid accordingly. I have only had one bait shop in the entire area ever "count" 1 thru 12 for a dozen minnows when I asked for them. I "expect" a bait shop to be generous with a dozen minnows, called a scoop or whatever. In this particular instance, there were only 6 dead by the time I transferred them at my dock, and that is about typical, for me any way. I was given a generous "2 dozen" and have no complaints. My point was merely to draw a comparison between cost for one bait over another. At the present time, if we can continue to catch twice as many walleyes on a bait that I paid more than 2/3 less for, I'll stick with the cheaper bait.

Good Fishing,

MarkB

[Steve Foss]

Wasn't picking at you at all, Mark. Just wanted to make sure the info on HSO is correct.

[DaveSorensen]

The subject on this post digressed, but since it mentions leaves and all...driving on Hwy 4 from Duluth to aurora and then on Hwy 135 from Aurora up to Tower the leaves are probably peaking right now. Very scenic, if you want to make a trip up the weather (although right now friday about noon stinks) looks good for the weekend. Non gale force winds and temperatures with what you would expect for late september. Come on up and fish the Big V and check out the big show of fall colors!

[guideman]

I haven't been using anything other than minnows for the last 3 weeks here on Vermilion. We have been pounding the Walleyes with jigs and minnows and should continue to do so until ice-up.

"Ace"