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Any news off the chain.  So far for us its been a tough spring.  Fish not where they should be.  or we're not where we should be.  Any info will be appreciated.

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Have had mixed results myself this year but my father in law who lives up there has done decent on WFC.  finding the fish still on the first break in the 15-20 foot range.  Seems to find them and go over them a few times with lindy rig and then back over them with jigging rap.  Nothing lights out but enough for a meal over a couple hours spent fishing...we tend to walleye fish on Whitefish, either ends of the lake and usually stay away from the middle portion.  This year seems to be odd on the chain as areas that are usually thick with weeds are nonexistent.  It must be getting time to start to see the fish move out over deeper water which is my favorite time to take a nice troll across the lakes!!  I will be out this weekend and then the end of next week.  Good Luck

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Thanks for the info.  We have a cabin on the upper lake .   As you say weeds are just coming up on the breaklines.  Had our best walleye luck around 15-18 ft of water,  Tough to rig what with the zebra mussels now.  Have had a easier time by putting a lindy float about a foot above the hook.  I to like to fish for suspended fish.  Foly's area has been good for us in past years.  Good luck to you.

Edited by rayguy
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Rayguy how ya been doing the last couple weeks on the chain?  Was out trolling over the fourth all around and didn't get anything but snakes personally but buddy in his boat had a couple over the deep waters and then a few bonus smallies over the week.  Also one of the morning regulars out on Rutgers said the fish are on fire out there and the other day he had caught 11!!  I am not sure where he got them but my guess is the local fishing holes the morning regulars work out there.  I will be up this weekend to try a little eye fishing and then get the kids out and panfish and maybe a little bassing.  Good Luck and enjoy the sites of the great Whitefish Chain!!

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Ozzie hello.   Was up this past week and found fishing slow also. Did get a few eaters trolling cranks on Foly's bar.  Fished mid lake bars and never saw anybody getting much.  Did do ok one evening on Bass using a buzz bait.  Grandson was catching crappies off the dock in 4' of water mid afternoon. A very strange year. When we're out fishing I'm in a 1850 lund Tyee  sort of a purple color with a 115 Yamaha .  Say hi if you see us. Good luck .

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Sounds good!  I won't be up this weekend but in the future I will look for ya!  I am in a couple different boats but a Lund Tyee is what I would be in most often with a 200 merc on the back.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello. I'm new to this site. I've been looking for a forum to share fishing reports and updates. I hope this works out. I have a place on Lower WF. Been up here 5 years. Fishing has always been unpredictable. Hired a few guides along the way and picked up a few more fish.

This year has been slower than previous years. I was out last night and pulled cranks and night crawler harnesses. Picked up one eye and a few nice pike. Fished this morning for three hours and didn't get a bit. Tried jig w/leech, jig with crawler, lindy and red tail, lindy and crawler. Nothing! Slow rain all morning. Decent fishing weather for WFC and still couldn't get a bite. Try again later today. Probably fish deep and/or still fish some points. 

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Welcome!  And thanks for the report!

We’re heading to our annual camp out this weekend that usually includes a trip to the chain but doubt it will happen this year.  A couple key boats in the group aren’t hitting the water per usual so we’ll likely stick to someplace smaller and get more fishing done than cruising.  LOL!

If we wind up out there after all, I’ll post what I see.

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I have not been fishing on the chain for a few weeks now as I was hitting gull more often, but my father in-law has been out and has caught eyes every time out.  He seems to use a lindy and crawler most often and then switches to a jigging rap once he finds a few stacked up.  He says he starts on a weedline and then will work out until he connects with fish.  Good Luck out there...I think I will have a chance to hit it this weekend and try to connect with an eye or 2

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I fished Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Not a good time being a cold front just landed. I only saw one other boat out. Ugh. I marked a ton of fish in 25-35 ft off of weeds. Outside of a 30 minute window when a passing thunder storm moved through fish weren't biting. I did catch two nice northerns during that 30 minute storm, but no walleyes. I'll be back up next week for 3-4 days so that'll give me another chance. I may try trolling crank baits if I can't find any on weed edges or drop offs. 

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I didn't get out on the chain this weekend but my son and his gpa were able to get out last night and found some dandy crappies around the weeds in 15 feet.  They were trolling white twister tails as that was the only way they caught crappies otherwise if they stopped and casted the sunfish were too aggressive.  The crappies were off the weeds in 18' of water the night before but had to jig them off the bottom.  I am headed up this weekend and staying for a few days into next week and should be able to hit the lake a little more and find out if the eyes are over deep water yet.  Good Luck

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 Was up a few days this past week. Tried crank trolling on Upper WF but gave that up after about 45 minutes as there were so many floating weeds it was almost  impossible .  Went bobber fishing on a couple spots I know and nothing but snakes.  Did catch a 26" later on a Lindy rig and leech but only had one other bite.  Tough go right now boys.  Anyone know what the red markers with flags are?  Saw two out by big island and also two on the Delta Bay drop off. Heard crappies are also being caught on the N end.  Sumac starting to turn already off  highway 1.  Good luck.

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I was wondering if the weed situation would impact the trolling.  It can get difficult when there are so many floating weeds out constantly fouling up the line.  Gonna try trolling with a 3 way rig over deep water in order to keep things close to the boat yet still get the bait down 15-20'.  We shall see if that will work.

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anyone been out on trout for lakers? I know its not the best time of year for them, but you can get them fishing deep.

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Hi guys. The weather Is finally warming up the past two days. I’ve been able to pick up about 10 walleyes off the weeds and rocks 14 to 18ft, Lindy crawler or leach.. Also caught a half a dozen crayfish as well. Interesting. Never caught a cray fish on this lake before. Been spending most my time in lower and middle whitefish. Haven’t been up to upper white fish yet. Hopefully the weather will stay quiet and fishing continue to improve.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I hit the chain a few times during vacation 3rd-8th.  We didn't hit the crappies like they did earlier in the week but we caught a few along with a few nice sunnies to have a meal.  We went out once for eyes on lower WF and caught a nice 18" on a jigging rap but that is all we caught that day.  We did try to troll Gull one night and left after an hour an a half because the floating weeds were so bad.

Edited by ozzie
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 Headed up Sunday for two weeks at the cabin.  WOW we're pushing September already,  what the heck happened to summer?   Have not fished for a bit  Neighbor has been out.  Sounds like its pretty slow on the chain.  Our family has had a cabin there for forty + years and this is the worst year for weeds I have ever seen. Think of that people when you are putting nitrogen rich fertilizer on your lawns.  Bout time to try a crawler harness I think. Hope the floating weeds have thinned out.  Will post a report when I get back. Enjoy the warm weather  we are not far from the long john season. 

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yes the weeds are thick in areas but it is amazing to me that traditional weed lines are not even sprouting up in areas!!  I have a section of lake that I have been walleye fishing for the past 6 years and every year there has been a weedline to follow.  The last 2 years we have seen the zebra's become prevalent and this year no weeds in that area!  Crazy

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Ozzie we have to learn how to fish a new lake structure cause of the zebras I guess. Fish upper quite a bit and have seen no sign of clearer water yet. How did the three way rig work out? 

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I did not get the 3 way rig out as I left the 3 way swivels and weights on shore?  Jigging Raps are a wonderful option to explore if you haven't tried though!  Find a weedline and start working down the edge of the weedline lifting and dropping that Rap and the fish will show up!  I am becoming more and more of a believer in them and gaining more confidence in them every time out!  Went to Thunder Lake in Remer last weekend to fish with a buddy and convinced him to give them a try...had a couple ol timers troll by us laughing at us for using Jigging Raps!  Not even 5 minutes later I watch my buddy drop his bait and had slack in the line a little too quick and he reeled up a nice 27.5" walleye!  Givem a try if you haven't!!

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 I agree with Rayguy. A lot of ecological changes happening everywhere and I think we’re seeing that on the Whitefish chain. Keep looking for new spots and new structure. Fish are still there. It’ll be interesting to see how Fall fishing goes. I am planning on fishing the next couple of days. I’ll let you know how I do. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got out for the prime bite hours of 2pm to 4pm on Saturday the 25th ? and we hit a spot that has produced for us this year and were able to pull in 3 eyes (19,19,22) and lost 2 other fish that we didn't see and a decent northern that bit me off.  All on jigging raps either jigging over the side of the boat or casting and bouncing off the bottom on the retrieve.  Fun easy way to fish and it sure doesn't seem like time of day matters either...

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Back from mini vac.  Didn't get to fish a whole lot but did get some nice eaters one evening.  They came on bottom bouncers and crawlers.   Did notice the weeds have already died off some.  Ozzie I haven't fished jigging raps much but plan to this fall.  One afternoon we headed up to Leech to try for Musky.  Saw five different fish in the Pelican reef, North bar area.  One at least 25-30 lbs,  but all they would do is follow.  Wish they would plant some is WF. as it would be a great spot for some biggies I think.  Panfish are still hitting in the evening ,   about 15' of water was best.  For you Duck hunters this is the least amount of birds I have seen in many years.  Evan the Geese have vanished,  Had 35 in our bay till about a week ago and now zip.  Good luck this weekend guys.    

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rayguy...mind if I ask what bay you are in?  Sounds like a good trip you had!  I will prob not get much fishing in this weekend but once the middle of September rolls around I am gonna hit the chain pretty hard through mid to late October.  Good Luck Ozzie

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Ozzie we're in Delta Bay.  Hear ya on Fall fishing.  Upper has been good to us in the fall over the years.  Imagine Red Tails will skyrocket soon.  Will be nice and peaceful on the water soon.  Have a good holiday. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Headed up for the rest of September.  Talked to a neighbor and he said the Walleyes are starting to show up in there fall spots.  Sounds like a big time cool down coming so bring on fall.  Was up at Grand Marias this past weekend and they are getting trout off the pier in the hour before dawn.  Leaves just starting to turn there. Lots of people on 61.

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We are debating going up this weekend or next...have a guys fishing trip on the chain for the last weekend of September and am really looking forward to that!!

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rayguy how has the fishing been the last week?  I know the weather hasn't been  ideal but hopefully you have been out.  I won't be up this weekend but will be back up next Thursday to catch the Vikes game at a local watering hole and then fish most all day Friday and Saturday.  Hoping to get another report from you closer to Thursday next week also! ?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back from the chain today.   Fishing was ok but weather was not good.   Windy , cold and rainy most days the last two weeks.  When we got a chance to fish minnows were the ticket.  Fish moving deeper just like a normal fall.  Most fish eater size largest was 24' ".  Only trouble using minnows is there are so many hammer handle pike in these lakes at 16.00 a dozen its a expensive bite.. We did try crank baits in late afternoon some and caught a few.   Lots of early morning duck shooting on both Saturdays but it all ended about 830 each morning.  Lower Whitefish had the best bite by the way.

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