Day to Day Changes...

[Team Otter]

Based on the results of yesterday's outing on Madison Lake and a guide trip today, my decision was easy on heading back to Madison to cash in on some more of that great fall 'eye action. Well, today was significantly different than yesterday as the bite was very tough but I still had a great time with a wonderful young man from Chaska. We did catch a handful of 'eyes up to 20" but it was not a repeat performance by any means. We caught all our fish on #5 Salmo Hornets in black and gold and pearl orange patterns. The fish would only hit if the lure deflected off a rock, was paused and then retrieved the rest of the way. The one thing that I think definitely contributed to the slower bite today was light penetration which carried over to a lack of baitfish in the area. With the stained water, I think the sunlight during yesterday's outing proved to be the deal breaker. At any rate, look for this bite to only get stronger as the fall season progresses. I would not be surprised to see a 30" come out of Madison before ice-up, so stay after 'em!

[Wookiee]

Has anybody ever caught a bullhead on a rat-l-trap?

Thanks T.O. it was fun.

[Muddog]

I do think that bite was wind driven. I did notice a strong rip currant in the deeper water near by. I would troll a diver that should have been digging in at 12' but it wouldn't touch untill I was in 8'. I then ran a 8' diver to the same point and it would dig in at the same area. That leads me to think there was a strong water flow from north to south and the fish were bunched up on the sides of the flow. There was a strong wind blowing for about a week, day and night so the patern had a long time to set up. Keep this in mind next time we get a long hard blow. I often see this on large bars. Like on German and Tetonka. Just look for the deeper water half way to the point. It is why the water is deeper there and clean of silt.

[Team Otter]

Ditto. Any time.

[Team Otter]

Good point/theory but the wind was much like Saturday other than maybe just a touch more from the S. That may have been the deal breaker as well.

[Muddog]

Just keep it in mind.

Theory? I don't know. Some times you have to read the water in a lake as if it were a river and all good river fishermen that I know, look at the water to see what is going on. Where is the main currant, The breaks and such. What I saw was a lot of surface water being blown to the other side of the lake and a vary small area in which the water can get back. 50 yards to our south, white cap. At the flag pole I could hit bottom at 5' with a 3.5" thunderstick going East but couldn't get close to bottom going west. At my turn around to the east I was hit vary hard by the wind, to the west vary little wind. When you were taking pics of the big fish I made a trolling run in 12' of water banging it to a point, then I lost it, I turned around and trolled to the first break. Making contact at 8'. Waypoint. Changed to a lure that would hit around 9'. I then retrolled that pass. I hit bottom at the waypoint. I then cut the big motor and drifted back around 90' to the area were my crankbait would have been. I then tryed to jig a castmaster with a crawler on it for drag. My GPS told my I was not going down wind but fighting the wind while trying to stay over the bait. I then looked at DanJ, bobber and saw it was holding up right and though to myself, WOW, he is dead center of the point, on the point, on the point. I then started fishing.

The person in the front of my boat has a job of fishing 100% of the time. My job is to find the fish, find out why the fish are there and repeat. The guy in front is there to tell me when I find the fish.

Well, that is how I spent my Saturday.

[Bagley]

I really think the the tide had a large effect on the bite Sunday. I think sunday was a low tide period where as saturday it was high tide. With the lowering tide all the bait fish got swept back out deep. Keep your eye on those surf charts. Just a thought.

Bagley

[Team Otter]

Holy Smokes Muddog! That is way too much work to be thinking that hard out on the lake.

Thanks for the tip!

[Muddog]

I do remember last year you wrote " I moved around a point, just out of the wind." I do think that is where the eyes were.

[danj]

Muddog, what do you think the walleyes were looking for? Calm water where the baitfish would sit? Is that why TO caught the big one close to my boat when I was "on the point, on the point"?? On the other hand, most of the fish caught were NW of there by a bit.

danj

[Muddog]

First off, what I saw was a classic Wingdam setup.

OK with that in mind. Theory. We picked up a lot of thing off the bottom. I cought some line with a spoonplug on the end. Tom M, line with a jig and you cought some line also. I do beleave it was off your stern. towards deeper water. I think the line was blowing in the current like the tail of a kite and crossing our trolling path(your casting). So you were right on the edge(boy did you nail it).

The wind was blowing for a long time. The current was strong. I am sure the current was cleaning areas that had been silted in for some time. Crayfish and what not had lost there homes. the best way to get from one side to the other side of the lake was to your bow and the Walleyes and bass knew that and set the trap.

I hope this helps.

If I had it to do all over again, I think I would have made a few trolling runs right up the middle of the main currant to see if there were more big ones in the deeper water.

[Team Otter]

Solid idea. Thanks again. This kind of information has a lot of value in it and should be taken seriously. This is what this forum/website is truly all about.

[Muddog]

Right place, right time.

Thank you.