Fishing in
Eagle River
Fishing Report
Updated 10/07
It's expected to get a little cooler now after that warm spell, and that is good news for the fishing, especially the musky fishing. Water levels are a little low on some lakes, so be aware of that. We’re still seeing low 70’s to upper 60’s which is really unusual for this time of the year.
Northern
Northerns are hitting well mostly in the weeds. Flashy baits like Mepps Spinners or Johnson Silver Minnows are working well. Look for the deeper green weeds to hold the most fish.
Bass
Bass fishing is highlighted right now by smallies, and they too are deeper. The best action is in 20 – 30' with plastics. Jigs with minnows will also produce in this deeper water. The crayfish are gone by now, so the smallies move to feeding mostly on minnows. A few largemouth are being caught in the weeds, but few anglers are targeting them.
Walleye
Walleye fishing has been pretty decent. This is a good time for walleye – just as good as the musky bite but lesser known. These fish are being found in deeper water at 15-25’ and jigs with minnows or crawlers are working. We’ve heard from many people about those crawlers, so they’re worth taking with. All the lakes on the Eagle River Chain are producing well in or near the holes. On those few lakes without distinct holes, just fish the deepest part. On the bigger lakes we’ve also been hearing of some luck with crank baits.
Musky
This is starting to be the the time for great musky fishing, and it will only improve as the water temperatures drop on all lakes. Musky anglers wait all year for this to happen, and they will stay out there fishing for them right until the last day of the season or ice up, whichever comes first. We are starting to see a little action with suckers, despite the warm days. The best baits are jerk baits and twitch baits over the weeds and on the deeper weed edges. Out over deeper water, try some diving crank baits or plastics. We saw 28 fish caught this weekend in the PMTT on the Chain, which is a decent amount considering the warm and sunny weather we had.
Panfish
Panfish action is very good for both perch and crappies. You will find crappie on the Chain mixed right in with the walleyes in deeper water. Small plastics or fathead minnows are best for these fish. Perch are basically moving to deeper water but tend to hold longer in the deeper weeds. We see a good number of perch anglers in the fall. Few people are bluegill fishing as they seem to be waiting to get on the ice for them.
We are almost coming up on peak color now, so get out on the water and if the fish aren’t biting, enjoy the beautiful views while you can.
Report courtesy of George Langley & Eagle Sports Center
