Lake Winnie and Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report May 27, 2022

The Memorial Day Weekend is upon us. It’s a hectic time but is super rewarding too because it often coincides with the peak of spring walleye activity. This year, our arriving guests will find walleyes active, and in the very early stages of transition between spring and early summer peak patterns.

Bowen Lodge guests catching walleyes with Jared

Shiner minnows, in their spring spawning runs, arrived on the shoreline in good numbers this week. For our guests, it means that shiner minnow supplies will be good, now available for anyone who wants them. For hungry walleyes, it means staying close to the shoreline to take advantage of the prime food source. Pike and perch love the shiners too, so don’t be surprised if you have random encounters with them during your search for walleyes.

Water levels are high and surface temperatures on the lake remain low. On Thursday, calm seas, combined with bright sunshine warmed the surface water to 56 degrees on Lake Winnie. Cutfoot Sioux, Little Cutfoot Sioux and select “back bay” areas of the big lake were warmer; 57 to 59 degrees could be found. when the winds blow and the waters re-mix, the true water temps will probably settle in somewhere between 53 and 55 degrees.

Water clarity varies around the lake, it now ranges between mildly murky, to ultra-clear. Walleye location, influenced greatly by water clarity, is strongly dependent on where anglers are fishing. We’ve had reports, on the same day, of anglers catching fish in shallow water while others report catching fish in deep water. That means you should be keenly aware of the conditions and adapt your fishing presentation to the water clarity in the immediate area you’re fishing.

On the north and west sides of Winnie for example, conditions are clear, and anglers are catching walleyes in the 22-to-28-foot depth range. Near areas with inflowing water, take the southeast corner for example, water clarity is much lower, anglers there are catching fish in water depths of 6 to 14 feet. The depth range varies with wind conditions, move shallow when the winds are strong, deeper when its calm.

Arriving later than usual, spawning activity of shiners, and other small baitfish has most walleyes keying in on minnows as their prime source of prey. So, jigs and minnows continue to make up 90% of the presentations that anglers are offering. The remaining 10% are divided between Lindy Rigging, slip floats and trolling spinners, all still using live minnows as the primary live bait.

It should be noted that the term “deep water” currently refers to structures adjacent to, or nearby the shoreline. They will produce much better results than deep water located in the lake’s mid-section. Main lake bars like the Bena Bar, Horseshoe and Sugar, that connect directly to the shoreline have begun producing some fish. But most of those fish remain in transition and could easily be found back up on the shoreline when the winds blow just right. Mid-lake structures, isolated bars and humps have not yet seen the arrival of fish moving into summer patterns.

Leeches may work but reports of shortages may mean that sticking with minnows is a smarter choice anyway. Night crawlers, more readily available, should be carried in your boat, experiment with them when conditions are ultra-calm and fish activity is sluggish.

Glow-Blue, Glow-Perch, Chartreuse Yellow and Green are all good color choices right now. Best jig weights are 1/8 ounce for shallow water fishing, ¼ to 3/8-ounce sizes for fishing the deep breaklines.

Moving deeper is one way to combat calm, sunny conditions. But another pattern worth mentioning is fishing the twilight bite. For anglers who fish at sunset, walleye activity has been very strong, between 7:30 and 9:30 PM, walleyes are cruising shoreline areas and feeding aggressively. Jig and minnow presentations work well, but some anglers, trolling crankbaits are doing well too.

Perch have begun to show up, but not in great numbers. Most are caught by walleye anglers, a few are caught by folks who target them specifically. If catching perch is your goal, deep water is reportedly better than shallow water. Focus on the transition from sand to soft bottom in water depths of 24 to 28 feet. Use jigs, Lindy Rigs, or slip floats and tip your hooks with lively minnows; medium to large fatheads will work best.

It's still too early for crappie or sunfish to move shallow. Until the terrain begins to green up and waters warm into the low 60s, any panfish activity will be found deep during the day, or along the shoreline during late evening. Slip floats, small jigs and small to medium size fatheads will catch crappies. Get in position at water depths of 6 to 8 feet, located along the shoreline before 8:00 PM. Crappie feeding runs will begin shortly after that and continue for about 45 minutes. This spring, crappie anglers are picking up more “bonus” walleyes than usual too.

Northern pike have not been the target species for many, and most have been caught by walleye anglers. The size range has been small so far, we expect to see more and larger fish at water temperatures rise and vegetation emerges.

Lake Winnibigoshish and Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report May 21, 2022

Cooperative Walleyes from Lake Winnie’s strong 2018 year class.

After our first full week of fishing for the 2022 season, we can honestly say that it’s been a wild ride. Despite the later than average ice-out, we managed to have all the docks in, and the chores finished in time for our fishing opener guests. And luckily, we did, because for our guests, the fishing opener was fantastic.

Typical of most openers, folks did not need to travel far to get in on good walleye action. In fact, several of our friends caught walleye limits within view of our marina on Saturday. Also typical of most seasons, from Sunday on, the epicenter of walleye fishing action has been on Lake Winnie.

“Post Spawn” accurately describes the timing for the walleye opener. Female fish, mostly spawned out, were already transitioning out of Cutfoot Sioux. Male fish, many of them still in “spawning mode” lingered in traditional breeding areas, hoping to catch the last wave action. By week’s end, 90% of the male fish we’re catching show no signs of milt, so they’re now focused on feeding rather than breeding.

So far, there hasn’t been any day that the fish weren’t biting, but honestly, there have been days when folks have had to battle tough fishing conditions to earn their catches. Strong Winds, mainly from the west, southwest, have whitened the surface water on the big lake and because of that, most folks are fishing within spotting scope view from the lodge. We’ve watched folks bobbing in the waves, but upon their returns, we’ve also watched them cleaning lots of fish.

Tamarack Point, The Three Sisters, Plughat Point, The River Channel and Bowen’s Flats have been good most days. The Rock Pile, The Dugouts, Farley Creek, and Pigeon River have been good on the days that those spots were within safe travel distances.

Surface water temperatures remain cool, ranging between 51 to 53 degrees on the big lake, somewhat cooler than that in Big Cutfoot, where we still find an occasional high 40 degree reading. The most common range is currently 50 to 52 degrees.

Jig and minnow combinations dominate the presentation, 1/8 to ¼ ounce weights have been most popular, when walleyes are located shallow, over weed stubble, 1/16-ounce jigs are used to keep the live bait running clear. Jig color preference is subjective and often more important to the angler than it is to the fish. Firetiger, watermelon, blue-glow, pink-glow, chartreuse yellow and Chartreuse Green have all been productive this week. Try your favorite color and it will probably work, but don’t be afraid to experiment, there are days when fish do show preferences.

Larger size minnows are working better than small ones, so pay attention to your offerings. Shiners have been available, but in very limited quantities and timing their availability has been sporadic, they sell as fast as they come in. Fatheads, rainbows and small “pike suckers” have been easier to come by, but even those supplies are sporadic. “Size of the bait is more important than minnow species,” one of our veteran fishing guides tells us. “A 3-to-4-inch chub will often out-perform shiners of the same size and are not only a lot more durable, but more available and affordable too. The same is true for other minnows, if it’s 3 to 4 inches long, healthy and has a little shine to attract attention, it will work.” He added.

Good fish management requires a certain level of flexibility on the part of anglers. So, we suggest paying close attention to the sizes of fish you catch. Walleye sizes have reflected the dominant year class populations in the lake. Folks are catching a lot of fish from the 2019-year class which are still small, we think, for harvest today, but will be attractive to anglers later this year. Late August and on through the fall should be good for timing for those 2019 fish, when almost all of them will exceed 14 inches and many will exceed 15 inches.

Fish from the strong 2018-year class are also being caught in good numbers, today, those fish range in size from 15 to 16 inches. While they don’t necessarily dominate the catch, they are available in numbers strong enough to suggest targeting them. We believe that this summer, willing anglers could participate in voluntary size boundaries for harvest. A minimum size of 15 inches, up to the legal maximum of 17.9 inches, would be a realistic goal for folks to set.

Nice walleye from Lake Winnie’s 2013 year class

Walleyes from the also strong 2013-year class are caught daily too and in good numbers. For a time, we were on board with encouraging anglers to harvest their legal possession limit of 1 walleye over 23 inches. Today, we’re taking a more conservative stance about that. While keeping that 1 fish over 23 inches is ultimately an angler’s choice, we are advising release rather than harvest. In our view, having more spawning size female fish in the system will become important in the future. Since good “eater size” fish are much available now than they were a few years back, we think it’s a reasonable suggestion.

Because walleye fishing always dominates the first week of every season, new about other species is limited.

Perch are either spawning now, or recovering from spawning and show up only sporadically at the fish cleaning tables.

Large Northern Pike have spawned already and moved away from shallow water. Anglers are picking up small ones while the fish for walleyes, if anyone is targeting them, we have not heard the news. I you like pike to eat, you’ll catch enough of the “eaters” while you’re jigging for walleyes.

Panfish haven’t shown up in shallow water locations yet and like the pike, if anyone is targeting them, we have not heard the news yet. Next week’s report could carry news along those lines, but it depends on what happens with the weather.

If you’re headed for the lake and don’t want to fight crowds at public landings, you can always launch your boat here at Bowen Lodge. It’s not free, but we think you night like what you get in return for your money.

Lake Winnibigoshish and Cutfoot Sioux 2022 Fishing Season Outlook

Lake Winnie - Cutfoot Sioux 2022 Fishing Outlook

Bowen Lodge guest Lonnie Mundt 2021 with beautiful Lake Winnie Walleye

Walleye anglers are sitting on the edge of their chairs, checking images of ice-out on Northern Minnesota lakes and searching for clues about where they’ll be able to fish on the upcoming opener.

 We’ve been watching too and have noticed that the origins of those image are creeping slowly, but steadily northward toward Lake Winnibigoshish and Cutfoot Sioux. With only 8 days remaining until the 2022 Minnesota Walleye opener, it’s going to be nip and tuck. Thanks though, to the arrival of this very much needed warm spell, we’ve become cautiously optimistic that our lakes, at least for the most part, will be open and accessible on May 14th!

This year, more than ever, there is good reason for anticipation of a great walleye fishing season to be high. Early data from MN DNR 2021 Fisheries surveys continue to support the widely held belief that 2, back-to-back, “dynamo year classes” of walleyes from both the 2018 and 2019 spawning seasons now dominate the population of walleyes in Winnie.

That means the population of “catchable” size fish in our system will be better in 2022, than it has been for several years. We think even better than it was when the very strong, 2013-year class reached maturity in the 2016-2017 seasons.

As the class of 2018 matures, the stage is set for our guests to enjoy not only good fishing for numbers of walleyes this summer, but also fish of desirable quality too. This will offer anglers a unique opportunity to be highly selective about which fish they harvest and which ones they release. And with a good population of the larger 2013-year class fish still in the system, anglers’ photo albums should be filling up with more images of big fish too.

Speaking of being selective, we’ll be encouraging folks to target fish from the 2018-year class for harvesting this summer. Now 4 years old, those fish will achieve sizes ranging from 15 to 17 inches throughout season. Grand Rapids Area Fisheries Dave Weitzel, told us in a recent conversation that a some of the 2018 fish may even graduate into the protected slot range, 18 to 23 inches, before next winter. So, it makes a lot more sense to allow the smaller, 2019 year class fish to reach maturity by releasing them now, so we can enjoy them later, most likely during the 2023 fishing season.

 We were already happy about the 2018 fish, but during the 2021 fall assessments, DNR fisheries staff recorded solid evidence that the 2019-year class could easily be larger than the 2018 class. A lot depends on survivals rates from last winter, so we won’t know that for sure until after spring and summer test results are in. But as shown in the accompanying chart above, 2019 could actually be Lake Winnie’s largest year class ever!

Magnum perch Lake Winnie fall 2021

All those hungry walleye mouths to feed could be responsible, in part, for lower-than-average perch numbers in Winnie and Cutfoot. At 8.3 fish per net, the fall survey recorded the lowest number of perch in recent history.

 As is often the case though, lower numbers of fish have resulted in more anglers catching perch of greater quality size. In 2021, 25% of perch recorded in angler surveys were over 9 inches. Fall fishing produced good numbers of quality fish, often mixed in with walleyes. Over the past winter, we observed firsthand, anglers with good catches of fish in the 10-to-11-inch range, with an occasional 12-inch bonus.

 Perch enthusiasts fishing the lake this summer will be well advised to cover lots of water, checking a variety of habitats. Perch, like most fish are highly adaptable and can be found feeding on anything. Crawfish, minnows, insects and young of the year gamefish are all on the menu. Habitat like gravel bars, weed beds and semi-soft, marl are likely feeding territory and could be found both shallow and deep.

Northern Pike, another popular species with anglers are well suited for Winnibigoshish and connected waters. The protected 22-to-26-inch slot seems to have resulted in some larger average size pike. We’ve seen more anglers catching fish within the protected slot sizes but have also noted more fish over 26 inches being caught too.

 DNR fall testing revealed a drop in the total number of pike caught in test nets in 2021. That, according to Grand Rapids Fisheries staff is good news. “Low to moderate pike numbers are desirable to maintain good growth rates and contribute to a desirable size quality.” Their spring assessment says.

 One thing we know is that anybody who wants to catch “eater” size pike on Winnie still can do it. According to the test net results, Lengths ranged from 15.1 to 30 inches with a mean length of 22.2 inches. With a bag limit of 10 fish under 22 inches, it doesn’t take long to gather enough fillets for fish fry, a plate of blackened pike or even better yet, coconut pike delight.

Panfish are important to our guests, especially during summer and fall. If you hadn’t already heard, Cutfoot Sioux made the list of lakes to receive protection under the “Quality Sunfish initiative.” The initiative, widely accepted by anglers, is aimed at helping restore larger panfish into systems where heavy harvest pressure has occurred.

 During recent years, sunfish numbers throughout the Cutfoot system have rebounded. We have noted though that many of them had not achieved larger sizes. So, for our guests, the 5 sunfish daily limit could be an exciting development. We’ll know more as time goes on, but we’re optimistic that once again, our guests can enjoy catching some of those “pie plate size” Bluegills that the Cutfoot and Winnie systems have been famous for.

 The late ice out affects us all, and like we said before, we’re just as anxious as you are to know how conditions will be for the opener. Keep your fingers crossed for more sunshine and breezy conditions and please do stay in touch; we’ll keep you posted about conditions every step of the way.

“Sweet 16 and Never Been … Fished” - Bowen Lodge Fishing Report 10-04-2021

About a year ago, retired DNR Big Lake Specialist and our friend, Gerry Albert, mentioned this in a casual conversation; “because of Lake Winnie’s rapid growth rate, walleyes from the 2018 will grow fast. Once they reach maturity, it won’t be much more than a couple of seasons before fish of that age will begin entering the protected slot, 18 to 23 inches.”

Lake Winnie “Class of 2018” Walleyes

Fish from that large year class have entered what we consider an “ideal size range”, 15 to 16 inches and are on the prowl in the big lake. As the accompanying photo shows, anglers who figure out where to look can gather a meal of fish from abundant supply of 2018 year class fish.

 So, where do they look, you may be thinking? The simple answer is by staying away from the crowds and away from wherever the “bite chasers” have proclaimed as the “best” fishing spots.

 Walleyes from the massive 2019-year class, and even some of the tiny 2020-year class fish now dominate the action in certain areas on Winnibigoshish. In some spots and when conditions are prime, catching doubles, even triples have been common, anglers have enjoyed a lot of action catching the 2019 class, 12-1/2 to 13-3/4 -inch fish. Some anglers are happily harvesting fish from the higher end of that year class already

 While it is true that anglers will harvest some larger size fish amidst the legions of smaller ones, most of the fish will be cookie cutter cousins from 2019, sticking together in huge schools. Even when there are larger fish present, they face extreme competition from the hungry little guys who will race them to your lure and most often, win.

Curt Black showing of a nice Winnie Walleye caught on “offbeat structure”.

Leaving the “hot bite” in search of smaller schools, of larger fish, can pay off big time because those fish, ones from the 2018-year class are both abundant and feeding, but often located on smaller, more isolated structures.

By searching out the smaller, more off-beat spots, not only will your catch more harvestable fish, but your chances of catching larger size, photo fish will go up too.

Shoreline related points, rock and gravel patches on the flats and small, more isolated patches of vegetation are all good places to look. Often, the spots are small, so food sources are more limited, enough to support small groups of fish, but not massive ones. The food sources may also be different, walleyes here may be feeding on “adult” perch rather than tiny, minnow size ones. Crawfish, larger minnows and even insect larvae can add to the attracting power of these spots.

 Key water depths are 10 to 12 feet, somewhat deeper than the shallow shoreline areas that have been providing the hot action recently. But, don’t overlook shallower water either, there are isolated structures there too and they will also hold smaller schools from the strong 2018 year class.

 Jig and minnow presentations now make up the lion’s share of anglers’ offerings. While there are a handful of anglers trolling spinners or crankbaits, their numbers are declining by the day.

 A handful of jigs in the 1/16, 1/8 and ¼ ounce sizes will cover you for most situations. Tipping them with larger minnows, ones in the 3-to-4-inch range will increase your chances of success. Fatheads, golden shiners, spottails, rainbows and “river mix” minnows will all produce good results. Just remember that fall is feeding time for these fish and the best fish, want the best food, so avoid any minnow species when they are too small.

 Perch, many of quality size are on the prowl these days too! Vegetation over shallow flats is the structure to look for. Massive schools of baitfish, along with schools of small young of the year gamefish dominate the food sources, but there are perch feeding on insects and crawfish too. So be on the lookout for gravel patches that lay adjacent to vegetation, these will be “premium” perch locations.

 Small, 1/16-ounce jigs tipped with medium fatheads are perfect. When there are strong winds, switch over to 1/8-ounce jigs to help maintain better contact with your lure to improve your sense of feel.

Panfish, particularly crappies, have taken a back seat to the walleyes this fall. Aficionados though, are sneaking around and finding them in both shallow weed growth and “classic fall spots” over deeper, open water.

 Without a lot of firsthand information coming in, its hard to offer solid advice for crappie anglers. So, let’s just say that if crappies are your passion and you spend some time prowling around, you will likely find enough of them to keep you satisfied.

Image of Bowen Lodge facing Lake Winnie October 3, 2021

 With surface temperatures still holding steady in the middle 60s, classic fall migrations into Cutfoot Sioux have been slow to start. According to the calendar, our fishing season should be winding down now. But according to the weather, we could easily imagine seeing anglers on the lake for a couple more weeks as more fish begin to migrate in from the big lake.

A More Colorful (and active) Lake Winnie and Cutfoot Sioux! Fishing Report September 22, 2021

The scene at our marina gave a sneak preview of what was in store for us as we headed out onto Cutfoot Sioux and eventually, Lake Winnie. Fall colors setting in along the tree line, a bright blue September sky and puffy “cotton ball clouds”. Now, if the fish would just happen to be biting, we’d be tempted to call this place paradise.

The scene at Bowen Lodge Marina Tuesday September 2021

Paradise it is!

 Walleyes were on the prowl this Tuesday, even on the heels of a major line of thunderstorms blew through the region on Monday. We had to do a little searching to find the right spot, but once we were in ‘em, the classic shallow water, jig and minnow bite kept us busy for the whole afternoon.

 Surface water temperatures did not fall as much as we expected, even after the cold air that settled in after Monday’s heavy rain. In Cutfoot, 63 to 64 degrees was the range we observed and on the big lake, 62 to 63 degrees was more typical. Water clarity was still fairly low, we could not see the bottom in 5 feet. We’re not sure if this is due to an “algae bloom” that’s hanging on, or residual cloudiness caused by the turbulent weather. Either way, the murky water conditions encouraged walleyes to continue prowling the shallows.

Walleye action on Winnie is fast and the scenery is beautiful; Paradise It Is! Photo courtesy Kyle Reynolds.

Key depths range from 4 to 6 feet of water, but in calm areas, fish could be located deeper. Reports of catching walleyes in 10 to 16 feet of water are not uncommon, so if the wind dies, or you’re fishing on the calm side of the lake, don’t be afraid to experiment.

 Key structures include both vegetation and rocks. The hard bottom, gravel and rock patches in shallow water are best during windy periods. Deep rocks are a better choice when it’s calm and so is any good patch of cabbage, coontail or eelgrass; they will hold fish even under sunny skies and flat-water conditions.

 Key presentations continue to be jig and minnow, spinners, and crankbaits. But it is worth noting that some of our friends were on the lake this Tuesday and reported that this was the first fishing trip of the season that required only 1 rod per person. A 1/8-ounce jig, tipped with large fatheads caught walleye, perch, rock bass and pike all day long. There was never a time when the crew felt any temptation to vary, or experiment with alternate presentations.

 For the moment, most of the walleye action continues to be on Lake Winnie. But some of our guests are catching fish on Cutfoot as well. Knowing the reputation for fall walleye fishing that Cutfoot has, it’s obvious that the best is yet to come. But every day, there are a few more walleyes wandering in from Winnie, along with resident fish moving out to the edges of heavy vegetation as it begins to die off and thin out.

Some Winnie Walleyes from the 2018 year class are stretching their way toward 16 inches.

Walleyes from the 2019-year class, 12-1/2 to 13-1/2-inch fish, still dominate the action. But there are more and more fish from the also strong, 2018-year class showing up every day and the size is become highly desirable. In fact, anyone with an extended time frame could easily set a bottom end size for “keeper walleyes” at 15 inches. For folks who are on a day trip, or in a pinch for time, a 14-inch minimum would be more realistic and fairly easy to accomplish. But even they will find a smattering of the larger, 2018-year class fish in the mix. Over the past week, some examples were observed that came close to already reaching the 16-inch mark!

Every fall we see an uptick in the number of large fish caught during the harvest moon. Last week was no exception, large walleyes, large pike, and even larger perch were reported by both guests and some of the local guides. There will be another “big fish boom” down the line and some of the larger fish will continue to run even now. But we think that most folks should expect to see the sizes trending back toward smaller fish as the true, fall walleye migrations progress over the next week.

Panfish, as we reported last week have taken a back seat to the walleye fishing. But there are folks seeking out and catching both crappies and sunfish. As of last week, there were still a lot of panfish located in shallow water vegetation. As the cooling trend continues, there will almost certainly be an uptick in panfish action. We’ll focus more on that for the next report.

If you’re on the way to the lake for this weekend, you should arrive just in time for the peak of fall colors and if trends continue their present course, the peak of fall walleye fishing too! When you’re in the area, stop in and say hello.