Lake Winnibigoshish Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report July 19, 2022

Just at the point during mid-summer when you’d think the walleye fishing action SHOULD slow down, IT DOESN’T, at least that’s how it usually works on Lake Winnie!

Image of fishing guide Jared Saufferer (L) with customer and nice walleye double

Warm weather and sunshine have brought water temperatures up. Now in the 76-to-78-degree range, the lake has developed an algae bloom. Algae blooms are good for the lake in many ways, but for anglers, they help by reducing water clarity and that makes it easier to get close to walleyes during the daytime.

Surface water temperatures, in and of themselves are good for anglers too. The rising temperatures increase fish metabolism, encouraging them to feed both more heavily and more often. Trolling patterns, at increased speeds become effective, making it easier for folks to “cover territory”. Anytime you add a bit of wind and some cloud cover, the stage is set for much better daytime fishing.

Mid-summer conditions not only improve the prospects for better walleye fishing. But perch, sunfish, crappie, and bass action has heated up too.

Trolling patterns, particularly trolling with spinners has replaced the jig and minnow as the primary presentation. Moving at 1.1 to 1.4 MPH over shallow rocks, or along the grass lines in 5 to 8 feet of water will produce both walleye and perch on the big lake. Trolling spinners deeper, in water depths of 8 to 12 feet will produce a mixture of walleye, sunfish and crappie when targeting the vegetation in Cutfoot Sioux.
On deeper structure, use bottom bouncers or in-line weights to troll spinners while maintaining depth control. On mid lake structures like bars and humps, key depths are 16 to 22 feet. Over the flats, gravel, and rock stretches in water depths of 12 to 14 feet will produce fish too. When fishing the rocks, jig and minnow presentations will often produce, even during mid-summer, so don’t rule them out either.

Pike, especially large ones should begin moving toward shallow water soon. There are large schools of small fish showing up on the flats in water depths of 12 to 16 feet. As these schools of baitfish grow larger and become more concentrated, pike will find them. Some of the locals set their calendars for both full moon and new moon periods, but don’t be afraid to start experimenting now. Casting large spoons, bucktails and jerkbaits will produce consistently, so will large minnows like suckers, creek chubs and big golden shiners. Live bait can be fished under a slip float very effectively.

Sunfish are finding their way out to deeper vegetation and can be located using the spinners. It might be more efficient though to stop and “still-fish” once you’ve located them. On a recent outing, sunfish were located along the outer edges of a cabbage patch and caught by fishing vertically with a 1/8-ounce jig head, tipped with cut pieces of night crawlers or leeches. Orange, black, and dark green are good color choices for panfish.

Crappies are on the move, but still showing a preference for the early morning and late evening periods. Locating them by trolling spinners is good, but when they’re on the move, casting small jigs tipped with action tails is better. A 1/16-ounce jig tipped with a paddle tail, twister or shad imitation and cast into holes and pockets between cabbage plants is reliable. You’ll be surprised at how many other species of fish may you’ll catch at the same time; they are all susceptible to this presentation.

Yellow Perch are getting easier to find these days and some of them are attractive. Shallow rocks, combined with clam shells and light vegetation are holding them. Scattered packs of perch vary in both number and size structure, with fish ranging from 8 to 12 inches in length. It’s unlikely that you’ll catch limits, but trolling spinners over these shallow structures will produce enough quality size fish to make the pursuit worthwhile.

Bass fishing has heated up with warming water temperatures too. Most reliable locations are in bulrush patches and in dense patches of wild rice. Wacky rigged Senko style worms will produce at sunrise and so will top water baits like slop frogs. Typically, the topwater bite ends early, and by 9:00 AM, you’re better off with submerged presentations. In either type of cover, target the pockets and holes in vegetation using Texas rigged plastic worms or jig-and-pig, jig-and-plastics combinations.

July 1, 2022 Lake Winnibigoshish and Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report

Turbulent weather has kept fishing guests “on their toes”, particularly ones who love spending most of their time on the big lake. The pattern, if you want to call it that, has been to squeeze in a few hours of quality fishing time whenever the weather presents an opportunity.

Walleyes, still receiving the lion’s share of attention, are turning up in a wider variety of locations. There are still decent numbers of fish on mid-depth flats near Third River, Tamarack Bay and at the west side of Winnie. Key depths range from 10 to 14 feet on the flats where you’ll find scattered pods of walleyes feeding.

Mid-lake bars and humps are generating some attention mow too. Experienced anglers recognize walleye migrations following typical seasonal trends, starting on bars that connect directly to the shoreline, and then fanning out toward more isolated structures.

Key depths vary with weather conditions, sunshine forces fish deep, often found suspended out and away from the breaklines. Clouds, rain and a good chop encourages fish to move up onto the structure, typically holding at the upper edges and occasionally, onto to the tops of the sprawling bars. Fish found “on top”, in the 14-to-18-foot depth range will be active and feeding. Fish found in deeper water, 28 feet and deeper are frequently in a holding pattern, and they may or may not be feeding.

Vegetation, like cabbage beds are producing fish too, but have become increasingly difficult to locate. Some say it’s because of the Rusty Crawfish, an invasive species that decimates vegetation. Whether that is truly the cause of declines in plant life or not, know that when you do locate a good cabbage patch, you’ll likely find fish in it.

Presentations for catching walleyes include slip-floats, Lindy Rigging, jig and minnow, and trolling spinners. Anglers fishing during late evening and after dark, are trolling with crankbaits as well.

Cooler weather, combined with high water conditions are keeping the lake water both clear and relatively cold. Surface temperatures now oscillating between the high 60s and low 70s depending on the conditions of the day. Because the water is so clear, anglers have struggled on sunny days. Even during breezy conditions, anglers faced with sunshine and blue skies are advised to fish the early morning and late evening for better odds of success.

Northern Pike now found roaming the steep edges of mid-lake bars are striking large minnows. Trolling with live bait spinner rigs and suckers in the 6-to-10-inch size range will be productive. So will drift fishing using slip-floats to suspend the large minnows 3 to 4 feet above the bottom. To date, there is no evidence of significant pike activity in shallow water. That said, any premium cabbage bed or rock pile is usually worthy of a few casts using larger spinnerbaits, spoons, or large, shallow diving crankbaits.

Bass and panfish are on the prowl in shallow water. Bluegills have been fanning beds, and some of them are done spawning. Others. Interrupted by turbulent weather, are not finished with spawning. This makes locating them interesting, some are located in stands of bulrushes, others are on patches of gravel and some of them will be located in cabbage or other vegetation.

Casting small “spin-jigs” like a beetle spin or road runner will help locate fish. Once found, your presentation can be fine tuned to match the situation.

Don’t get caught off-guard by the game warden, Cutfoot and Little Cutfoot are part of the “Quality Sunfish Initiative” and have a 5 sunfish limit now. So be sure to keep close tabs on your fish count.

Perch fishing has been spotty. There are schools of nice ones located occasionally, but consistency is moderate at best. Soft bottom areas near deep structure, gravel patches and wild celery are key locations. Locating good food sources is key, but perch are very adaptable, so those sources vary. Insect hatches, particularly midge, will attract them. So will crawfish and larger schools of smaller, minnow size perch in the 1-1/2-to-3-inch range.

Once located, jig and minnow combinations or live bait rigs and minnow combinations will provide consistent action.

Lake Winnibigoshish Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report June 12, 2022

For a few weeks, there were a handful of “known walleye bites” occurring on the big lake. Over time, 3 or 4 of these community spots had provided most of the action and most of the fish harvested too. Now, our guests and fellow anglers are finding it easier to be more creative on both Lake Winnie and Cutfoot Sioux.

Phillip Sigfrinius with hefty Lake Winnie Walleye

Walleye migrations toward mid-lake structure have begun. In the early stages, shoreline related structure such the steep breaklines and long fingers that lead into the lake’s deepest water are the best producers. Some of the free-standing humps and bars are producing fish too, provided that they are located near shore, or near one of the prominent shoreline related bars.

Fish location varies from spot to spot, but generally, inside turns and soft points on the structures are holding the most fish. Long, straight stretches are producing few if any walleyes. The steep, straightaways do offer some opportunity for northern pike though. If you’re scanning the breakline with your electronics and spot singles on your screen, it’s likely that pike are the fish you’re observing.

Key depths vary from spot to spot also, but for the best action, 16 to 22 feet is the most reliable. You’ll spot fish deeper too, but these are typically less aggressive than their shallower counterparts. In most instances, the fish located in deeper water tend to be smaller too, especially when found in large schools. It seems that fish from the very strong, 2019-year class are banded together and are using the deeper water for either protection, of to capitalize on specialized feeding opportunities.

The 2019-year class, now 12-1/2 to 13-1/2-inch fish, if protected from harvest, will likely provide another great season in 2023. That’s another good reason, in our opinion, to hold off on targeting them until they have a chance to mature. The strong class of 2018 is well represented, and anglers have plenty of opportunity to harvest these fish which are now ranging in size from 15 to 17 inches. In our 2022 Fishing Season Outlook, we noted that Grand Rapids Area Fisheries Supervisor Dave Weitzel, told us that some of these 2018 fish may even reach the protected slot range, 18 to 23 inches, late this fall.

Surface water temperatures are warming, 65 degrees is a common reading on Winnie, 67 degrees can easily be found on Cutfoot. So, while jig and minnow combinations remain productive, anglers are getting more creative with walleye presentations now too. Lindy Rigging with lively leeches or larger size shiner minnows is effective. Slip bobbers, used to suspend a leech or ½ night crawler are also effective and there are a few anglers experimenting with spinners.

In shallow areas and back bays, vegetation is emerging quickly. Patches of eelgrass and cabbage have turned green and are beginning to produce a mixed bag of species. Perch, small pike, and walleye are most plentiful, but there are crappies sprinkled in now as well. Apparently, crappie spawning is either completed already, or possibly permanently disrupted by recent unsettled weather. Either way, the cabbage patch pattern will strengthen in upcoming days.

Last week we wrote, “Panfish anglers, expecting to find fish on shallow water spawning beds have been disappointed so far. But with water temperatures teetering on the verge of ideal range, it could change soon.” The change is occurring and both panfish and bass are showing up in shallow water. Targeting them responsibly is important, scientifically proven, protecting the lake’s largest sunfish will help assure healthy populations in the future.

Northern pike located in shallow water are primarily small right now. Anglers wishing to pursue larger pike should search the edges of steep breaking bars. On Saturday, one of the local guides reported catching numerous pike using Lindy Rigs tipped with larger minnows. “Big shiners, medium sucker minnows or large rainbows will all work. Use a fluorocarbon leader, 14-to-20-pound test, to protect against bite-offs,” he says.

Bowen Lodge Guide, Jared Saufferer

High water and cool temperatures have meant clear water, particularly on the big lake. Sunshine and calm seas combine to make fishing difficult during mid-day. When the forecast calls for sunshine, wake up early and fish the sunrise bite. If you’d rather sleep in, then pursue those fish inhabiting cabbage patches during the day, then move out to the open water walleye spots during the evening. When cloudy, breezy conditions arrive, your daytime opportunities will broaden significantly.

Lake Winnibigoshish Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report June 3, 2022

Since the beginning of the season, most of our guests have headed out to the big lake, taken a left, and worked Tamarack Bay’s most popular springtime locations. But this week, strong winds from the west have challenged anglers with that plan in mind, for those who can get where they’re going, walleye fishing has generally been good. But for the rest of us, Cutfoot Sioux has offered both protection from the elements and an opportunity for a more diversified creel.

 Water temperatures in Cutfoot are somewhat warmer than on Lake Winnie, 59 to 62 degrees in Cutfoot vs Winnie’s 57-to-59-degree readings. Water levels have receded a few inches, but are still unusually high, even for early season. The combination of high water and low temperature are holding fish back from some of the “summer peak” locations and patterns. But fish can be caught, provided anglers make adjustments tailored to the fishes’ activity levels.

 One of the keys to productive fishing on Cutfoot this week has been to fish during low-light periods. An early riser can catch both walleye and crappie, then return to the cabin for breakfast before most folks have started their fishing day. The evening feeding runs have also been productive. Again, both crappie and walleye cruise the shoreline where submerged vegetation is beginning to turn green. Key depths range from about 6 feet, down to as deep as 12 feet. During the twilight periods, fishing water deeper than that is usually unnecessary.

mixed bag meal of nice perch, crappie and walleye from Cutfoot Sioux

 For most folks, anchoring the boat and fishing with slip floats is the standard. A 1/16-to-1/8-ounce jig, tipped with small fatheads and suspended about 18 inches above bottom works well. Anglers who prefer a more “hands on” approach can use their electric trolling motors to creep along the weed edges. For walleyes, casting small jigs tipped with larger minnows makes the most sense. Action tails like twisters, shad bodies or split tails provide better results for crappies.

 Daytime anglers are beginning to find more perch of quality size. Spawned out by now, expect to find long-but-slender females mixed in with schools of smaller, often hungrier males. Numbers of good size fish, 10 to 12 inches, remain modest, but folks are getting enough to make the pursuit interesting.

 Prime perch locations for now, will be vegetation emerging in the shallows or over soft bottom flats or adjacent to deep structure. The depth range is all over the map, anywhere from 2 feet of water to as deep as 28 feet. That’s because most of the better perch seen caught this week have shown strong evidence that insects are the preferred food source over either minnows or crawfish. Insect hatches tend to hold perch in an area longer than minnows, so once located, your spot should be good for a few return visits.

 Use small jigs tipped with fatheads or leeches to trigger strikes. Plastic, perch imitating tails will produce too, so experiment them too.

 Walleye anglers who are fishing on the big lake have begun catching fish in a wider variety of locations. There are still healthy populations of fish on shoreline related breaks, the depth will vary with conditions. On windy days, 6 to 12 feet of water is productive. Calm waters send the fish deeper, 18 to 26 feet deep at the base of shoreline connected structures.

 Steep breaklines, like the ones found along the Mississippi River channel are holding fish, but those are overwhelmingly fish from Winnie’s strong 2019-year class. When you get into a school of 12-1/2 to 13-1/2 fish, it is unlikely that you’ll find good numbers of “keepers”.

 This spring, leaving the small fish behind and moving to another spot can pay off bigtime because another strong year class, 2018, features good numbers of fish that have matured. Some folks are setting a voluntary 15-inch minimum harvest size and having no problem bringing some fish home for the table. In fact, there are healthy numbers of 16 inch fish from that year class showing up too.

 For folks who enjoy catching photo and release size fish, some of the lakes larger, mid-lake bars are binning to produce now too. Insect hatches are the draw, so softer bottom areas located adjacent to structure will produce best. Most fish have not migrated to the center of the big lake, stick with deep water structure that is connected to the shoreline,

 For now, jig and minnow presentations continue to produce fish, even on the bars. But Lindy Rigging with leeches and night crawlers are gaining in popularity. As the weather warms, live bait rigs will become increasingly effective.

 Panfish anglers, expecting to find fish on shallow water spawning beds have been disappointed so far. But with water temperatures teetering on the verge of ideal range, it could change soon. Remember that panfish regulations have changed, Cutfoot and Little Cutfoot Sioux have been brought into “Minnesota’s Quality Sunfish Initiative.” It is scientifically proven that being protective of a lake’s largest sunfish helps guarantee that they will flourish. We’d love to see that for our lakes, and we hope you do too.

 If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by for a chat. Otherwise stay in touch, we’ll be back again next week with a fresh report.

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.