I'll be in the boundary waters the last week of Sept- first week in Oct. Getting my tackle sorted and wanted to see what folks would add or take away. Still have a few items to get: few slip bobbers, steel leaders, split shot, a few spoons, few lindy rigs, and worm hooks.

Not pictured: Pliers, filet knife, stringer.

Thanks for the input!

I would add some jig spinners from slayer bait co to add to your jig heads and swim baits.

I also will no longer enter canoe country without chatterbaits with a big bite warmouth trailer rigged sideways. I believe a guy could use that one lure and use it any time of year and have a good trip.......it's that effective and that versatile.

A few further thoughts......late fall is when pike put out the feedbag and might be a " best bet". A large Williams Whitefish spoon with a white curly trail trailer might make a fair Cisco substitute. Large pike might not be found in traditional haunts but rather where lake trout, ciscos and other like minded fall spawners congregate.

Which brings up another subject......lake trout. If the timing is right you might get into the fishing of your life. Lake trout gather to spawn in the fall over rocky rubble reefs and the fishing can be amazing. I have not experienced this but a good friend has a video of 30 drops and 30 fish using a white curly tail on lake X in the quetico. Be careful on offshore reefs during the fall! Weather can come up very abruptly!

quote mastertangler: "A few further thoughts......late fall is when pike put out the feedbag and might be a " best bet". A large Williams Whitefish spoon with a white curly trail trailer might make a fair Cisco substitute. Large pike might not be found in traditional haunts but rather where lake trout, ciscos and other like minded fall spawners congregate.


Which brings up another subject......lake trout. If the timing is right you might get into the fishing of your life. Lake trout gather to spawn in the fall over rocky rubble reefs and the fishing can be amazing. I have not experienced this but a good friend has a video of 30 drops and 30 fish using a white curly tail on lake X in the quetico. Be careful on offshore reefs during the fall! Weather can come up very abruptly!"

Thanks Master! I've never hooked a lake trout so that's definitely on my list. I need to double check but I think trout fishing is cutoff on Sept 30th...? So I'll at least get a few days to try.

Spinners, slip bobbers, split shot, Leeches of course.

Lots of fish will be in the 20-40' depth range that time of year.

Welcome to the forum!

Don't use steel leaders, get some titanium leaders. I know they cost more, but are worth it. They are thinner, stronger, more durable, don't kink like steel, and last forever it you don't snag it somewhere. Don't waste your money on steel leaders.

You've now read my article Grand Slam Lures, so you know what I would suggest.

quote mastertangler: "A few further thoughts......late fall is when pike put out the feedbag and might be a " best bet". A large Williams Whitefish spoon with a white curly trail trailer might make a fair Cisco substitute. Large pike might not be found in traditional haunts but rather where lake trout, ciscos and other like minded fall spawners congregate.


Which brings up another subject......lake trout. If the timing is right you might get into the fishing of your life. Lake trout gather to spawn in the fall over rocky rubble reefs and the fishing can be amazing. I have not experienced this but a good friend has a video of 30 drops and 30 fish using a white curly tail on lake X in the quetico. Be careful on offshore reefs during the fall! Weather can come up very abruptly!"

Any color of the Williams Whitefish spoon that you like better? Will have a red/white and fire tiger daredevel spoon.

titanium it is! Thanks for the heads up.

Go 1/2 gold, 1/2 silver........Add a 3" white curly tail onto one of the tines of the treble. Just hook it through the head as opposed to threading it on.

Daredevils are fine lures but the bigger ones need a stout set up to sink those thick hooks home. I always hand sharpen daredevil hooks. Think diamond pattern and use a file. Hold the hook in place with channel locks. Create 4 cutting surfaces. Do not get the point so sharp that it becomes weak and breaks.

The whitefish spoon has a black nickel treble which sets rather easily.

As per the lakers......they are thinking about spawning and are getting grouped together. Think reef with lots of rubble or flats with rubble (the eggs need protection). Use a brightly colored X-rap for the flats and a white curly tail jig on the reefs. Fish quickly and move often......they will bite if you find them. There will be lots of dead water so you must be persistent.

My experience the last few years has been that the LT are still deep in late September. We have had success trolling 25-30. We have been just late September though. This year I will be up until the 6th of October though so maybe I will see that late pattern. Looking forward to it... Good luck yourself!

After your trip, remember what caught fish, what didn't....remember when, and where, time of day. Let that knowledge influence what you take NEXT year.

We did that a couple dozen times, and settled on only 3 cranks that consistently caught fish(for us), year after year....and of course some jigheads and curly tails, paddle tails and tubes. 'Course, gotta allow for an experimental lure every year!!