That's when I think I'll be heading up. Would also like to do a day or so of laker fishing before the season closes (prob motorboat, after canoe trip. But I'd fish for walleye etc during canoe trip as well). I've been up there only a couple times in September, and fishing was slow at best.
Anybody have success around that time?

Where are you headed?

My last 2 trips have been in september both times the fishing may have been a little slow but we did catch fish and it seemed like the fish we did catch were quality fish. Both times were early sept. so I'm kinda interested in some of the answers you get because I'm headed up in late september this year also.

Zwater: "Where are you headed? "

Pretty open at this point, since permits appear plentiful. Mudro gets filled up much of the year, so maybe the lakes above there since it's available. I'd probably fish on Snowbank for lakers.

I wrote an article for the Boundary Waters Journal on this subject that should be in the next issue if it passes Stu's approval. You might be going before Sept. 21st? I'll send you an email.

QueticoMike: "I wrote an article for the Boundary Waters Journal on this subject that should be in the next issue if it passes Stu's approval. You might be going before Sept. 21st? I'll send you an email."

I'm going into Lake One up to Insula in mid september and am also very interested in your article! I've been in the BWCA twice before in Sept. and the fishing has been slow...

The Laker fishing can be awesome or very slow. Recent years the September temperatures have been warm,thus water temps very warm and Lakers may still be deep. it varies so much like fall does.

Pinetree: "The Laker fishing can be awesome or very slow. Recent years the September temperatures have been warm,thus water temps very warm and Lakers may still be deep. it varies so much like fall does."

+1. Exactly.
Talk to QueticoMike. He has tons of knowledge.

Evening walleye bite should be great up in shallower rock areas. Good luck!

Zwater: "

Pinetree: "The Laker fishing can be awesome or very slow. Recent years the September temperatures have been warm,thus water temps very warm and Lakers may still be deep. it varies so much like fall does."

+1. Exactly.
Talk to QueticoMike. He has tons of knowledge.


Evening walleye bite should be great up in shallower rock areas. Good luck!"

Here's a little snippet from my next article.......

If the water is still warm, the lake trout, which are actually freshwater char, will still be in the deeper range. Bigger lake trout are almost always found in the deeper water columns. A good time to start chasing these fish is at sunrise.
Start by trolling 3 ¼ inch hammered silver Dr. Spoons or 4 ½ inch nickel plated Dardevle spoons if looking for massive trout. Lake trout are attracted to the wobble of a good spoon. Fish suspend over deep basins in the morning and late afternoon, so try to target those areas in the 60 to 70 foot water range during those periods. They are typically chasing after one of their main prey, the cisco.
Main lake points and shore drop offs should also be productive during this early stage of the fall. Trolling Mann’s stretch GO2 lure in chrome blue or a Rapala deep tail dancer in the purpledescent color have been proven winners when it comes to trolling crankbaits. I try to let out about 150 feet of line before I start trolling to get the lures down to maximum depth.
Once you find good lake trout holding areas via trolling, then you need to start vertically jigging. The one oz. hair jigs, curly tail grubs or tube baits are good producing lures. White or black colors seem to work best while vertical jigging over a deep reef. I prefer to use white. You will need to lift the rod a little higher when jigging at extreme depths. Since you will be fishing so deep you probably won’t feel the hit itself as most of the strikes come during the drop. You will just feel a heavier weight on the line, when you do, set the hook as hard as you can.

Hey Mike! I'd like to read that article about September fishing, my email is batesy130@gmail thanks!!

Me too Mike....my email is dannan179@aol.com

ghostrider179: "Me too Mike....my email is dannan179@aol.com"

This article has not been published yet, not positive at this point if will be in the next Boundary Waters Journal or not. Are you a BWJ subscriber? You can call the BWJ and order the magazine when it comes out on Sept. 21st. Or if it is not published I will send it to you after Sept. 21st. If it is published and you did not purchase the magazine, I can send it to you after it has been circulated for a period of time.

I've found September fishing to be productive enough to still be a ball. My problem is that I struggle to not fish like it's June! We're smb folks, and I very consciously have to force myself to go a little deeper, and usually quite a bit slower to get bit.

Generally the fish will be deeper. Last Fall I caught most of my LT in 60' but I did catch one in 5'. That being said, I would start looking at 40'. For walleyes I would start at 30' and work my way shallower if unsuccessful.

ParkerMag: "I've found September fishing to be productive enough to still be a ball. My problem is that I struggle to not fish like it's June! We're smb folks, and I very consciously have to force myself to go a little deeper, and usually quite a bit slower to get bit."

+1

Deep tail dancers at max depth over the basins will produce. We always go once in late September. Fishing for trout has been decent, though deep.

Deep tail dancers at max depth over the basins will produce. We always go once in late September. Fishing for trout has been decent, though deep.