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09/29/2019 09:56AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Just got back from a base camp trip to Beaverhouse. The fishing was as slow as I have ever experienced in canoe country. It took me three days before I could find a single walleye! Fished all the typical spots that should have held fish and the only fish caught were a few small bass and the occasional small northern. It was pretty frustrating. On the fourth day, I found a few walleyes off a mid-lake reef in 40 feet of water. Well, at least I didn’t get skunked!
 
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mgraber
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09/29/2019 01:00PM  
Man, that really stinks! If walllee couldn't catch them, I doubt they were active. Fall Is definitely a fickle time for fish, it can be great or it can seem that they all died. I have a friend up there right now, hope he isn't in the same boat.
 
FlambeauForest
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09/29/2019 02:14PM  
Any chance you got a water temp?
 
missmolly
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09/29/2019 02:17PM  
You are a good fisherman, but an occasional humbling makes the sweet times even sweeter.
 
yogi59weedr
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09/29/2019 04:51PM  
Just went crappie fishing on my local hot spot. Nothing to go over there and catch 25 10 inchers. Fished 5 hrs and caught 1 keeper.....water was still 72°..
Fish less bear game today. Arugh.
 
09/29/2019 05:14PM  
FlambeauForest: "Any chance you got a water temp? "
It was 60 degrees on the surface according to my thermometer.
 
old_salt
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09/29/2019 07:14PM  
Sorry to hear about that. I thought everyone knew that there’s no fish in Beaverhouse. It’s all fished out.
 
09/29/2019 08:27PM  
old_salt: "Sorry to hear about that. I thought everyone knew that there’s no fish in Beaverhouse. It’s all fished out."
I think I agree ! Did net even see a fish jump or come to the surface. It was pretty weird.
 
AdamXChicago
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09/29/2019 08:38PM  
We got back a week ago and had the same results as you. That low pressure system just sat on top of Quetico for the better part of our trip. Nabbed a few walleye, but nowhere near the numbers from previous trips. Tried a couple of previously-successful spots (including base of Chatterton Falls), but very limited luck. Most fish spotted on the PiranhaMax were suspended over deep water. Funny thing was that we only caught a handful of smallies - usually we can't keep them off our Zman! Oh well...
Better luck next year Walllee!
 
09/30/2019 07:46AM  

They were in 40-60' last week in Quetico and Jean
 
09/30/2019 01:25PM  
Apart from brook trout fishing, fall has always been a tough time for me to catch many fish in lakes. Fall is when I head north of the border to fish Lake Superior rivers for steelhead and salmon. And then there is hunting...
 
FlambeauForest
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09/30/2019 02:46PM  
I see turnover and fishless nights trolling husky jerks in my future. Oh well.
 
Basspro69
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10/01/2019 07:38AM  
walllee: "
FlambeauForest: "Any chance you got a water temp? "
It was 60 degrees on the surface according to my thermometer."
The lake might have been going through fall turnover and if that’s the case fishing is extremely difficult until the water hits about 55 degrees and the Lake stabilizes.
 
10/01/2019 08:43AM  
Walllee did you try the Quetico river either where it enters or leaves Beaverhouse?
 
flynn
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10/01/2019 11:33AM  
Fishing was dead on West Pike this past weekend. I caught a single ~12" smallie on a 3/8oz white-chartreuse spinnerbait over the span of about 5-6 hours total of fishing from shore and in the canoe. Trip partner and I threw the kitchen sink. For bass, generally silver & white colored lipless & deep crankbaits, spinnerbaits, 3.8" Swing Impact Fats (on a swimbait head and as trailers), and jerkbait, along with red/craw colored squarebills and medium depth crankbaits, a couple medium sized topwater lures, a couple different Mepps #2-3 Aglias, a 1/4oz Texas rigged tube.... yeah I threw almost everything I brought at those fish. Caught the smallie after about 50 casts on the first day at camp, about 5 casts in with the spinnerbait, and thought "awesome, they're biting!". Then caught no more fish for the rest of the trip. This includes lakers which did not eat my purple Deep Tail Dancer or the shad colored deep 6th Sense crankbait my partner trolled, or the 3/4oz and 1 3/4oz UV silver and purple flutter spoons we blindly jigged across a few spots, or the 1/2oz chartreuse round jigheads with 4" white twister tails, or any of the lures I was throwing for bass (like a lipless or spinnerbait).

Didn't get a water temp but based on how cold my feet and hands got when I put them into the water, compared to mid-spring when I semi-froze my butt off this year, knowing that water was 52-55F, I'd say water this weekend was probably around 60F.

Was pretty bummed about it, partner too. But I knew to expect it to be either on or off. It was pretty off... oh well. 'til next year.
 
10/01/2019 12:12PM  
AmarilloJim: "Walllee did you try the Quetico river either where it enters or leaves Beaverhouse?"
I did not get down to the river, the wind was just to dangerous. The winds changed directions about every day, but they were strong and the big open water leading down there had 3 foot rollers almost the entire trip. The winds limited a lot of area for me. I was sure hoping to get down there.
 
flynn
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10/01/2019 12:39PM  
We had some wind this past trip that made fishing a little difficult, and we left a day early due to high winds, rain, and possible thunderstorms. We paddled West Pike and Clearwater with a 15mph E tailwind and big rollers. If the wind had been coming from any other direction, I wouldn't have wanted to be out there, but we made it safely, with the launching in broadside waves on West Pike as the worst part (and we did it without any water in the canoe!). At least Saturday had some sun so we weren't completely clouded out the whole trip.
 
ForestDuff
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10/01/2019 07:35PM  
Nothing will humble an experienced fisherman like a fall trip to the Bdub.
 
10/02/2019 07:32AM  

This is the set up I used. My wife had the same except hers was a Purpledescent. We probably caught 20-30 fish each over the week. Mostly LT but some good walleye in with them at dawn and dusk. Generally contour trolled 50-60' but occasionally lifted them higher 10-15' in the water column if bait and fish were seen suspended.
 
10/06/2019 06:46AM  
I feel your pain!!!
 
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