OK, don't get me wrong, I love being in the Q in any weather, but as a base camping fisherman, it looks like next week is shaping up like my trip last year - a blocking high pressure system that is nothing but blue, dry skies, warm temps, and light winds. And last year was very little fish activity.

I was grateful to be there with my son, but I have to admit that staring at a blue-bird lake all day got a bit....old. (Don't hate on me for this).

I'm a confidence sportsman, and I have it in my head that deer hunting and fishing is better under gray skies and marginal weather. Can't shake it.

Anyone else have those thoughts and how do you get over it? Yes, early morning, late evening, and finding the windy shorelines helps, but curious about your walleye/laker tactics in these conditions? And, yes, I know weather is unpredictable especially this far out. McAree/Minn, next week.

Anyone else share my thoughts?

I've always had my best Laker fishing on Sunny Blue bird days. I'll troll anything "flashy". Lakers can see that reflection/flash a long way and will chase. I like a deep diving Rapala silver/black. I suspect jigging would be similar.

I think walleyes you are generally right. But I've been surprised and wrong so many times on sunny days as well. My 2 30 inch walleyes have all bene caught on bright sunny days mid-day. I think the wind is more of a factor than a sunny day.




Sunny day Q Laker for my Dad






Blue bird day Q Walleye

Flashy is right. Spoons do great with trout where there is light to reflect. I like the blue and silver Little Cleo.

I'm more concerned about the phase of the moon. Full moon allows trout to be more active at night and feed less during the day, and new moon pushes them to feed during the day.

Walleye do like a little weather and moving water. If you don't have the weather, find some moving water.

jtcarn1: "OK, don't get me wrong, I love being in the Q in any weather, but as a base camping fisherman, it looks like next week is shaping up like my trip last year - a blocking high pressure system that is nothing but blue, dry skies, warm temps, and light winds. And last year was very little fish activity.

I was grateful to be there with my son, but I have to admit that staring at a blue-bird lake all day got a bit....old. (Don't hate on me for this)."

Dude, I've been constantly checking next week's weather myself, and I'm getting more and more pumped the closer we get. I'm thinking I can't believe my luck for my son's (7 y.o.) first trip. I'm a confidence fisherman myself....if the wind doesn't have me land locked, I'll be catching fish.

Invest in a fish finder if you don’t have one already - modified for a canoe. It will definitely pay off - find those deep walleye on mid-lake humps or the natural extension of island structure during those bright sunny days. Just because it’s sunny doesnt mean they aren’t hungry.

Hopefully you are past the spring turnover of those lakes.

I’ll add to the suggestions already given, find shade. On Lake Polly a few years ago we fished the shady side of the shore and the success was noticeable. Fish can use shade as a form of shelter.

Good luck on your trip.

You have no complaint
You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster, and listen up good
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood ~ John Prine

I'm looking at the weather and loving it. On the south shore of the big lake, we've hardly seen a 60 degree day. I'm ready for the sun and warmth.

I've spent many a long day not catching fish. Morning and evening bite are still there... and moving water is around.

Good luck!
Hex

I've had some of my best luck on sunny, still days. I had a 100 walleye day in the BWCA a handful of years ago on a 90 degree, still day about noon and beyond. The walleye were stacked in some weeds in about 8 feet of water early June.

Don't get me wrong, I catch fish on windy and cloudy days as well. But the main thing is just going out there and trying to find them regardless of the conditions. Plus, swims are more pleasant when it's warm! Although I bet the water is still pretty dang cold still currently.

jtcarn1: "OK, don't get me wrong, I love being in the Q in any weather, but as a base camping fisherman, it looks like next week is shaping up like my trip last year - a blocking high pressure system that is nothing but blue, dry skies, warm temps, and light winds. And last year was very little fish activity.

I was grateful to be there with my son, but I have to admit that staring at a blue-bird lake all day got a bit....old. (Don't hate on me for this).

I'm a confidence sportsman, and I have it in my head that deer hunting and fishing is better under gray skies and marginal weather. Can't shake it.

Anyone else have those thoughts and how do you get over it? Yes, early morning, late evening, and finding the windy shorelines helps, but curious about your walleye/laker tactics in these conditions? And, yes, I know weather is unpredictable especially this far out. McAree/Minn, next week.

Anyone else share my thoughts?"

I reckon that for 99.9% of all trippers this is the definition of looking a gift-horse in the mouth.

Argo: "I reckon that for 99.9% of all trippers this is the definition of looking a gift-horse in the mouth."

I take it more as asking for encouragement since his previous experience was disappointing. There's nothing wrong with identifying why you aren't feeling excited about something good and working through the issue.

Yep, definitely a bit of looking a gift horse in the mouth and being spoiled. But also looking for encouragement and tips as well, which I got. With this and an annual Florida trip being my only fishing (2 world-class fisheries), it becomes my primary focus on each trip. Add in that good fishing, not tripping, is what keeps my son engaged and excited, it becomes important. This probably puts more pressure on me, tbh.

Being able to get up there with no physical limitations (other than a sudden, new plantars wart that just popped up overnight ugh), and enjoy the trip with my son, and enjoy the obligatory golf round on the way (The Quarry), is the blessing.

Whether we're cursing a new limitation, the traffic on the way up, the forgotten "thing", the annoying jay, the non-stop rain, or, lol, the good weather, let's all have safe trips this summer and enjoy each of them in our unique ways.

I’m the same way at least partially as well. I update the weather forecast several times a day, even though my trip is still a week out. I get a little bummed when the weather isn’t close to my ideal, even though I know that even a rainy forecast usually means an hour or less of lost fishing and travel in a day, and that inclement weather usually makes for memories.

But then I get up there, and the beauty of it is I just deal with the conditions we’re dealt. Never had a bad trip, and I’ve had many excellent ones. Hot weather? Wade fish off shallower rocks. Cold weather? Enjoy the warmth of the fire and maybe an early afternoon extra coffee. Rain? Pancakes under the tarp. It’s always fun once I get up there!

A1t2o: "

Argo: "I reckon that for 99.9% of all trippers this is the definition of looking a gift-horse in the mouth."

I take it more as asking for encouragement since his previous experience was disappointing. There's nothing wrong with identifying why you aren't feeling excited about something good and working through the issue."

Everyone is entitled to their preferences. I'm not disputing nor criticizing that. I am simply stating what I believe is the obvious. If you surveyed 1000 canoe trippers what kind of weather they'd prefer, 999 would choose warm, sunny, calm weather.

Anecdotally, the worst fishing outcomes I've had on a trip were when the weather was the kind of foul conditions originally described. My absolute best walleye fishing experience was on Sturgeon Lake on a calm, hot, sunny July day.

My advice would be to rejoice in the gift of the forecast presented at the outset of this thread and prove the prevailing theories of ideal fishing conditions wrong. It's entire possible.