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by: Russ Warye Wow... What a year! 2008 will be remembered by Witch Bay guests as a summer of incredible success. Everyone got in on the superb action ?? from our first time guests to devoted friends who return to Witch Bay Camp year after year, often more than one trip. Stable water levels and a season of reasonably stable weather created a good foundation for success. High water is always a plus over those occasional years of low levels. However, the fish have to be there?and there was no doubt of this fact as recent walleye year classes headline and dominate the Lake of the Woods ecosystem. Additionally, smallmouth bass were great in June and July and continued to display excellent catches through August and September. Muskie were slowed by cool water readings in late June and July but the dramatic turnaround began in August and continued until camp closed in late September. Northern pike continued to achieve trophy sizes with huge numbers 30 inches and larger recorded daily on the Bragging Board. And finally, let??s not forget the yellow perch bonanza, as at times it was the talk of the docks when anglers proudly displayed ??jumbos? in the 11 to 14 inch bracket. Water temperature were cooler than typically seen, remaining in the high 60??s throughout June and most of July. These steady readings had a positive impact on much of the fishery ?? including walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike. Water clarity for the second year in a row was excellent, which allows fish to see and strike our presentations. However, weed growth was different as growth rates were clearly slowed in June forcing fishermen to make adjustments in location. Remember that weedlines can vary dramatically from season to season as they are influenced by a number of factors ?? water temperature, sunny days, rusty crayfish populations, etc. Finally, the successes of recent years could only have occurred with a changing angler ethic coupled with progressive management. The last decade of larger and/or slot size limits, reduced harvest and angler catch-and-release have created a premier multi-species fishing destination? Lake of the Woods today. GREAT WALLEYE SUCCESS Steady weather is always a harbinger of good fishing?and 2008 was no exception to this tradition. Shallow water fish were cooperative in Witch Bay for most of June and July. And mid-lake structures in main lake basins dominated walleye catches by mid-June ?? submerged points, saddles, humps, bars, narrows and inside turns. Small structure elements were often significant at times no more than a bottom transition from mud to sand or gravel. Submerged rock points yielded large fish on windy days ?? the classic windblown elements. The July crankbait pattern was sporadic at best, probably due to cooler than normal water temps. However, we saw a few magic moments when large crankbaits ?? six and seven inch Grandmas and Jakes worked on windblown island shorelines and rock points yielded huge fish. Walleye presentations were dominated by jig offerings and bottom bouncing jigs and live bait or plastic combos had a hot year, dominating walleye catches for many days during the season. This success was due to the fish themselves, as they tended to group tight on small structures on many days making them vulnerable to vertical presentations. Plastics were important this year and at times made live bait unnecessary. A special mention has to be made for Berkley??s Gulp Alive as its effectiveness was superb in June and July, especially the minnows and leech offerings. Also in following with the Lake of the Woods tradition jigs colors seemed to favor gold, silver, pink and orange patterns. As an aside the pink effectiveness has been reported in leading fishing magazines including the In-Fisherman. Fish producing depths remained surprisingly consistent for the whole season with 16 to 28 feet a key range for vertical and bottom bouncing efforts. The weed bite ?? when active ?? occurred shallower, typically at the weedline edge at 9 to 11 feet. This is the depth the Witch Bay area as it is the limit of light penetration. The weedline bite turned on during evening hours for most of June and July. Bottom bouncing was effective in July and August on days when fish were more scattered on mid-lake structures. Both live nightcrawlers and plastic works (Berkley, Zoom, and Exude) were effective on the bouncers. Of interest, a few of the guests used slip bobbers with incredible success, often choosing the perfect conditions for this famous Wisconsin and Minnesota presentation. Wind and fish location are the keys to success for this presentation that required patience. Trolling crankbaits (usually Shad Raps) on the flat lines continued to produce during the evening hours around camp when boats worked depths of 14 to 18 feet. Walleye locations were consistent with past seasons although August and September fish tended to move to fall regions, especially channels, narrows and inside turns. As always fish location from May to September was keyed to forage availability. By late July anglers were remarking on vast schools of young-of-the-year minnows and fingerlings, but the walleye kept biting. 2008 was the year of the walleye, at least as far as numbers were concerned. Thousands of fish in the 16-to-22 inch size kept Witch Bay guests catching and releasing. Trophies up to 31 inches were caught but fish 24 inches and larger may have been slightly down. Everyone remarked on the health of the fish. Fishery biologists use the term ??condition? to describe the observable health of surveyed fish. Witch Bay walleye are robust and display excellent girth, often having anglers remark on how these fish have ??real shoulders? on them. Lake of the Woods fish continue to display what a superb forage base will create. Shiner and minnow species, juvenile yellow perch, crayfish, and a rich variety of invertebrates (mayflies, for example) drive growth rates and body condition. AGAIN... ANOTHER TROPHY PIKE SEASON... Larger fish continued to reward Witch Bay guests as pike are establishing a new tradition of trophy sizes. Size ranges of 36 to 42 inches often displayed exceptional girths are were heavy for their length. Cooler water kept them readily available to casting or tolled presentation, including spinnerbaits (tandem blades), inline spinners (Mepps No. 5 Musky Killers), minnowbaits (Husky Jerks, Red Fins, Rogues, etc.) and large jigs/plastic combinations. The newer swimbaits at times produced larger fish. Muskie-sized lures were quite effective including (Mepps Marabous, Showgirls, Cowgirls), crankbaits in the Grandma, Jake, and S.S Shad styles, and surprisingly muskie topwater selections, especially in the Top Raider tradition. Don??t overlook larger buzzbaits with silver or gold blades, dressed with a white or chartreuse skirt. Color selections remained with the tried and true ?? gold, silver, copper, and perch to orange for spinner/bucktail selection as well as crankbaits and minnowbaits. With water temperatures avoiding the usual ??dog day? readings in the high 70??s, pike remained relatively shallow on rock shorelines, mid-lake humps, and deep weedlines. As previously noted, adult pike will seek cooler water regimes if the surface readings reach the mid-70??s and higher. Cooler water means big fish are willing to remain fairly shallow... and in reach of our presentations, rather than retreating to depths of 20 feet or more. Northern pike numbers appeared to have changed in recent years with more fish moving in the slot size and larger ranges. Reduced weedlines make smaller pike more difficult to find... at times. However, the Bragging Board numbers appeared to increase over 2007, which was a record setting year. Clearly, the sloth size coupled with a growing catch-and-release ethic on larger fish is responsible for today??s trophies. One final note, Lake of the Woods provides incredible growth rates as today??s 36-inch pike may be next year??s 40-inch class fish. SUPERB SMALLMOUTH BASS FISHING ACTION... It is expected that June and July are the action months. The June closure allows spawning fish to complete nesting without harvest occurring, which continues to improve bronzeback numbers. The spring and early summer fishing was excellent and for the second year in a row, August and September results were excellent and for the second year in a row, August and September results were excellent, and often surprising anglers focused on walleye. Larger average sizes were the norm this year... again an excellent indicator for coming seasons. Keep in mind that larger fish are old, as Ontario studies have confirmed that a 16-inch smallmouth is 12 years old in Lake of the Woods. A combination of short growing season and crayfish forage base accounts for the slowed growth rates. Topwater action was fantastic in May and June, especially during those magic evening hours before sunset. Zara Spooks, Pop-R styles, Skitter Pops, and traditional Tiny Torpedoes took numbers of fish. ??Twitching? floating minnows in the Rapala tradition remains one of the most enjoyable presentations for taking fish. Just remember the old rule??don??t set the hook until you feel the weight of the fish. Plastics were effective and ranged from 4-and-5 inch curl-tailed worms to tubes, grubs, and swimbaits. Crankbaits were deadly on rocky shorelines and points. Shad Raps, Grappler Shads, Minnow Raps, X-Raps and others took fish with minnow and crafish-color patterns productive. Spinnerbaits, in-line spinners (Mepps No. 3??s and 4??s), and beetle-Spin styles were superb, especially under cloudy skies. Significant numbers of 15-to-17 inch fish were registered on the Bragging Board. Trophies in the 18-inch and larger range were exciting and seemed to hit artificial and live bait presentations all season. The forage (shiner) pattern also held true. If you find large numbers of shiners schooled on the shorelines, the smallmouth will be there, and you could be in for exciting fishing. Always look for telltale signs of forage ?? swirling or splashing the surface. Although smallies made their traditional late summer move away from shorelines, the numbers encountered on offshore structure elements was excited. In August and September, humps, narrows, saddles, and submerged points yielded fish, especially in depths of 16 to 32 feet. MUSKIE WAITED FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER Lake of the Woods muskie demonstrated their unique challenge for most of late June and July by refusing to strike but showing themselves, often repeatedly. Stories were told virtually everyday of big fish following close to the lure, sometimes even nipping at it, but all without striking. More frustration set in as walleye and bass anglers seemed to report daily about big fish either following their hooked fish or actually hit them, swimming around with the hooked fish for awhile before dropping them, often at the side of the boat. Cool water temperatures were the apparent cause ?? but who really knows when it comes to this frustrating and challenging species. It wasn??t until the second week of August that water readings remained consistently in the low 70??s and things started to happen. Throughout the muskie world, 2008 will be remembered as the year of the large bucktail... the Cowgirl phenomenon. And like other famed muskie destinations, Lake of the Woods was no different. Cowgirls and other large bucktails (especially Mepps Marabous) in the same style clearly dominated the catches, although muskie topwaters, especially Top Raider styles were very productive on dark, cloudy days and evening hours. Spinnerbaits are always recommended and baits in the M&G and Marv??s styles took fish. S.S Shads and Grandma baits were effective and had success as change-up baits after a follow had occurred on a topwater or bucktail. Weighted Suicks (9-inch size) were reliable late in the season with the sloed rise of the lure triggering strikes. Weighted Reef Hawgs were yet another excellent jerkbait offering and Bull Dawgs and some of the newer swimbaits took several trophy fish. Both structure and cover elements were important ?? rocks and weedlines. However, fish were reported early on, after the 3rd Saturday in June opener, while working rocks, submerged points, saddles, and small humps. Weed bays were important with the better fish caught off the deepest weedline edge. And the all-important rock-weed combinations were important throughout the season, even into September. Weather makes an incredible difference. One 8-day period of occasional showers and moderate winds yielded excellent muskie action with upwards of 28 fish boated, including 18 in one boat alone. When the frontal activity ceased and bright sunshine dominated muskie action ceased?at least for a couple of days. Generally superb trophies were caught and released in the late August through early September timeframe with fish up to 51 inches and 25-inch girths caught and photographed. The clear water in early summer remained and largely free of algae blooms that often are a factor during the late summer-early fall period. The muskie areas in the Witch Bay area displayed good clarity throughout the entire season. As said previously and in seminars the author gives in the Midwest, the Witch bay area remains ??undiscovered? water when compared to other famed regions of Lake of the Woods popularity worked by muskie men and women. WHERE ARE THE PERCH? The recent popularity of yellow perch was seen by newly arrived guests asking the staff ??where are the perch biting?? This rather new phenomena explains the surge in popularity of this delicious species. And as seen in the last five or six years, large fish have become available in growing numbers. Most often walleye anglers encounter these moving schools so the answer largely remains ??wherever you find them?. Those fish caught today on a particular weedline or structure are often gone the next day. Keep walleye in mind because most often we see them mixed in with walleye schools, feeding on the same forage of crayfish and invertebrates. Look to humps, reefs, and mid-basin mud flats for action. Don??t miss the basin edges next to a sharp drop-off. Jigs and live bait or plastics are clearly the top presentation. Nightcrawlers, small leeches and minnows are productive, but be prepared to tip the jig with a small orange or brown grub or Twister, as an alternative offering. Typically jig sizes are 1/16 or 1/8 ounce. Pay attention to the livewell because a fish or two placed there will let you know on the favored forage as typically regurgitation yields small crayfish and small grey leeches, grubbed from the bottom. AND LET??S MAKE THE CALL Lake of the Woods is one of the premier destinations in North America. The variety of gamefish coupled with a rich and diverse forage base that results in great growth rates makes this fishery superb. Make this the year to discover the Witch Bay difference ?? a pledge made by Gail and Steve and backed up by a knowledgeable staff and dedicated anglers devoted to making your Canadian fishing experience a lifetime memory. The fish will be there for you. Let??s go fishing!
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