A Gradual shift to Fall:
Most years, we are just starting to see the first shades of yellow in the trees closest to shore. It hasn’t happened yet, but the shadows are long on my boat slip when I get to the dock at 6 and it is pitch dark at 9:00 P.M. The weather still feels like summer, but the walleyes are starting to make some moves that feel more like Fall.
The guide crew worked hard again this week. Main lake sand structures were finally holding a few more walleyes with some consistency. There were walleyes caught on main lake rock in 35 ft. while other guide boats were catching them from “off the main lake rock” in 12 – 18 ft. of water.
There were hot spells and very quiet spells. As a guide, I can tell you that it is frustrating to smash them on a spot one day and go back to find not a single walleye the next day. From top to bottom, every single member of our guide crew had some really good results this past week combined with some less than stellar ones. The walleyes were spread out; they were deep, shallow, on rock, on sand, and everywhere in between. When the weather was warm and when there was no wind, the walleyes were less inclined to eat. We used every trick in the book to coerce a bite: we pulled big gulp at speed for a reaction bite, we used drop shots vertically, we long lined 1/4s and floated them over mid depth zones for slightly suspended fish, we fished Ned rigs and plastics, and we used spot and stalk to locate fish on the flats.
At round table this week, I rarely heard a guide hitting a spot and catching 30 sheet fish. Instead, it was a long list of locations hit for 1 – 8 sheet fish per spot. Despite the challenging bite, the overall production was very good. For the week, we caught and released 49 walleyes over 27 in., including 7 – 28s, 1 – 29, and 1 – 30. The guide sheets averaged 35 walleyes over 18 in. per boat per day, but the highest daily total was 81.
There was much less effort applied to chasing pike this week compared to last. There were 7 over 37 in. boated, including 2 – 39s and 2 – 40s. Again, spoons and weeds near deep water.
The Take Away:
This is my last fishing report of the year. It is absolutely astounding to me that it is time for me to shift gears to whitetails, but the calendar doesn’t lie.
A change of seasons for me is a time to reflect.
2024 was a different year. Demand for spots is through the roof and I am worried about finding spots for our groups on the waiting list. My brother talked to Missy last night and asked for a spot and I don’t have one.
For all the groups that have been consistently checking in with us, I encourage you to continue. There will be a few cancellations, and if your details match, it may work out. January and February are the time frame when most changes happen. Please check in with me then. I do not want to anti-market, but I do feel a responsibility to manage expectations. I will do my best.
Over the course of this summer, I have mentioned the quality of our current guide staff a few times.
This is the best total guide staff that Silver Water Wheel has ever had. Our first-year guides: Noah, Colin, Madi, and Nick have been outstanding. We didn’t have any departures this summer, so our first-year guides were available to cover change over days for senior guides. It was a win/win. I was able to give my senior guides a break and introduce my first-year guides to my return guests. At the same time, Tyler, Curtis, Brody, Justin, Carson, and Josh all stepped up their game and aggressively learned new spots on the lake to the point that they kept me on my toes. And my senior guides are without equal. Brett, Brandon, Orrin, Andrew, Jason, Nathan, and Michaela are the backbone of our guiding program. They not only led by example, taught the new guides the ropes, but they were the first to stick their necks out and gamble on new spots. I cannot over emphasize how hard it is to intentionally drive by known grade A spots with guests in the boat to gamble on a new one. These guides are fearless, and I love working with them.
The benchmark has been set high for next year and I look forward to it!
MW
Out.
