If fall algae blooms in your lake, the fishing can still be great.

Many lakes throughout the nation are experiencing seasonal peak algae blooms proper now, like our Lake of the Woods dwelling water. It was flat as a pancake the opposite day—a rarity up to now throughout this windy autumn—and if you happened to seem on the water from a distance, you’d have thought it was inexperienced paint. And if you happen to have by no means fished it earlier, you’d have thought your possibilities of a walleye, bass, or different fish seeing your lure within the water would vary between zero and none.

Now, this a necessary level of clarification: We’re not speaking about lakes that, for no matter motive could also be experiencing an algae bloom for the very first time, because of contamination, for instance, or another distinctive issue. As a substitute, we’re referring to productive lakes, like Lake of the Woods, which have blossomed an inexperienced velvet hue for hundreds of years. As a matter of truth, when early explorer La Vérendrye and his sons paddled down Wet River within the mid-1700s, and laid eyes on Lake of the Woods for the very first time, he wrote in his diary {that a} frog may cross from one aspect to the opposite and never get its toes moist. So, these large algae blooms are completely pure seasonal occasions that were occurring because the lake was shaped.

This distinction is necessary as a result of the walleyes and smallmouth bass that we had been fishing for the opposite day additionally view it as a completely pure incidence. It’s one thing they’ve developed to include in their seasonal habits and habitat.  This brings us to a different crucial level: the algae freaks out anglers way more than it does the fish.

We’ve had first-time guests take a look at the water, for instance, and instantly dig out outrageously colored tender plastics to tip their jigs. Nonetheless, others have stuffed rattles, blades, propellers, and different assorted noise makers into their lures. After we’ve stopped chuckling, and asked them what they had been doing, the reply has been universally the identical: “We’re serving to the fish discover our baits.”

Actually?!!

We had a terrific afternoon the opposite day catching walleyes and bass, from as shallow as 10 toes, to as deep as 25 toes. We had been utilizing the identical VMC tungsten jigs and Crush Metropolis Smooth plastics that we’ve been utilizing all summer season, earlier than the algae bloom. We even caught several inexperienced pumpkin Ned BLTs that completely matched the color of the water. Plus we bought some suspended smallmouth chasing ciscoes amid the paint by calling them over to our jerk baits.

Perceive what we’re saying? On these lakes that traditionally expertise algae blooms in the late summer season/early autumn, the fish don’t get freaked out by the watercolor—they go away that as much as the anglers. We stick our palms within the water, lose sight of our fingertips earlier than our wrists are barely moist, and assume the fish can’t see. However, we’re not fish.

For certain, the walleyes and bass adapt to the stained circumstances, however paradoxically, lots of the issues they do—resembling come up shallower on constructions and feed at excessive midday on sunny days, as a result of they feel safe within the darker water— helps us find and catch them simpler. And once we do, it’s apparent from their bulging bellies and spunky fights that they’re something however malnourished.

Right here’s one thing else we’ve seen through the years: While you go to the acute and over-compensate, attempting to “assist the fish see and listen to your baits,” by utilizing noisy and garishly colored lures, you usually spook them and put them on guard.

So, dip simply the tip of your tender plastic into chartreuse dye if you are so inclined, use a barely bigger blade, or change from a willow-leaf to a Colorado spinner for a contact extra thump. However, remember that the algae freaks you out more than the fish. At that time, hop into the boat with us just about, hit the hyperlink under, and see for yourself how inexperienced the lake seemed the opposite day, and the way the fish responded.     

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