It certainly has been beautiful out there. The great thing about fall is the wonderful color. The bad thing is the color doesn’t last long enough. 

The warm weather we’ve had has actually raised the water temperatures on some lakes. The lakes range from 64 to 70 degrees. 

A number of smaller lakes have completed the turnover process and it may happen again if we experience a hard cold front. As it cools now, if your lake is green, that’s turnover. The big clear lakes like North Twin will turn dark also during this event. Fishing is generally difficult during turnover, but can be excellent afterward, especially for walleyes and muskies.

Walleye fishing is good right now. The fish are moving deeper. On the Chain, look for fish in the 15- to 18-foot range as they near the holes, which are now worth fishing. Jigs and minnows are the best bait now. Use a one-eighth-ounce jig unless it’s windy. There are good quantities of fish in these areas and a few nicer fish are being caught. The deeper lakes also are featuring fish going deeper. There, fish can go as deep as 35 feet. One place to check out on these lakes, especially in the evening, is deep rock bars.

Muskie fishing has been very good lately, with good numbers of fish reported on the Eagle River and Three Lakes chains, but very shallow in the slop with this warm weather. Some very nice fish have been caught in the area with suckers lately. The great fishing is coming with a temperature drop and it will result in the best fishing of the year for the big ones.

Bass are still hitting with smallies being very active in deeper water. Jigs and minnows or paddle tails will give you good results. It has been a great year for these fish and hopefully this trend will continue for a while. Largemouths are slowing down as the water temps drop and are still using cover, but deeper. Sunny days, you can find them under piers. Wacky Worms are still best when the largemouths are shallow.

Northerns are hitting well in the weeds. Try some Mepps No. 3 for best results or sucker minnows under slip bobbers at different depths as live bait.

Panfish activity has slowed. There are some perch anglers fishing in the weeds and crappie anglers over the cribs, but that’s about it.

Get out there; it might be the last cruise this week!

Good luck and good fishin’.