Fall Crappies at the NW Angle
Oct 16th, 2014 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Oct 16th, 2014 at 12:00 AM
by Joe Henry
There is a fall tradition for locals and a handful of visitors who aren’t hunting, that will change most angler’s perspective on big crappies. When the water begins to cool, the big black crappies who roam amongst the 14,552 islands of Lake of the Woods school up and are hungry. Often times, they are mixed in with walleyes and the result is some of the best fishing of the year.
The author with a typical big fall crappie. Around the many islands of the NW Angle and into Ontario waters, these slabs will stack up and often will mix in with walleyes for a fall fishing bonanza.
The depth ranges from 20 – 30 feet of water and knowing where there are some submerged trees certainly doesn’t hurt. Often times, the go to spots are a few miles into Canada. A good number of guests who travel to the NW Angle and stay at one of the dozen or so resorts will decide to fish the waters of Ontario as it’s only a stone’s throw from most resort docks and the license is reasonable.
The go to method is a jig and a minnow. Walleye tackle for these crappies will work just fine as the crappies often averaging between 12-14 inches with an occasional 15 inch trophy. These are monster fish that will certainly get your attention, and there a lot of them.
I spoke to a guide this week and in 2.5 hours, the group had 83 walleyes and about 2o big crappies. Check out this video of some of the action from this week.
Big Fall Crappies on Lake of the Woods
If you ever want to mix in some monster crappies along with a phenomenal walleye trip, try the NW Angle in the fall. Working with a guide who knows the fish patterns will certainly be your best bet, however, most resort owners are very willing to point you to some good spots. For more info on NW Angle resorts and some of the best crappie fishing there is, go to www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging or give Lake of the Woods Tourism a call at 1-800-382-FISH (3474).