Is anybody having any luck? Was out there 2 weeks ago and caught a 42.5". I haven't been out since and was wondering if there still moving? Thanks in advance

Got a 43 on Sunday. Also had a bunch of follows and a couple near hook-ups, one bulging the surface on a bucktail in the shallows and another just missing my lure at boatside. It was a good day.

Thanks for the info. I will post the results.

Been fishing WBL the past 4 saturday mornings with nothing but 1 or 2 follows a morning. Good size fish but I cant get them to bite. I've been mainly fishing the deep weedlines 12-14 fow throwing everything in my box. Most of the follows are on bucktails. Do they move into the shallow water after turnover?

The muskies WERE mainly in the shallows from Labor Day until water temps are where they are now, around 55, at least in my experience out there. During turnover, the fish can be found shallow and deep. Mark your temps as you go. Mahtomedi and Dellwood sides have been around 3 degrees warmer than the shallower basin.
WBL has a lot of milfoil and gravel. I look for green weeds that grow on either side on the milfoil weedlines. Try mixing your depth and structure together and fish in and out of the wind until you find an interested fish. Keep on the working pattern until that doesn't produce.
I'm the first one at the boat launch most days I go out there. From sunrise to about 9am you can get action from 3-6 fish in that short time. Lately, it has been a little slower for me.

Has anyone been doing well pounding the deep weeds? I see tons of guys throwing bucktails and big wood all day long. I can't say I've seen them landing any fish though.

A couple weeks ago right before sun down I witnessed a guy who was walleye fishing trolling shad raps in 20 feet land a 40" muskie. I was casting in 14 feet on the same point with nothing. I only had one follow that night in another spot in about 10 feet over the top of weeds. Any suggestions on getting them to commit.

Be there during low-light hours and they are more agressive. Cloudy/rainy/windy days help keep your cover and will help your chances there greatly with the clear water. It hasn't been super windy and cold together yet. I would get a jump on that storm front when it comes for better fishing.

Was out Saturday morning with 2 follows in 10-12 feet on shad raps erratically twitching them on the retrieve. One on a fire tiger and the other on cisco. They came with in 30 min. of each other on the same shoreline well after dawn. Went out Sunday morning with one small follow on a bucktail. That was it! I've been spending most of my time in 10-14 feet of water fishing weeds. About 8 hours on the water this weekend and only 3 follows. Its a little disheartening but I know I need to just keep getting out there. I know WBL is a heavily pressured lake but this is supposed to be when they are the most aggressive. I've only got one this fall (32.5") This is my first year fishing skies so I'm still learning. I figure I should try to learn one lake before venturing off to others, WBL is the closest quality lake to me so I've been spending all fall out there. Thanks for the tips SSMinner. I see your postings on the muskie forum from time to time.

Good to hear someone is seeing fish out deeper!

You're right, just keep pounding the same water until it hurts. This is my 4th year spending time there and years 3 and 4 have been best. It's a big enough lake where it takes a variety of weather and a lot of time to fish ALL the spots.

I haven't been out for 10 days or so. Maybe later this week I'll make it. Did you happen to mark any water temps and if so where were you when you got them? Anything else changing out there?

was out Saturday for about 5 hours, moved lots of fish on the deep edges, as well as the clumpy stuff near the outer edge. seemed like the more erratic the better with the hellhound getting most of the decent action, also had a few pretty interested lookers on the dawg, one cast where two fish followed. alot of these fish are hanging around FOREVER but not chomping with the exception of two high 30s fish. i did not have any shallow action. most fish came off inside turns. overall pretty entertaining for not boating a decent fish. those fish are really stacked up on some of the spots.

will be relocating next season and living pretty close to WBL, I've been out two times this year scouting, sure seems like there's alot of fish to be had there and plenty of spots. looking forward to fishing it more next year, kind of like a small version of tonka.

I think I marked around 56 degrees near the end of the big penninsula. Funny, near the public landing it was 54. Do you suppose that is cause of the turnover, plus its shallower on that end?
When you guys are saying "deep edges", how deep is that? I know some say they don't fish any shallower than 20 feet in the fall. Like I said I've been sticking with 10-14 feet sometimes going out to 20 feet and as shallow as 4 feet. 14 feet seems to be the defined weed edge on the shorelines I'm fishing. How shallow would be appropiate, am I wasting my time going shallow?

deep edges is the weededge - 14 feet or so out there usually? if you can find deep structure or breaks out past the weededge you'll probably find fish until ice up. on other lakes i fish there is coontail that stay green and grows deeper than the foil - these are good spots but i have yet to find any on WBL.

you're never wasting your time fishing shallow on a milfoil lake. the inside edge might be worth a try or running baits over the shallow clumpy milfoil patches will work too. anyplace there is a underwater point or little flat could be good on top. if they're up shallow it will not take you long to contact a fish. fish a good shoreline stretch of shallow water and small flat or two and leave it alone if there's not action.

here's another great way to attack them - in alot of areas the shallower clumps of milfoil will grow almost up to the surface (usually around 8-9 foot range). run your boat along the outside edge of them and cast out to deep water. this was effective for us last fall. WBL seems like a cool lake because you've got alot of different stuff to work in a small area.

There are 2 spots where the deep green coontail grows and stays green into November. Unfortunately, both are small patches. My friend got a 43 on a sucker in one of those spots.

Also, shallow fishing inside milfoil weedlines can be good, but I think peak fishing there has past. I got 3 fish at 46" this year all in 2-4' of water. I raised a 50" in 4 FOW.

Hey 50inch, I'm guessing the 'dawg' is a bulldog but what is a hellhound? I dont believe I have seen one.

Hellhound is a bait put out by Esox Research Co - glide bait along the lines of the Phantom. Good bait, nice glide, easy to work, one of many good glide bait options, although personally I have a heck of a time keeping fish hooked.

I'd agree the shallow bite is over for the most part, on the lakes I fish now the shallow pattern didn't even set up this year like it did last year. I have seen a few and heard of fish coming shallow so late in the season though I never hesitate to try it for a while if the deep edge isn't working. Love getting up there in September, it was pretty amazing how shallow those fish were the first time I was out there. Most of them came before my bait got out past the end of the docks.

I may get out tomorrow morning. If the icy rain keeps up, I'll be wearing my goggles. Will update you all with a report.