Good fall walleye fishing

If you are looking for some very good fishing for walleye Grand Rapids is a great option at this time of year. Rainbow smelt run up to the dam on the Saskatchewan River and big walleye are close behind. There are a number of ways to catch this walleye in the river but my two favourite methods are trolling Rapala Shad Raps or bottom bouncers and spinners in the two river channels about a kilometer below the dam. I have also headed out to the lake and caught a few more walleye on the many rock piles out from the mouth itself using jigs. There are a number of hotels and campgrounds in Grand Rapids and a good boat launch. Located right on Highway # 6 it is about a four hour drive from Winnipeg on pavement. You don’t need a large boat as the river is wind protected and the best fishing is right in the community. I would recommend having a depthfinder to find the river channels. There is plenty of shallow water along with dense weeds so working the main channel is the key to catching fish. These walleye are usually very aggressive and it is just a matter of making sure your lure runs just off the bottom so it is not picking up debris. It is a great way to introduce the family to fishing since the action is usually non-stop. My first visit to Grand Rapids occurred in 1983 and we camped right on the shore of the river itself. It was early June before the weed growth had started and we just drifter the main river channels with jigs and minnows. While this technique will work at this time of year, trolling seems to be more effective.

STOCKED TROUT: With the changing of colors on the leaves it is time also to think about trying for a trophy rainbow or brown trout. On the same trip to Grand Rapids a couple of years ago, we stopped at Footprint Lake and landed seven master angler sized fish in an evening and morning of angling. Some were caught trolling using small Rapala’s and some were caught on the fly. Fish are very aggressive at this time of year so a wide variety of lures can work. Footprint Lake is just a few kilometers north of Grand Rapids.