If fall algae blooms naturally occur in your lake, the fishing can still be great. Here’s why

Many lakes across the country are experiencing seasonal peak algae blooms right now, like our Lake of the Woods home water. It was flat as a pancake the other day—a rarity so far during this windy autumn—and if you looked at the water from a distance, you’d have thought it was green paint. And if you had never fished it before, you’d have thought your chances of a walleye, bass or other fish seeing your lure in the water would range between zero and none.

Now, this an important point of clarification: We’re not talking about lakes that, for whatever reason may be experiencing an algae bloom for the very first time, as a result of contamination, for example, or some other unique factor. Instead, we’re referring to productive lakes, like Lake of the Woods, which have blossomed a green velvet hue for centuries. As a matter of fact, when early explorer La Vérendrye and his sons paddled down Rainy River in the mid 1700s, and laid eyes on Lake of the Woods for the very first time, he wrote in his diary that a frog could cross from one side to the other and not get its feet wet. So, these massive algae blooms are totally natural seasonal events that have been occurring since the lake was formed.

This distinction is important because the walleyes and smallmouth bass that we were fishing for the other day also view it as a totally natural occurrence. It’s something they have evolved to incorporate into their seasonal habits and habitat.  Which brings us to another critical point: the algae freaks out anglers far more than it does the fish.

We’ve had first-time visitors look at the water, for example, and immediately dig out outrageously coloured soft plastics to tip their jigs. Still others have stuffed rattles, blades, propellers and other assorted noise makers into their lures. After we’ve stopped chuckling, and asked them what they were doing, the answer has been universally the same: “We’re helping the fish find our baits.”

Really?!!

We had a great afternoon the other day catching walleyes and bass, from as shallow as 10 feet, to as deep as 25 feet.  And we were using the same VMC tungsten jigs and Crush City Soft plastics that we’ve been using all summer, before the algae bloomed. We even caught a few on green pumpkin Ned BLTs that perfectly matched the colour of the water. Plus we got some suspended smallmouth chasing ciscoes in the middle of the paint by calling them over to our jerkbaits.

Understand what we’re saying? On these lakes that historically experience algae blooms in late summer/early autumn, the fish don’t get freaked out by the water colour—they leave that up to the anglers. We stick our hands in the water, lose sight of our fingertips before our wrists are barely wet, and think the fish can’t see. But we’re not fish.

For sure, the walleyes and bass adapt to the stained conditions, but ironically, many of the things they do—such as come up shallower on structures and feed at high noon on sunny days, because they feel secure in the darker water— actually helps us locate and catch them easier. And when we do, it’s obvious from their bulging bellies and spunky fights that they’re anything but malnourished.

Here’s something else we’ve seen over the years: When you go to the extreme and over-compensate, trying to “help the fish see and hear your baits,” by using noisy and garishly coloured lures, you often spook them and put them on guard.

So, dip just the tip of your soft plastic into chartreuse dye if you’re so inclined, use a slightly larger blade, or switch from a willowleaf to a Colorado spinner for a touch more thump. But remember, the algae is freaking you out more than the fish. On that point, hop into the boat with us virtually, hit the link below and see for yourself how green the lake looked the other day, and how the fish responded.