With fewer boats and anglers creating less fishing pressure in November, Phil Piscitello offers a list of Midwest locations that can still provide outstanding catches, keeping you busy until safe ice forms.

November is a great month for targeting trophy walleyes. The bays, basins and rivers flowing into the Great Lakes are superb destinations, especially Lake Erie. The numbers of walleyes are at an all-time high and the trophy potential is outstanding. You don’t even need a boat. Break walls along the Ohio shoreline attract baitfish and trophy-class walleyes. Big walleyes are migrating back from the east towards the western basin. Anglers trolling crankbaits can take big walleyes until ice up.

The Bay of Green Bay on Lake Michigan also sees it share of trophy-class walleyes. The mouth of the Fox River at DePere, Sturgeon Bay, the Oconto and Peshtigo rivers all see walleyes in the fall. Little and Big Bays De Noc draw migrating walleyes every fall and fish can be taken through ice up. Trolling crankbaits at night puts monster walleyes in the boat.

The St. Louis River and St. Louis Bay of Lake Superior have an outstanding population of walleyes with fish taken all the way to ice-up, trolling and jigging.

The Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario is a great destination if you are seeking that super fish. The fishing isn’t always fast and furious, but serious trophy hunters have caught giants.

Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron has had an explosion in the walleye population in recent years. Numbers as well as trophy-class fish come from the inner and outer bays each fall.

Many deep, clear lakes throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan hold trophy class walleyes that can be taken through ice-up. River systems like the Mississippi, Missouri, and Wisconsin also see fall runs of walleyes below dams.

Smallmouth bass can still be taken in November. Some of the biggest fish of the year are caught at this time. Door County Wisconsin, Lake St. Clair in Michigan, the Western Basin of Lake Erie around the Bass Islands area, and the Eastern basin near Buffalo, New York have excellent numbers and trophy potential.

Many natural lakes and reservoirs throughout the Midwest hold above-average-size smallmouth bass as well. Live bait presentations can put the biggest smallmouth bass of the year in your boat.

November is also muskie time. Northern Wisconsin is the place to be for muskie hunters. Traditionally, sucker fishing has put nice muskies in the boat for decades. Minnesota also has a bunch of great muskie fisheries, some with record potential. Leech, Cass, Vermilion and Mille Lacs are some of the best.

The Great Lakes also host world-class musky fishing. The Bay of Green Bay has been putting out absolute giants. Lake St. Clair, is a mecca for numbers as well as some real giants. Trolling in fall will put some monsters in the boat.

Panfishing can also be spectacular in late fall. Crappies school in deeper water. Using your electronics, you can have a field day catching lots of nice fish. White bass, and yellow perch will also put on the feedbag and can be caught in great numbers once found.

Look for great panfishing throughout the Midwest in many natural lakes and rivers. The Mississippi has many backwaters that offer panfishing opportunities.

Sometimes, there is quite a wait until first safe ice. If so, grab a pair of waders and hit the rivers and streams flowing into the Great Lakes for trout. Steelhead, brown and brook trout can all be taken throughout fall and winter if streams don’t freeze.

Cast small spinners or minnow baits. Drift spawn sacks or individual salmon eggs below a float. You can even fly fish; egg imitation flies can be absolutely deadly. Waders provide easy access to great fishing waters.

To find out about more about these November fishing opportunities, contact your state’s DNR fisheries biologists, and local bait shops and guides. They can give you information on the fish you’re pursuing and the bodies of water you are interested in fishing.

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