Written by: Jeremiah Swafford
August, the “dreaded time,” the “worst fishing,” whatever you want to call it. We have heard this throughout our 18-week booking season for the past nine years. Everybody wants June! We honestly could fill our cabins up two or three times for June! Even when we were growing up coming to Canada, our parents just flat would not go on our annual fishing trip if we couldn’t go before the end of June. When we bought Manotak Lodge, we still assumed that summer fishing was only good in June, and that’s why we were so full for June and so much slower in August. Although fishing is amazing in May, June, July, and September, we learned very quickly in our first summer on Perrault Lake that the “June is the only good time” opinion was a complete myth. In this blog, I am going to try to explain as much as I can how awesome fishing is in August.
Why August Is a Great Time for Fishing in Perrault Lake
Below is a list explaining why August is one of our favorite times to go fishing in Perrault Lake for walleyes and the monsters in one of the most beloved fishing lodges in Ontario, Canada!
- Stable Weather: The summer weather in August normally gets very stable, with not many storms, not a ton of wind, and hot in the day and cool at night.
- Higher Percentage Of “Trophy” Walleye: We have seen more 30+ inch walleye caught in August than any other month of the season.
- Bugs: Obviously, bugs can be a nuisance in the north. With the stable weather of August, the bugs of all kinds tend to not be as bad during the day.
- Fishing Spots: Once the walleyes get away from their spawning grounds and onto the rock piles, it opens up twice as many fishable spots on the lake, which means more variety and less chance of having to share a spot or even an area with other anglers.
- Concentrated Fish: When you find a school of walleyes, they are stacked on the humps! I will post a picture at the end of this article of my Humminbird on my personal boat of what the average rock pile looks like when you’re fishing in August.
Walleye Fishing in August
Walleyes are the number one target fish for our guests, so we will spend the most time on them. Once the weather stabilizes towards the end of July, the walleyes move to the deeper water to start putting on the feed before fall comes in September. In August, we normally see the walleyes in anywhere from 20-30 ft of water. We typically use a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce round jig on a 6-10lb line. As the fish get to the 20ft range, we normally will just vertical jig over the side of the boat. It usually doesn’t take very long to get the first bite, so we suggest moving around over the spot from the depth range the fish have been in until you catch that first one, then drop a marker buoy and stay close to it, whether you choose to anchor, use the boat motor to keep you close, or spot lock if you have your own boat. It is literally that simple.
Musky and Pike Fishing in August
Musky and Pike fishing in August is also one of our favorite times. When the water is at its warmest, it seems the big fish will be biting whatever you throw at them. August’s full moon is one of the most famous times to musky fish and it does not disappoint during a summer trip on Perrault Lake.
Bass Fishing in August
Bass fishing is also a ton of fun all year. I won’t tell anyone that August is the BEST time to target smallies because I won’t lie. I love late June or early July because I love water, and when the big girls are in the nest, it is truly the most fun (in my opinion.) This does not mean that the bass fishing is bad in August. The bass are still in a bit shallower water than their fall time pattern and are just as hungry as they are the rest of the year!
What Our Longtime Guests Have To Say About August Fishing
Check out the pictures below and a few comments from longtime guests and Jeremy Smith of Lindner’s Angling Edge about why they love August fishing at Manotak Lodge!
“We love fishing in August. There are better chances of good weather; cool mornings, and pleasant afternoons. Walleyes are deeper on humps and structures but we have always caught really good numbers of both walleyes and smallmouth bass. We have also caught some of our biggest fish in August. We have been coming to Manotak for over 20 years and love both the lake and the lodge.”
– Dave Lewis (Long time guest)
“Late summer and early fall can be a great time on Perrault Lake. Whether you’re chasing trophy walleye, pike, perch, smallmouth, or muskies, it’s a fisherman’s paradise. The lake is teeming with opportunities to reel in the catch of a lifetime. The fish will be using weeds and deep mid-lake rock humps to find and ambush prey. So pack your gear, grab your rod, and get ready for an unforgettable fishing experience at Manotak Lodge this August.”
– Ron Abel (Long time guest)
“August is one of the best times of year to go fishing in Sunset Country. Many folks get excited about fishing walleyes early in the season, but I prefer fishing them a bit later. On Perrault, the walleyes pile up on the deeper main lake, humps and points and are pretty easy to find. There are a ton of different ways to catch them too. Jigging Raps, Drop Shots, Jigs, Spinners, you name it, if you find ‘em you’ll get them to bite. It’s also a great time of year for the muskies, they’re using both the rocks and weeds and like to eat bucktails and topwater, especially early and late in the day. Steve, Christine and Jeremiah are outstanding hosts at Manotak and I love visiting any chance I get…”
– Jeremy Smith (Host for Lindner’s Angling Edge)
