Mike Frisch: Lessons learned from the 2026 fishing season

Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.

The Details

The 2026 open water fishing season is over for most of us living in the Midwest. With that in mind, I'm in a reflective mood and am looking back at the season. Here are some of those reflections.

First, clearing waters mostly because of zebra mussel infiltrations have "changed the game" on lots of lakes I fish. First, clear water means more sunlight penetration resulting in weeds growing deeper than before. Second, many lakes used to have prominent outside weed edges.

Those edges are commonly referred to as the “deep weedline.” Now, however, not only do the weeds grow deeper, but those edges are less prominent with “clumps” of weeds appearing at varying depths.

The result for me has been finding fish in deeper waters than in the past and trying to figure out ways to fish in and around random weeds. Suffice to say, I don't have all the answers to this new challenge. But, every day on the water is a learning experience and I'm committed to getting better at catching fish in changing environments.

Learning to fish changing lake environments is a challenge. One way to combat changing fish locations is to use today's cutting edge sonar technologies to find fish. Live sonar like ActiveTarget 2 XL allows anglers to see fish in real time away from the boat and then present lures to those fish. In fact, I used this technology with good success to catch fish in and around deeper weeds this year.

While using live sonar did help me catch more fish this year, I still caught lots of fish relying on traditional 2D sonar as well. Some of my best walleye catches this summer came using “old school” techniques.

I would cruise over suspected walleye holding structures looking for fish on my sonar. Once found, I then pulled live bait rigs through the fish marked on 2D sonar. This is the same method I used successfully at the beginning of my fishing career.

In addition to walleyes, I had some dynamite days during the summer’s heat catching big largemouth bass by “dropping” heavy Hack Attack jigs tipped with Rage Craw trailers to heavy coontail weed clumps. I identified those weeds using 2D sonar and polarized sunglasses.

While lakes that are changing and evolving fish methods can present challenges, I can also say that the fishing continues to be very good in many waters I fish.

I caught some fish, spent quality time outside with friends and family, and learned a great deal. 2026 was a good fishing season for this angler and here’s to hoping it was for you too!

As always, enjoy your time on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure!

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. To learn more about the show or to watch episodes, visit fishingthemidwest.com.

• Comments
• Share this article
• Opinion
• Opinion

Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.

What is this?

• Tags
• Tags
• NORTHLAND OUTDOORS
• FISHING
• Listen to this article
• Conversation
• What To Read Next
• Northland Outdoors

Bobcat season opens Nov. 23 in Pembina Gorge area 1h ago By Andrew Weeks Northland Outdoors Video: Cayla's Kitchen cooks up a venison roast 1d ago By North Dakota Game and Fish Department Northland Outdoors Doug Leier: The balance of managing deer and deer hunting in North Dakota 3d ago By Doug Leier Get Local Must Reads Local District 18 legislators don't expect many changes to legislative strategies after election 32m ago By Jordan Rusche North Dakota With homelessness in Grand Forks on the rise, outreach workers are stretched thin 55m ago By Hannah Shirley North Dakota Records broken at Devils Lake Regional Airport 56m ago By Maxwell Marko Local The price of dying: Inflation hits funeral and memorial costs 1h ago By Jordan Rusche