June 24, 2010 Explore Minnesota Fishing Report Rising water temperatures have pushed fish deeper, with more fish now coming from mid-depth waters. Many anglers have switched to nightcrawlers and leeches, however anglers in northern portion of state continue to do well using minnows.
For the most current list of availability, check with the individual visitors' bureaus listed below.
International Falls -Rainy Lake & the Rainy River
Walleye fishing remains very good on Rainy Lake. Anglers slowly trolling leeches on a spinner rig are taking fish from 15-25 feet of water. Jigging with a minnow or leech is working well on the humps and reefs, such as Stubbs Shoals and Erickson's Reef. Walleye fishing has been good on the west side of the Brule Narrows. Smallmouth bass are hitting topwater lures at the rocky shorelines where there are weeds, rocks and a sandy bottom. Northern pike are apparently hitting crayfish in areas such as Jackfish Bay, Black Bay, and Cranberry Bay. Walleye fishing in the Rainy River has been good for anglers pulling spinner rigs and minnows through 10-15 feet of water. Some of the best areas at present are between the Pat Roche Access and Ranier Rapids. Below the dam at International Falls, and both upstream and downstream from the mouth of the Littlefork River are also popular. To learn more, dial 1-800-325-5766, or visit
www.rainylake.orgKabetogama
Last Saturday, the weather changed from dismal to beautiful, and anglers reported lots of success. Some anglers did well in depths of 10-15 feet, others had success in 21-27 feet of water, and some even took fish from depths of over 30 feet. At present, water temperatures are in the mid-70s, and rising - walleye anglers using bait should find the most action in depths of 20-28 feet. Walleye are responding well to leeches on small spinner snells set behind a slip sinker, with crawlers being the next best choice. The mouths of the bays, soft bottom shorelines, and sandbars seem to be best for walleye, with not much action at the reefs. Follow the wind direction, and hit the windswept shorelines holding baitfish. Some key Kabetogama locations with soft bottoms include Sugarbush, Martin Islands, Cuculus Island and aside Chase Island. On Lake Namakan, hit similar shoreline structure using a slip sinker rig in depths of 16-26 feet. Northern pike action has been decent at the weed edges of Nebraska, Mud, Daily, Lost and Junction bays. Also try attracting them with artificials in areas with good structure such as the Blind Indian Narrows, Fox Island, and all along Namakan Island. Smallmouth bass remain sluggish. Once they turn more active, look for them along the rocky shorelines and rocky reefs using artificial bait. For more information on Lakes Kabetogama and Namakan, dial 1-800-524-9085, or check out
www.kabetogama.comEly
A shallow water walleye bite continues into its third week, with no sign that it will end any time soon. Search the flats near the transitions from rock to sand or mud, or at the weed edges using a spinner rig with a leech. Once you locate fish, stop, drop a leech under a slip bobber, and work the school. This is a very effective method when walleye are in the shallows, and this approach is working on most lakes with a decent walleye population. Crappies are still in the weed beds, with anglers pulling them from water down to two feet deep. Small minnows under a bobber have worked well, but a jig and twister tail moves quicker and covers more water when trying to stay in contact with a school of fish. The top producing lakes have been Birch, Low, and Fall. And, extremely large sunnies are being taken on jigs tipped with a piece of crawler on Low Lake. For more information, dial 1-800-777-7281, or visit
www.ely.orgCook/Tower - Lake Vermilion
The mayfly hatch took place on the west end of the lake last week, which was unusual since the hatch occurred on east end a couple of weeks earlier. The large green mayflies are the most abundant at this time. For the most walleye, hang live bait 3-5 feet off the bottom using either a float or an inflated crawler. Avoid spinners at this time, since the added hardware will pull your bait down. Another productive method is to pull a crankbait through the clouds of bugs, drawing attention away from the forage. Muskie action remains fair due to water temperatures hovering around 70 degrees, keeping these predatory fish from turning aggressive. Bass continue to guard their nests, turning less aggressive when the weather patterns change. Northern pike are biting, with classic larger-sized Mepps, spoons and white spinnerbaits working best. Lake levels are rising and returning to normal. To learn more, dial 1-800-648-5897, or visit
www.lakevermilionresorts.comCook County: Lutsen-Tofte, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail, and Grand Portage
On Crescent and Sawbill lakes, fishing in the central BWCA Wilderness has improved dramatically in the last few days. Smallmouth bass are active, with an eleven year old camper catching a 16 1/2- and an 18 1/2-inch bass. Walleye fishing has hit full summer stride. Anglers are having the most success using leeches in 10 feet of water with good bottom structure in windy locations. Northern pike and lake trout action have slowed. Small northern pike continue to be taken. Lake trout can be found roughly 50 feet deep, however these fish are turning lethargic. On Gunflint Lake, lake trout are biting in 30-70 feet of water. An occasional bass and walleye are also being taken, with shallow-diving lures working best at the structure. On Lake Superior, guides report good Chinook, King and Coho salmon fishing. Lake trout limits are being taken, along with nice 3- to 5-pound fish. In the Grand Marais vicinity, lake trout fishing has been excellent in all area trout lakes. On Saganaga, check the reefs at 30 feet using spoons, and jigs tipped with a minnow. Fish can be found suspended in roughly 35-40 feet of water on Clearwater and Greenwood lakes. For the most fish, try shallow-diving lures at the structure. Overall, walleye fishing has been slow, however the smaller lakes are giving up some fish in less than 10 feet of water near the weed beds. On Hungry Jack Lake, try a jig tipped with a chub in depths of 6-10 feet of water near the weed beds and the main rock reef. On North Lake, some fine walleye action is being reported by anglers trolling rapalas - please note that water levels remain low, causing the entrance to the lake to be difficult to navigate. On Saganaga, walleye can be found in 45-55 feet of water, hitting jig and chub combinations. Northern pike action has been great for anglers casting and trolling on Hungry Jack, Loon, and Northern Lights lakes. Most lakes are giving up smallmouth bass to anglers using jigs tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers in 12-15 feet of water. Some anglers are doing well casting Mepps lures toward shore. Rainbow trout action has been great, with crawlers and fly-fishing techniques both being productive. On Trout Lake, use a crawler off the bottom, or try fly-fishing. Esther Lake is producing rainbows and splake in depths of 10-12 feet on nightcrawlers under a bobber, and on slowly trolled spoons worked at the same depth. To learn more, check out
www.VisitCookCounty.comGrand Rapids
Storm fronts, as well as increased food supplies due to insect and minnow hatches have caused a slight slowdown in walleye catches. Guides are reporting success using a lindy rig and nightcrawler, and recommend injecting a shot of air to keep the crawler off the bottom. Leeches are also working for some presentations, as are jig and minnow combinations. Lake Winnibighoshish continues to produce fish, with walleye found in 22-24 feet of water. Bowstring Lake is producing fish in depths of 6-7 feet in the weeds. Sand Lake has been sporadic, however fish are being pulled from 10-12 feet of water at the edge of the weeds on jig and minnow combinations. Lake Pokegama continues to produce some impressive walleye. And, the nighttime bite is expected to pick up on Pokegama in the near future. To find out more, check out
www.visitgrandrapids.comNorthwest Minnesota
Baudette -Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River
On Lake of the Woods, anglers report incredible walleye action. Fish are being pulled from depths as shallow as 6 feet near the shorelines, with some fish starting to move to deeper depths as water temperatures increase. These deeper fish can be found in depths of 31 feet both six miles out and 25 miles out, with lots of large fish caught and released, along with limits of 18- to 19-inch slot fish. Anglers are using frozen and fresh shiners on yellow or gold jigs when anchored and jigging. Early morning has been best, with numbers of sauger also being reported. Recent catch-and-release walleye include 28-, 28.5-, and 29-inch fish. Anglers are having similar success at the islands and Northwest Angle using jigs tipped with a shiner. Lot of smallmouth bass are coming from depths of 10 feet while casting spinner baits at the islands. With water temperatures rising into the 70s, anglers will soon be fighting muskie. To learn more, dial 1-800-382-FISH, or visit
www.lakeofthewoodsmn.comBemidji
Anglers continue to report a good walleye bite on most of the larger lakes in the Bemidji area. Surface water temperatures remain in the mid to upper 60s in most lakes, so walleye can still be found in both the cabbage weeds and on the mid-lake structure. Lake Bemidji has been good for walleye and perch in 6-10 feet of water in the cabbage weeds, with jigs and minnows working best. Walleye are also on the sides of the mid-lake bars, hitting live bait rigs with leeches or night crawlers in 14-26 feet of water. Upper Red Lake has been best in stable weather with light winds due to the shallow, stained water. Most anglers are doing well using jig and minnow combinations, spinner rigs, crankbaits, slip bobbers and live bait rigs at the shoreline break in 7-12 feet of water. Lake Winnibigoshish has been good for lots of smaller walleye at the shoreline weeds in 6-8 feet of water, or at the tops and on the sides of mid-lake humps and larger bars. The deeper the hump, the more walleye found at the top of the hump. Shallower humps and bars have the most active fish on the sides of the structure. Bass have been biting well in the smaller lakes and in the shallow bays of the larger lakes. Bass like the edges between weed types, with most anglers doing well using weedless spoons or plastics in 6 feet of water or less. Muskie anglers are seeing fish, with the weed beds in great shape for this point in the season. For muskie, use bucktail spinners over the tops of the weeds, or surface baits over the flats. Northern pike have also been active in the weeds. To find out more, dial 1-800-458-2223, or check out
www.visitbemidji.comWalker - Leech Lake
The wet and windy weather conditions did not keep anglers off of Leech Lake this past week. In fact, one group of three anglers from Iowa caught 110 walleye in ten days, taking home their limits. Another angler from southern Minnesota spent one day on Leech Lake and took home a limit of walleye, and lost count of all the slot fish that were thrown back. On recent guided trips, many good eating-size and large walleye were taken. When the wind blew, the bite was good; when it was calm, the bite was a struggle. The majority of fish came in on a jig and a shiner minnow, with leeches and crawlers also producing fish. The main lake fish were being caught on the reefs and flats; on cloudy, windy days, the fish were caught on the points and shoreline areas. Second Duck Point in Sucker Bay produced a lot of fish, and the Goose Island flats should also offer a good bite. Bass action is strong. Muskie anglers are getting a lot follows, with some large muskies caught and released last week on the east side of the lake. For more information, dial 1-800-833-1118, or visit
www.leech-lake.comCass Lake/ Deer River - Winnibigoshish & Cutfoot Sioux lakes
To find out what's biting and where, dial 1-800-356-8615, or visit
www.casslake.comPark Rapids
As volatile weather patterns left the region, fishing activity improved. Stable afternoons coupled with moderate winds have increased the bite. Walleye activity has been good, with many fish falling for more active presentations. Crankbaits and live-bait rigs with a large spinner have been out-producing typical June strategies, especially when worked in 12-18 feet of water. Northern pike and muskie action has been great. Bass anglers casting medium-sized baits and spinnerbaits are landing plenty of pike and even a few muskies. Depth hasn't been important, but the presence of cabbage weed is critical. Largemouth and smallmouth bass activity has heightened since both species have completed their annual spawn. Most fish are coming from 1-8 feet. The main forage has been crayfish, so try to replicate these as best you can. Panfish action continues to entertain young and old alike. Crappies have been congregating on medial depth weed edges in 8-16 feet of water, while bluegill are wandering these waters and even shallower depths with thick vegetation. The tip of the week for panfish anglers is to use your ears to hear these fish as they "smack" bugs on the surface, leading you to the perfect spot. For more information, dial 1-800-247-0054, or check out
www.parkrapids.comDetroit Lakes
The dreaded mayfly hatch continues on some of the Detroit Lakes area lakes. It has been starting and stopping due to cloud cover and fronts. When the sun shines, the hatch reactivates. Rock pile and weed fish are more active than the edge and basin related fish during the hatch. Walleye can be found in 9-14 feet of water on most area lakes. For the most fish, hit the bars that extend into the main lake areas, long points with deep water access, and mid-lake humps. Pelican, Island, White Earth and Cotton lakes are giving up daytime walleye. The Big Detroit Lake weeds are holding walleye. Cormorant and Toad lakes have been productive at night. Smallmouth bass are hitting rigs tipped with crawlers and minnows on Lida, Island and Cormorant lakes. Largemouth bass are active on the deep weed edges of Long, Melissa and Floyd lakes. Large northern pike are hitting trolled rapalas on Sallie and Mellisa lakes. Muskie anglers are taking fish by pitching onto the flats of Big Detroit and Pelican lakes, with fish measuring over 50-inches taken from both lakes last week. Please note that Otter Tail, and Big and Little Pine lakes have tournaments this weekend. To learn more, dial 1-800-542-3992, or go to
www.visitdetroitlakes.comCentral Region
Otter Tail Lakes Area
Rising water temperatures have pushed fish deeper. Bottom bouncers with spinners and crawlers or leeches are working best. Walleye are coming from depths of 15-25 feet.
Sunfish are active in 8-15 feet of water; a slow troll will produce the largest sunfish. Bass have been active and hitting weighted spinner baits; chartreuse and white are the best colors. Bass anglers are also doing well using #5 rapalas during evening hours on Otter Tail Lake in 8-10 feet of water, especially from 8:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. For more information, dial 1-800-423-4571, or check out
www.ottertailcountry.comMiltona
As of late last week, the mayflies had come out in large numbers. While the hatch slowed fishing somewhat, anglers still had success. Many anglers have switched to nightcrawlers and leeches, and are doing well during low light periods. Try lindy rigging with a leech or crawler, or jigging with a leech for the most fish. The best depths have been in the 17-20 foot range, right on the edge of the weedline. At night, some anglers are taking fish by pulling crankbaits through 5-10 foot depths. While muskies remain fairly sluggish, a bucktail or jerk bait might do the trick. The crappies can still be found in the cabbage using twister tails and crappie minnows. To find out more, dial 1-877-833-2350, or visit
www.VisitLakeMiltona.comBrainerd Lakes Area
For information on what's biting and where, dial 1-800-450-2838, or visit
www.explorebrainerdlakes.comIsle/Onamia -Lake Mille Lacs
On Lake Mille Lacs, the walleye bite has been very good, with a nice mix of daytime and evening fish coming from the gravel, rock and mud. Lots of keepers and "throw-backs" are being reported. Most of the fish have moved deep, coming from more than 25 feet of water. On overcast and windy days, some are being pulled from the shallows. Leeches on a plain rig have worked best, but a fair number of fish are also coming in on crawlers and spinners. Blue, black and pink colors have been best. The mud flats are good during the day, with most of the keepers coming from areas near the top edges, with the large fish taken from the bottom of the break. The evening bobber bite has been fairly consistent both deep and shallow; for the most fish, try an black or glow angle jig tipped with a leech around sundown. Trolling shad raps through the shallow rocks on overcast and windy days is also producing nice keeper sized fish. Most smallmouth bass remain in the bays. For the most fish, check 4-6 feet of water using small plastics. To learn more, dial 1-888-350-2692, or check out
www.millelacs.comWillmar
Rainy and hot days during much of June have lead to fewer anglers venturing out; those that have, however, have done well with the walleye, bass, sunfish and crappies. Hit the deeper waters of Eagle, Florida, Andrew, Green and Diamond lakes for numbers of walleye. Bass fishing has been good throughout all area lakes. Sunfish have completed their spawn and have moved toward the docks and shorelines. Despite some periods of rain, the weekend should offer excellent fishing conditions, especially on Sunday! To find out more, dial 1-800-845-8747, or visit
www.seeyouinwillmar.comTwin Cities Greater Metropolitan vicinity
Northeast Metro/Chisago Lakes Area
To find out where to locate fish, dial 651/257-1177, or visit
www.chisagolakeschamber.comWhite Bear Lake Area Lakes
To learn what's biting and when, dial 651/653-5122, or check out
www.ExploreWhiteBear.orgWaconia
As of late last week, the bass bite on Lake Waconia remained strong, with most of the larger fish coming off of the deeper weed edges. Check North Reef, Cemetery Reef, Anderson's Reef, and the south shoreline break for the most fish. A bass jig, or a Texas rig with a plastic worm have been working best. Try pitching your jig into the weed pockets and along the weed edges. Bass also remain shallow, but these fish are mostly on the smaller side, with a few larger ones mixed in. The sunnies have been moving in and out of the shallow water getting ready to spawn. Try a slip bobber and worm along the south shoreline, the north west side of the lake, and in Reinkes Bay. Walleye fishing has been decent, with fish coming off of Kegs, North, and Center reefs. Hit the outer weed edges in and around 14-20 feet of water. The key has been to fish during lower light periods. A jig and fathead minnow seem to be working best. Bobber fishing with a leech is also another good approach. Muskie anglers continue to see fish, with anglers beginning to catch more fish. Most of these fish are coming off the reefs on bucktails, bulldawgs, and trolled crankbaits. Fish can be found tucked in and around the weed edges on the reefs, with some suspended off of the reefs in 20-30 feet of water. The water temperature has dropped about six degrees in the past week or so, and was hovering around 67-degrees late last week. For more information, dial 952/442-5812, or check out
www.destinationwaconia.orgSouthern Minnesota
Lake City -Lake Pepin/Pool #4 Mississippi River
The walleye and sauger action slowed this past week, likely due to all of the turbulent weather systems. With the more stable weather conditions the fishing should once again heat up. For the time being, have some fun with the amazing bass and catfish action. To find out more, dial 1-877-525-3248, or check out
www.lakecitymn.orgLanesboro
As of Wednesday, June 23, the Duschee Creek, Forestville Creek, the South Branch Root River at Lanesboro, and the South Branch Root River at Forestville State Park were muddy and high. The Whitewater River system was mostly muddy and normal, however the North Branch was considered cloudy. The abundance of rain has affected most area streams and creeks high and muddy. The South Branch Root at Forestville State Park is possibly still rising. To learn more, dial 1-800-944-2670, or visit
www.lanesboro.comAlbert Lea
On Fountain Lake, walleye are biting near the Bridge Street Channel, and hitting jumbo leeches on a bare hook or lindy rig. Bluegills and perch are active near the Bayview area. Catfish are hitting leeches. And on Albert Lea Lake, anglers are taking walleye on crankbaits. For more information, dial 1-800-345-8414, or check out
www.albertleatourism.orgOrtonville -Big Stone Lake
On Big Stone Lake, the walleye continue to bite, hitting bottom bouncer, spinner and crawler combinations pulled over the top of the weed beds or along the outside edge. Pulling crankbaits, and casting shad raps into the weed beds has also been productive. Last Saturday, a local tournament was held out of Hartford Beach State Park, and the winning team took a 7-pound walleye, along with many others. The top weights came from the south end of the lake, and the far north end in very shallow water. Anglers continue to set the hook on lots of white bass, an occasional northern pike, and even some perch while fishing for walleye. Overall, the fishing remains very good on Big Stone Lake. To find out more, dial 1-800-568-5722, or visit
www.bigstonelake.com "The information in this report is provided courtesy of community organizations throughout Minnesota. This report is brought to you by Explore Minnesota Tourism."
