Explore Minnesota Fishing Report July 19, 2013

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Explore Minnesota Fishing Report  July 19, 2013 
 
 
 [Northeast] [Northwest] [Central] [Twin Cities] [Southern]
While midweek high temperatures have kept many anglers off the water, cooler temperatures are forecasted for this weekend. This, combined with the end of the mayfly hatch, means better fishing and more pleasant conditions!

This report is brought to you by Explore Minnesota Tourism, with information provided by statewide tourism organizations and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Northeast Minnesota
International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River

Rainy Lake walleye are coming from the submerged reefs in roughly 30 feet of water, and sometimes deeper. Walleyes are now responding better to leeches than minnows. Anchor over one of the underwater humps and jig close to the bottom for the best response. Smallmouth bass are being caught along some of the rocky shorelines on the south side of Rainy Lake. Crappies can be found in the west end of Black Bay. Northern pike are around the weedy edges near the mouths of the bays. Rainy River walleye fishing has been pretty good below the Ranier Rapids and in the stretch of water from the Ranier Rapids to the Pat Roche access. When fishing below the dam at International Falls, try the area a few miles either side of Kuttes Landing at Pelland Junction. Smallmouth bass have been active in the river as well. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org

Kabetogama

To a knowledgeable angler, weather is one of the most important factors when fishing; wind speed and direction are number one, followed by barometer measurements. This past week demonstrated the importance of wind, with anglers reporting very little success on calm days (except early in the morning), and lots of success on days with wind. Walleyes could still be found in the shallows on windy days, feasting on the last of the mayflies or chasing baitfish. On the calm days, anglers had to move to deeper waters. Lake Kabetogama reefs have been best, especially Center Reef, the reefs near the Martin Islands, Cuculus, and Headlight. During the day, check depths of 22-35 feet; during early morning and evening hours, try the shallows on the windward shore. Northern pike are biting so fast and furious that anglers are struggling to keep them off the line! Look for the largest fish on the deep weed edges. Jumbo perch are also very active in deeper waters. Smallmouth bass remains strong along the shorelines and shallow reef edges where crayfish can be found. 800-524-9085; www.kabetogama.com

Ely

Most anglers are catching nice stringers of fish. Walleyes are scattered throughout the water column in 5-25 feet of water. Try trolling spinner rigs tipped with a leech or crawler to locate fish and once a school is located start casting swim baits such as mimic minnows or fuzzy grubs to work the area more thoroughly. Crappies are on a strong post-spawn feed, hitting minnows and soft bait jigs worked in depths of 3-12 feet of water. Anglers fishing from boat and from shore are taking fish on live leeches under a bobber. Bass will keep you busy and you might catch some tasty walleyes too. Northern pike are eager to hit spoons and spinners fished along the weed edges or drop-offs near points. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org

Cook County: Lutsen-Tofte, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail, and Grand Portage

Summer temperatures have recently turned "hot" for this area, generally reaching 74-degrees much of this week! Fish are slowly moving to deeper, cooler waters, but some anglers are still finding walleyes in the shallows. On Seagull Lake, at the end of the Gunflint Trail, the walleye catch has been good in 12-20 foot depths. For some relaxing and productive fishing, use a slip bobber with leeches or nightcrawlers. Other Gunflint Trail lakes giving up walleyes are Gunflint, Two Island and Devil Track lakes, the last two being much closer to Grand Marais. Smallmouth bass are practically hopping into boats, hitting cylinders on Poplar and Hungry Jack lakes in the Gunflint Trail vicinity, and on Caribou Lake located just out of Lutsen. For some great BWCAW inland trout fishing, check out Duncan and Daniels lakes, with entry points off the eastern edge of the Gunflint Trail. Trout generally like the deep, cold water, but anglers have had good luck pulling trout from depths of 30-40 feet on minnows. On Lake Superior, the trout are sticking to the edge of the deeper waters. Please note that the best time to catch large trout in Lake Superior is from mid-July through September. Water temperatures are finally in the lower 40's, and charter captains are reporting quite a few 8- to 10-pounders coming from depths of 100-150 feet. Coho salmon are coming off the shoreline near Hovland, with many weighing 3-pounds. www.VisitCookCounty.com

Northwest Minnesota
Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

Limits of walleyes have been the norm as summer patterns stabilize. Walleyes are being pulled from the deeper waters over mud flats and reefs. Arnesen's Reef, Long Point, Starren Shoal, North Bridges Reef, Knight, and Garden Island all the way up to Little Oak Island are all giving up fish to anglers jigging frozen shiners in 30 feet of water. On windy days and during low light conditions, check the tops or edges; on sunny, calm days, check the rock to mud transitions. Crawler harnesses with crawlers or leeches on a hammered gold or pink spinner are working well off the shoreline flats, especially on days when the wind is blowing. The deep mud in front of Pine Island and in front of the fields near Zippel Bay has also been productive. Rainy River walleyes are holding in the deeper holes, hitting jig and minnow combinations in 15-25 foot depths. Smallmouth bass remain very active, especially at their normal summer haunts such as at the mouths of rivers and areas with boulders. For the most action, use small crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Up at the Northwest Angle, walleyes are active in 22-24 feet of water over rock piles. Jigs with minnows, and spinners with crawlers have been the most effective. Muskies and northern pike are active in the weed beds and around the boulders and saddles of islands. Lots of large fish are being caught and released. And anglers report lots of smallmouth bass coming from the sloping boulder areas. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com, www.warroad.org

Bemidji

The mayfly hatches are nearing their end which should greatly improve the walleye bite on most area lakes. Lake Winnibigoshish has been the hottest area lake for walleyes recently, with many of the humps and mid-lake bars holding a mixture of both keeper-size walleye and larger slot fish. On cloudy, windy days, anglers are also finding fish along the shoreline cabbage weeds. Lakes with clear water have been slow to "green-up" this year, which has made them tough to fish for the light sensitive species such as walleyes and muskies, especially on the days with clear skies and little wind. Most of the larger lakes fall into the "clear lake" category in the Bemidji area. Unless the lakes have stained water, an algae bloom is needed to darken the water so walleye are less skittish to feed during the day. Walleyes use their eyesight to target prey so it is not efficient for them to feed when they can't see significantly better than their prey. When there is less light they can ambush their prey, therefore using less energy to chase their prey. With another hot week in the forecast, the algae should continue to increase and there should be a noticeable decrease in water clarity in most lakes. This should really benefit walleye and muskie anglers during the daylight hours. Many of the smaller walleyes have been busy gorging themselves on mayfly larvae in the deep waters. Once the mayflies are done hatching, walleyes and other species will have to find another food source. 800-458-2223; www.visitbemidji.com

Cass Lake

Fishing has slowed a bit with the recent hot summer temperatures. Walleye can be found using crawlers or leeches, as well as shad raps off the weedlines during evening hours. Reports of some nice northern pike and good panfish numbers continue to come in. Anglers are having a hard time keeping their minnows alive. This weekend's cooler, more seasonable temperatures should help. 800-356-8615; www.casslake.com

Walker - Leech Lake

Crawlers, leeches and crankbaits are producing the majority of Leech Lake walleyes! It looks like the mayfly hatch has finally ended, so the walleye bite is expected to improve considerably. Perch should also become more active. Crawlers and leeches have been best during the day and early evening hours. The key is to cover a lot of water while trolling with a bottom bouncer spinner rig, going slow enough that the bouncer is skimming along the bottom; 1/2- to 1-ounce weights and a speed of roughly 1.5 mph is usually best. On many of the sand flats, slowly trolling a 1/16- to 1/8-ounce weight with a crawler or leech rig, 3-foot leader, red bead and red hook has been very effective for daytime and early evening walleye. At dusk, try trolling a #5 silver or gold crankbait through roughly 10 feet of water has been very effective in many parts of Leech Lake, and especially at The Saucer in Walker Bay. The rocky bottom areas on Leech Lake's east side are also giving up lots of keeper size walleyes; for the most fish, check depths of 15-20 feet in such areas as Mokey Reef to Big Rock Reef and in Sucker Bay between the Duck Points. Muskie fishing has improved, with larger jerk baits working best. Largemouth bass fishing remains good in the Walker Narrows and in Steamboat Bay. In addition to great fishing, enjoy the very popular Moondance Jam this weekend! 800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com

Hackensack

Summer patterns have taken hold on all area lakes. While fish are spread out, they are being caught with the right presentation. Walleye anglers are starting to troll more often, doing well by covering more water using bottom bouncers with crawlers or using crankbaits. For the most action, concentrate on the flats, particularly the weed edges. Some fish are coming from waters as shallow as 4 feet and as deep as 35 feet. On Ten Mile Lake, trolling through the middle continues to produce fish. Most fish are suspended over deep water feeding on schools of tullibee and whitefish as they rise in the evening and throughout the night. A well planned trolling run will produce fish, but anglers blindly trolling crankbaits after dark will take some fish as well! Large bass are being pulled from many area bass lakes on spinnerbaits worked through the surface weeds, and on weighted plastics tossed into deeper waters. Anglers continue to find crappies during evening hours, especially the last two hours before dark. Focus on 6-12 feet of water towards the later part of the evening for the most action. 800-279-6932; www.hackensackchamber.com

Park Rapids

Most species of fish remained active despite the hot sunny weather last week. Walleye anglers are having success during the day when trolling rapalas 15-20 feet down in 40-60 feet of water. The best action, however, has been during low light hours, with lindy rigs and leeches worked in depths of 8-12 feet turning the most fish. And lots of good-sized panfish are coming from the weeds and reeds in 8-16 feet of water. 800-247-0054; www.parkrapids.com

Detroit Lakes

Water temperatures are in the mid-70s on all Detroit Lakes area lakes. Walleye, northern pike, panfish and bass remain very active. The muskies have been more finicky, but some are still getting caught and released. Look for walleye off the edges in the 15-25 feet of water. Leeches and crawlers are producing best; live bait rigging and pulling spinners have been more productive than jigging. Northern pike are chasing active baits off the deep cabbage weeds. Bass are relating to shade areas in the shallows, seeking relief from the bright sun and hot temperatures. Panfish are hitting suspended baits in the weeds. For the most action, use small jigs tipped with pieces of nightcrawler or small leeches. 800-542-3992; www.visitdetroitlakes.com

Central Region
Glenwood

Fishing on Lake Minnewaska has been excellent, with walleyes, bass, northern pike, sunnies and crappies all biting! Walleyes are being caught using spinners and live bait in 14-19 feet of water. Bass have been an easy catch in the shallows when using leeches and bobbers or when casting spinnerbaits. Northern pike can be found throughout the lake, but most have been small. Sunnies are active in the shallows, hitting waxworms and small leeches on small jigs under bobbers. Crappies are being caught when drifting through depths of 10-14 feet of water using small minnows and spinners. Lake Reno remains great for walleyes and crappies. For walleyes, use live bait and spinners; for crappies, use jigs tipped with small minnows. A good walleye bite is also being reported on Lake Miltona. 320/634-3636

Whitefish - Whitefish Chain of Lakes Region

The walleye bite has slowed a bit, likely due to a rise in boat noise. Early morning and late evening hours towards dusk are the best times for active walleyes, with leeches, crawlers and minnows working best, especially at the tips of underwater points. For larger northern pike, use larger bait such as light northern minnows on a jig or lindy rigs with a larger hook. "Hammer handles" continue to hit just about anything. Panfish are most active in the weeds, hitting crappie minnows in depths of 12-18 feet. Bass anglers report lots of action off the docks and along the weedlines when using spinnerbaits and plastics. Try shaded areas during midday. www.whitefish.org

Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs

Late last week, the north end of Lake Mille Lacs hosted a large mayfly hatch. The walleye bite remains good, with lots of keepers being taken. Work the top edge of the mud flats first, but don't overlook the deeper waters. Crawlers and spinners are producing about the same amount of fish as leeches and slip bobbers. Green and blue are the most productive colors. Please remember to release your fish quickly and carefully, especially when temperatures are hot. Most anglers have plenty of pictures of "24-inch fish" already so forgo the picture and return these fish to the water as quickly as possible. And please note that local bait shops still have a modest supply of larger leeches but these may not last long, which is typical of leech supplies this time of year. 888 -350-2692; www.millelacs.com

Willmar Lakes Area

Overall, fishing has been pretty good on Willmar area lakes. Walleyes are being pulled from 25-30 foot depths on Green Lake. Anglers are taking most of these fish on live bait rigs with crawlers or leeches. Other areas producing walleyes include Diamond, Eagle, and Florida lakes, as well as around the islands on Nest Lake. Sunnies, bass and northern pike are active on all area lakes. On windy days, the most productive lakes are George, Henderson, Point and Elkhorn lakes. Fish are establishing summer patterns now that the water temperatures have risen up and the vegetation has grown to mid-July levels. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com

Southern Minnesota
Lanesboro - Southeast Bluff Country Trout Streams

Nearly all southeast Minnesota creeks, streams and rivers are considered, clear with a normal water flow. Whitewater Stream conditions are reported to be mostly cloudy to clear, with a normal water flow. Fishing was good, and all streams appeared to be in good shape. Little blue-winged olives, size #20-22, were being reported. Great fishing weather was forecasted for the upcoming weekend. As further updates on stream conditions become available they will be posted on the Southeast Minnesota Stream Conditions web page. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com

Ortonville -Big Stone Lake

Big Stone Lake water temperatures have risen, and anglers are having to adjust their presentations to match the speed of the fish. Those with some time and tenacity are doing well. Early morning, late afternoon and evening hours seem to be best for catching the more active fish. The switch from bottom bouncers and spinners to pulling crankbaits has definitely helped the walleye bite. Anglers having the most success have been working the area just outside of Knight and Manhattan islands all the way up to the GrapeVine Reef. Mixed bags of walleyes, nice-sized perch, northern pike and plenty of white bass were reported. Perch anglers are doing well at the Windmill Reef, near Skeleton Island, and around Mallard Pointe. On days with a south wind, hit the Lagoona Beach area as well. Anglers recommend straight lining over the edge of the boat for the most perch--leave the bobbers in the tackle box. Anglers opting to fish from shore or off the docks have had quite a bit of luck with the perch, bluegills and crappies when tossing slip bobbers into the weed growth. 800-568-5722; www.bigstonelake.com