Minnesota Fishing Report Newsletter as of Thursday, May 1
The opening dates for the 2008/2009 fishing season for most inland waters in Minnesota are as follows: walleye, sauger, northern pike, lake trout and stream trout in lakes, May 10; largemouth and smallmouth bass, May 24; and for muskie, June 7. The fishing season for crappies, sunnies, perch and catfish is continuous.
Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing DNR License Sales
Northeastern Minnesota
International Falls
On Rainy Lake, the shorelines are open, but a lot of ice remains on the main lake. Some sturgeon action is being reported on the Rainy River.
Grand Rapids
The warm water discharge plant on the Mississippi River is giving up panfish to open water anglers. All area lakes are still covered in ice, except for along the shorelines and in the bays.
Kabetogama
On Lake Kabetogama, the shoreline ice has melted. The Ash River has opened into Sullivan Bay, so ice-out on Kabetogama and Namakan lakes should occur soon, most likely by opening weekend.
Ely
Crappies and perch continue to bite on Fall Lake, but the shorelines are opening up. Many areas of the Kawishiwi River are now navigable for small boats and canoes.
Duluth
On Lake Superior, coho anglers are doing well by trolling plugs near the surface around Park Point. Kamloops and steelhead are being taken on spawn sacs and yarn-tied hooks on the Lester, Knife and Sucker rivers.
Northcentral/West Minnesota
Baudette
On Lake of the Woods, a lot of ice remains on the main lake. On the Rainy River, crawlers are producing sturgeon despite the recent cold temperatures.
Bena
On Lake Winnibigoshish, the shorelines are opening up. The entire main lake was covered in ice, as well as a fresh foot of snow, as of Tuesday morning.
Walker
On Leech Lake, anglers were still ice fishing on Shingobee Bay last weekend. The ice on the smaller area lakes is breaking up, however Leech Lake remains covered in ice.
Park Rapids
While most of the smaller lakes are now open, last weekend’s cold temperatures and snowfall prevented the larger area lakes from opening up. There have been some reports of open water panfish action at “The Fill” on Long Lake.
Brainerd/Nisswa
While the larger lakes still had quite a bit of ice earlier in the week, the smaller lakes were entirely ice-free. Look for crappies in the channel at Bar Harbor and in the ditches near Squaw Point on Gull Lake.
Starbuck
A few crappies are coming from the Starbuck Marina and Fish Hatchery Bay on Lake Minnewaska. The best approach has been a small jig tipped with minnow, however fishing action has slowed with the cooler temperatures.
Isle/Onamia
On Lake Mille Lacs, crappies are being pulled from the marinas and boat harbors. The north end of the lake has some open water extending out from shore, and the bays have started opening up.
St. Cloud/Eden Valley
Some sunfish action is being reported in the bays and culvert areas. Koronis, Rice, and the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes have produced the majority of fish in recent days, with fish being pulled from less than six feet of water. For the most fish, try a small jig tipped with a waxworm or minnow.
Twin Cities vicinity
Elk River/Zimmerman
The shallows of Elk Lake have recently been best for crappie action. The shallows of Green and Blue lakes should produce fish in the near future. For the most fish, use a small jig tipped with minnow under a float.
Annandale
The channels and bays of Sugar, Cedar, Clearwater and Sylvia lakes are producing crappies in the shallows. On Pleasant Lake, a few crappies are being pulled from 8-10 feet of water.
Prior Lake/West Metro vicinity
The Minnesota River continues to produce catfish and white bass. Panfish action remains slow, although few anglers are venturing out due to cold temperatures.
Waconia
On Lake Waconia, a few crappies have been caught close to the shore in Waconia Bay.
Wayzata
A few crappies were taken from Lake Minnetonka last weekend, however the cool temperatures have pushed these fish out of the shallows. When the weather turns warmer, look to the north side of Wayzata Bay, Maxwell Bay, Excelsior Bay, and Black Lake for numbers of crappies.
Chisago City
Shallow bays and piers are giving up crappies in 4-7 feet of water. For the most fish, hit Chisago, North Lindstrom and South Center lakes.
White Bear/Northeast Metro vicinity
While the recent cold spell has slowed the crappie bite, a few fish continue to be pulled from the marinas along the St. Croix River. The shorelines of Vadnais Lake are also producing a few crappies.
Southern Minnesota
Red Wing
Ike’s hair jigs, Shad Raps, and brightly-colored ringworms are producing a few walleyes in 10-18 feet of water. For the most fish, hit the High Bridge area, as well as Hay Creek and the creek mouths on the Mississippi River.
Faribault
Sunfish have started to appear in the shallow bays of Lake Mazaska and Shields Lake. When the sun is shining, look for crappies in the shallow, creek areas of Shields Lake. On cloudy days, check 15 foot depths just out from the creek mouths.
Waterville
White bass remain active on the Cannon River, with most hitting jigs or small crankbaits. The lagoon area on Lake Tetonka is giving up sunnies and crappies in the shallows. Bullheads continue to be pulled from the sawmill area between German and Jefferson lakes.
Fairmont
Some evening crappie action is being reported by anglers using minnows in the shallows of Hall and Budd lakes. The only other open water action worth noting is the decent bullhead bite on many area lakes.
Ortonville
While the walleye action is slow on the south end of Big Stone Lake, some fish are being taken further north. The majority of fish have been close to shore in the Cameron’s Cove area on the South Dakota side of the lake, with jig and minnow combinations working best.
“The information in this report is provided courtesy of Outdoor News, and Explore Minnesota Tourism.”
