Explore Minnesota Fishing Report, 8.2.07
Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/agents.htmlThe Fishing Hot Spot this week is the city of Walker, where Leech Lake is giving up limits of walleyes, especially on firetiger- and perch-colored shad raps.
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NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA
McGregor
Big Sandy Lake is producing nice-size crappies and bass, lots of northern pike, and a few walleyes. Lake Minnewawa is giving up good-size sunnies and northern pike. For the most panfish, use waxworms. Northern pike are hitting suckers and artificial bait.
Duluth
Fish Lake continues to produce walleyes. A 29-inch, 7-pound 8-ounce walleye was pulled from Island Lake last weekend during a fishing tournament. Bass fishing has been good on Caribou, Murphy, Laura, Nickels and Island lakes. Smallmouth bass, muskies, and a few walleyes are coming from the St. Louis River. On Lake Superior, lake trout are being taken just out from the Lester River. Between Two Harbors and Silver Bay, a couple of miles out from the pumping station, anglers are finding lots of salmon.
Ely
Good numbers of prized game fish continue to be taken. Crappies measuring up to 16-inches are coming from White Iron, Fall, Low and Little Long lakes. The best approach has been either a minnow, or a jig tipped with a tube tail or a grub. Walleyes can be found in depths of 4-30 feet! The best time to fish has been early and late in the day. Basswood Lake has been the most consistent, with walleyes measuring more than 31-inches recently being taken. Burntside, Fall and White Iron lakes are all giving up limits of nice-size fish. Large smallmouth bass are hitting topwater lures, such as skitter pops, hula poppers, and zara spooks during early morning hours. As the sun rises, hit slightly deeper waters using a leech or crawler. Northern pike have been aggressive, hitting most lures thrown their way, and sometimes stealing walleyes from dangling stringers. Several anglers also report fish being ripped off their hooks as they reel in!
Kabetogama
On Lakes Kabetogama and Namakan, fishing has been best during morning and early evening hours. During the day, walleyes can be found at the 30-40 foot reef edges and drop-offs. The Martin Islands and surrounding areas offer a lot of deep structure. On cloudy days or early evenings, a few sluggish walleyes continue to be pulled from the reef shelves, shallow bays and windward shorelines. Sauger and perch are coming from slightly deeper waters. Anglers are having the most success using jigs tipped with minnows or crawlers, or leeches on a slip-sinker rig. Hot afternoons should be spent northern pike and smallmouth bass fishing. Areas to check out for smallmouth bass include near the weeds holding baitfish, and at the sharp rock wall drop-offs holding crayfish. Northern pike are hanging around the deeper water adjacent to shallow weedy bays, as well as in the weeds. Areas to consider include Slatinski, Mud, Daily, Nebraska, and Blind Ash bays.
International Falls
On Rainy Lake, walleyes are hitting shiner minnows and leeches in 25-40 feet of water on the submerged reefs. Areas to check out include Blueberry Island and Saginaw Bay on the east end, and Community Reef or the Fox Islands further west. A graph has been helpful to locate concentrations of fish and the best depth. Crappies are active in Black Bay. The weedy edges around Cranberry Bay have been excellent for lots of smallmouth bass. For the most fish, try a flashy lure or plug cast into the weed edges. Crappies can be found using jigs tipped with small minnows. On the Rainy River, walleyes are active near the confluence of the Littlefork River, with fish hitting spinner rigs with a shiner or leech.
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NORTHCENTRAL/WEST MINNESOTA
Baudette
On Lake of the Woods, the weather and the fishing remains hot! The walleye bite has been strong on the reefs in 8-10 feet of water, with fish hitting crawlers and bottom bouncers. Anglers are also having success pulling plugs through 33-35 feet of water. Some are doing well down-rigging. Smallmouth bass are extremely active in the Rainy River and in Baudette Bay. Lots of eating-size walleyes are also being taken. For the most fish, try a green jig in 20-23 feet of water in the Clementson Rapids area. At the Northwest Angle and Islands area, use a bottom bouncer and jig on the reefs around Oak Island. And, several muskies over 50-inches were recently taken.
Blackduck
On Blackduck Lake, walleyes are being taken on lindy rigs tipped with a leech or crawler worked in 7-9 feet of water at the weeds. Some anglers are also doing well using a #5 or #7 shad raps. During evening hours, hit Island Lake using a crankbait. The two Twin Lakes and Pimusche Lake have been good for panfish.
Bemidji
On Lake Bemidji, walleyes are hitting trolled beetle spins with white twisters in 6-8 feet of water on the flats near Diamond Bar. Also check the cabbage beds along the east and west shorelines. During the day, fish are moving down to depths of 20-35 feet. Some anglers are taking fish on lindy rigs tipped with crawlers or redtails, and others are having success using lead core with crankbaits in the deeper waters. Bluegills and bass are biting on most area lakes.
Walker
On Leech Lake, walleyes are active at Sugar Point, with limits coming in on fire-tiger and perch-colored shad raps. Some anglers are doing well using crayfish-colored lures. The Sub Island area is producing fish on live bait rigs. At night, check out Sand Point using a slip bobber, with muskies also being taken from the rock piles. For the most muskies, use yellow bucktails and jackpot lures. Northern pike are feeding aggressively, and keeping the muskie anglers busy. Some of these pike are measuring over 35-inches. Panfish and perch are very active in most of the bays.
Hackensack
Crappies can be found suspended in the deeper waters on Birch, Ten Mile and Pleasant lakes. Pleasant Lake is producing fish in 14-16 feet of water on crappie minnows worked above the cabbage weeds. Ten Mile and Birch lakes are both giving up crappies in depths of 16-24 feet on small beetle spins tipped with a crappie minnow. White and pink jigs have been productive on most lakes. Walleyes are coming from Woman Lake by trolling through 25-30 feet of water during evening hours. For lots of bass, use a jig tipped with a leech or small sucker minnow on Pleasant and Birch lakes.
Park Rapids
Walleyes are being pulled from Fishhook Lake on crawlers worked in 21-22 feet of water. Northern pike are active on the Crow Wing Chain, and hitting sucker minnows worked in depths of 14-16 feet. Bass are coming in on spinners pulled through the Fishhook and Island lake shallows. The Crow Wing Chain is giving up bluegills in 12-14 feet of water. Crappies are coming Big Mantrap Lake during evening hours.
Pelican Rapids
Smallmouth bass are active throughout the area. A few walleyes are coming from waters as deep as 35 feet. Some anglers are using lead core to reach these depths on Lida and Star lakes. The muskie bite has been good on Pelican Lake. For sunnies, hit the cabbage weeds in depths of 15-18 feet on Crystal Lake.
Battle Lake
A few walleyes are coming in on leeches and crawlers on Silver, Blanche, Walker and Rush lakes. For the most fish, hit Ottertail Lake at night using suckers in 6-11 feet of water. Sunnies are biting on Deer and Dead lakes. A few muskies were recently pulled from West Battle Lake, with lots of follows being reported. Northern pike and bass remain very active on most area lakes.
Osakis
On Lake Osakis, some sunnies are being pulled from the pencil reeds at 1 1/2- and 2-Mile Bars. Walleyes are biting at 4-Mile and Johnson’s bars. For northern pike, hit the shallows along the weedlines.
Crosby
Northern pike are coming from most area lakes on sucker minnows and spinnerbaits. Bass are also very active, especiallly on Rabbit, Serpent, Clearwater and Horseshoe lakes. Pelican and Serpent lakes are producing walleyes, mostly during evening hours and late into the night. Lots of sunfish and crappies are being pulled from Blackhoof, Little Rabbit, East Rabbit and Turkey lakes. Quite a few crappies are also coming out of Serpent and Manhomen lakes. Trout can be found early in the day on Manuel and Huntington lakes using powerbait and jigging spoons.
Isle/Onamia
On Lake Mille Lacs, the walleyes continue to bite, however most are not within the current slot range. Anglers continue to venture out and enjoy all of the action, with lots of nice 20- to 25-inch walleyes being reported. Areas to check out include the deep mud and the edge of the deep gravel, either bobber fishing or pulling crankbaits. Muskie action has also been good, with fish found up in the sand along the North Shore, Big Point and Isle Bay areas.
Grey Eagle
On the Mississippi River, a few walleyes are being pulled from the deeper holes and just below the Blanchard Dam. Lots of catfish and smallmouth bass are also coming from the deep holes, where fish are congregating due to low water levels. The panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike bite remains good on most area lakes. For crappies, check out Pine and Mound lakes.
St. Cloud
Area lakes are producing sunfish in depths of 9-18 feet, with the largest fish coming from the deeper waters. Lakes to check out include Sugar, Pearl and Big Birch, especially early in the morning and after 7pm. Bass and northern pike are active on Alexander and Sugar lakes. Muskies are coming out of most lakes that typically hold muskies. The Mississippi River is giving up muskies, catfish, smallmouth bass and some walleyes, mosly early and late in the day.
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TWIN CITIES VICINITY
Annandale
On Clearwater Lake, sunnies are hitting worms and waxworms in 10-15 feet of water along the weed edges. Some nice-size crappies are being pulled from 15 feet of water, roughly 7 feet down, at the deeper weed edges. Largemouth bass are coming in on plastic grub worms worked up in the weeds. Northern pike can be found using sucker minnows under bobbers at the weedlines.
Waconia
On Lake Waconia, sunnies are coming from 12-16 feet of water off the weed edges. Bass can be found suspended just above the weeds in slightly deeper waters. Good muskie action, with lots of follows, is being reported by anglers using topwater lures. Northern pike have also been active. A few walleyes are being taken at night.
Wayzata
On Lake Minnetonka, fish continue to be pulled from the weedlines, where oxygen is most plentiful. Northern pike and sunnies are coming from the weeds in 10-15 foot depths. Crappies can also be found at the weeds at this depths, but most are suspended. The topwater muskie bite is heating up.
Forest Lake
The sunfish remain shallow. Crappies are suspended out in 20 feet of water. A few walleyes are being taken on shiners and leeches. For bass, work the deep weedlines using deep-diving crankbaits. Muskie action has been good on most area muskie lakes. For the most fish, use a topwater lure in the evenings, and a bucktail during the day.
Chisago City
A good crappie bite is being reported on North Center Lake near the 2nd Island. Some large sunnies are being pulled from the deep weedlines in 8-20 feet of water on Chisago Lake. The bar off Nelson Island on North Center Lake has been good for nice-size sunnies, with waxworms and pieces of crawlers producing the most fish. Bass are biting on most area lakes.
Oakdale/East Metro area waters
Bass are active throughout the area, with lots of largemouth bass coming from Big Marine and Big Carnelian lakes. Northern pike are hitting sucker minnows under bobbers just outside the weedlines in 8-10 feet of water, especially on White Bear and Forest lakes. The sunnies are biting on Peltier and Battle Creek, but most fish have been small. Walleyes and sauger are biting on the St. Croix River early in the morning before the silvers move in. A few crappies are being pulled from Centerville and Big Marine lakes during evening hours. Muskies are active on many area lakes.
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SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
Red Wing
On the Mississippi River, walleyes are hitting pulled plugs and trolled #7 shad raps in 18-25 feet of water on Lake Pepin. Bass are biting in Maple Springs on hair jigs tipped with leeches. The panfish bite is picking up along the shorelines. Northerns continue to bite at the Rush River entrance, with numbers of fish being taken on large red eyes and sucker minnows.
St. Peter
On the Minnesota River, the catfish action has been excellent, with a 50-pound fish recently taken. Anglers are doing best when fishing the deeper holes using chubs and suckers. A few sunnies are coming from Baker’s Bay on Lake Washington. Northern pike are active on Madison Lake.
Waterville
Northern pike anglers are having a blast on Lake Tetonka, with spoons working best. Walleyes are being taken on lures that rattle. Bass are hitting plastics, especially in dark colors.
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"The information in this report is provided courtesy The Outdoors Weekly, and Explore Minnesota Tourism."
