Explore Minnesota Fishing Report February 21, 2013

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Explore Minnesota Fishing Report  February 21, 2013 
 
 
 [Northeast] [Northwest] [Central] [Twin Cities] [Southern]
The most recent storm system is expected to move out of Minnesota by Friday evening, increasing the bite this weekend. The most recommended approach for walleye has been a jigging spoon and minnow head fished next to a plain hook and live minnow. While the gamefish season on Minnesota's inland waters closes at midnight on February 24, anglers will still be able to fish for panfish and rough fish such as crappies, sunfish, perch, eelpout, tulibees and whitefish. The 2012 Minnesota Fishing License is good until April 30, 2013. There is an extended season for walleye, sauger and northern pike on most of the border lakes and rivers between Minnesota and Canada.

Please remember that temperature, snow cover, currents, springs and rough fish all affect the stability of ice which could be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away. It is important to check ice depth at least every 150 feet--please exercise caution and check ice depth often. According to the Minnesota DNR, 4 inches of new, clear ice is the minimum thickness recommended for travel by foot. A minimum of 5 inches of new, clear ice is recommended for snowmobiles and ATV's, and at least 8-12 inches of new, clear ice is advised for cars and small trucks. Items recommended for checking ice thickness include an ice chisel, ice auger, cordless drill and a tape measure. Anglers heading out onto the ice should also carry ice claws and a long rope, and wear a floatation device and ice cleats. Check out the Minnesota DNR's Ice Safety web page before heading out, and consult with a local bait shop and lakeside resort for the most current ice conditions.

The fishing season for walleye, sauger, northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass remains open through February 24, 2013. Smallmouth bass, however, are catch-and-release only from September 12 through February 24. The winter season for lake trout within the BWCA runs December 29, 2012 through March 31, 2013--outside of the BWCA, January 12-March 31. The winter season for stream trout in southern Minnesota is catch-and-release only, running January 1 through March 31, 2013. The season for stream trout in lakes runs from January 12 through March 31, 2013.

Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing DNR License Sales.

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Northeast Minnesota
International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River

Rainy Lake anglers have been pulling some nice crappies through the ice. Reports have been best from around the east end of Sand Bay, but that is also where most of the fish houses are located. Those with portable gear are finding walleye and crappies along the channels and islands east of Sand Bay. Northern pike are coming from the area near Black and Cranberry bays. The National Park Service Ice Road extends past Dryweed Island. The best walleye bite is being reported by anglers using jigs and minnows during morning hours. All area snowmobile, ski and snowshoe trails are in excellent condition! 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org

Kabetogama

Another week of winter snow, wind and some sub-zero weather. Lakes have developed a layer of slush and deep snow. The ice road and snowmobile trails will get you to many areas of the lake, but try to stay close or you may find yourself stuck! There has been a decent bite in depths of 30-34 feet of water for all species. A few anglers continue to work 25-28 foot depths with limited success. Shiners are working best for the shallow bite, and fatheads have been preferred for the deeper depths. Use a flashy jig or a glow jig in the deeper depths, combined with a fast vertical action to trigger the bite. No crappie action has been reported recently, possibly due to limited access to their usual haunts. The lake and land snowmobile trails are great shape, with miles and miles waiting to be explored! 800-524-9085; www.kabetogama.com

Ely

Walleye continue to be caught, but most have been small. Lake trout anglers are more common. Active jigging remains the most productive method, but ciscoes fished on the bottom have also been effective. Northern pike fishing has been a great alternative for those seeking lots of action. Lots of pike are coming in on live suckers on most area lakes. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org

Cook/Tower - Lake Vermilion

1-800-648-5897; www.lakevermilionresorts.com

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

Just a reminder that the winter walleye season will come to a close in a couple of weeks. The walleye are starting to head into more shallow, rocky and reef areas, especially in roughly 20 feet of water. Devil Track Lake, located just outside of Grand Marais, recently produced a 7-pound fish. Early to mid-morning hours have been best. Caribou Lake, located just outside of Lutsen, is giving up a few walleye, some large northern pike, and lots of perch. Kids are having a blast pulling perch through the ice, with some being nice-sized keepers! For some good trout action, head to Kimball, Mink, and Trout lakes, all located off the Gunflint Trail. Rainbow trout are hitting in 30-40 feet of water, and the deeper waters are giving up Splake. For the most fish, use a minnow and tip up, and wait for the stick to move! Walleye anglers should keep their ice fishing gear out for the annual Trout Derby held on Gunflint Lake on Sunday, March 3, with lots of prizes and fish fry nirvana following the contest.
www.VisitCookCounty.com

Grand Rapids

Good numbers of fish are coming from Lake Winnibigoshish, Pokegama and other Grand Rapids area lakes. Recent heavy snowfall has made it necessary to trailer in your snowmobiles, ATVs and UTVs with chains, allowing you to hit two or three lakes in a day. Enjoy great daytime panfish action, followed by exciting evening walleye action! Panfish have been in and around the weeds in 10-15 feet of water where it drops down to deeper holes. Perch have been active in depths of 20-30 feet of water over soft bottom spots that offer bug hatches which attract the forage fish and ultimately the fish that feed on the forage. Walleye have been situated off main lake humps and bars in depths of 24-27 feet. www.visitgrandrapids.com

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

Fish are on the move and are active. Structured areas and reefs ranging from 24-32 feet of water have been best, especially near Knight and Bridges islands. A steady all day sauger bite is being reported, with walleye most active during early mornings and mid- to-late afternoon hours. Some trophy walleye are being reported. Since the bite has been light, downsizing your presentation may be helpful. Smaller baits are working better this week, and the best colors remain gold, glow, pink and orange. Try a live minnow on a dead stick, and minnow heads on a jigging stick for the most fish. The houses placed over the mud are spread out and doing well, although more sporadic. Electronics are showing suspended fish. At the Northwest Angle, fishing has been consistently good. The houses placed around Little Oak and Garden islands are taking lots of nice walleye and sauger. Crappies and whitefish continue to be taken from the remote areas. Large northern pike are being caught when targeted. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bemidji

While the gamefish season on Minnesota's inland waters closes at midnight on February 24, anglers will still be able to fish for panfish and rough fish such as crappies, sunfish, perch, eelpout, tulibees and whitefish. Fishing has been slow for walleye in most areas, with the most productive area lakes being Upper Red and Lake of the Woods. The stained water lakes give anglers a better chance during the day, while most clear lakes are giving up the most fish at dusk. Anglers fishing for crappies, sunnies and perch have been having more success than the walleye anglers, but most of the best panfish areas are only accessible to anglers with a plow, snowmobile or other tracked vehicle. The heavy snow is causing more areas on the lakes to flood, which is creating some bad slush problems. Snowmobiles continue to be the best way to access the lakes, unless anglers are traveling on maintained ice roads. Off road travel on the lakes has been difficult, even for snowmobiles at times. Anglers wanting to fish more remote parts of the lakes should not travel alone and be prepared in case they get stuck. 800-458-2223; www.visitbemidji.com

Cass Lake

800-356-8615; www.casslake.com

Bena -Lake Winnibigoshish

Lake Winnibigoshish northern pike fishing remains amazing! Tip-ups with large suckers or shiners placed 2-5 feet off the bottom have been the most successful method. Fish the tops of the main lake bars or shore-drop tops for the most fish. Perch anglers are taking decent numbers of fish. Expect to do some sorting. The west side hot spot for perch is in the Sugar Island area, with 10-12 foot depths being best. The south shore is giving up perch at Snag Hole. Areas east and north of Moxey up to the High Banks area have also been good. Walleye are being caught early and late in the day during a one hour window. Although this is a short window, be ready to catch some walleye. The best approach has been a jigging spoon and minnow head fished next to a plain hook and live minnow. Roads are plowed around the lake. www.lakewinnie.net

Walker - Leech Lake

800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com

Hackensack

Walleye fishing has picked up again on Leech Lake's Walker Bay now that the Eelpout Festival party is over. Fishing should back to normal by the weekend! The crappie bite is also heating up, and many anglers are reporting good numbers of fish. Many area lakes are giving up lots of eating-sized fish. Crappie minnows on small/medium glow jigs have been working well. The bluegills remain very active as well. Stick to the shallows, using waxworms in less than 16 feet of water. For the larger fish, pinch a minnow in half. The perch bite is improving each day on Leech Lake. Stay on the move until you locate the larger fish. 800-279-6932

Park Rapids

Deep snow on Park Rapids lakes now requires snowshoes, skis or snowmobiles to access areas off the ice roads. But don't put away your ice fishing gear just yet since the walleye bite remains strong from around 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tie on a jigging rap to get their attention, then drop a pink #4 hook and golden shiner in a nearby hole to entice them to bite. Fishing over 18-22 feet of water will lead to the most fish. After dusk, work depths of just over 10 feet of water. For crappies, try a slug bug tipped with a waxworm at the nearest cabbage weed patch in the deeper waters. Use caution when traveling on area lakes and watch for flooding. Most lakes are still flood-free and easily accessible, but flooding is still possible, especially on the spring-fed lakes. 800-247-0054; www.parkrapids.com

Detroit Lakes

High winds earlier this week created snow drifts in many of the plowed roads leading to community fishing spots. Travel will be limited to vehicles and easiest by snowmobile due to thick snow cover and slush. Ice is averaging 26-30 inches thick. Fishing has been relatively good for all species. Techniques that have been worked well over the last couple of weeks remain effective. Crappies are coming from the shallows, as well as the deep basin areas. For the most fish, use spoons or jigs tipped with minnow heads, larva or plastic tails. Fish above them to entice the bite. Sunfish are hitting smaller jigs tipped with waxies. Walleye are cooperating for anglers working the deeper weed edges on the breaks nearest the deepest waters. Jigging spoons, buckshot rattle spoons, and Swedish pimples tipped with minnow heads continue to produce the most fish. The best colors have been gold or bright two-tone combinations. Northern pike continue to be active in the shallow water weed areas, hitting large suckers under a bobber or on tip-up rigs. The current cold front should pass by Friday night, and fishing is expected improve considerably this weekend. 800-542-3992; www.visitdetroitlakes.com

Central Region
Otter Tail Lakes Area

800-423-4571; www.ottertailcountry.com

Glenwood

On Lake Minnewaska, fishing has been slow due to 15 inches of new snow covering many popular fishing holes. Most ice roads have now been plowed, and are ready for this weekend. www.glenwoodlakesarea.org

Pine River

800-728-6926; http://www.pinerivermn.com

Whitefish Chain of Lakes Area

www.whitefish.org

Brainerd Lakes Area

The snow has made lake travel more tricky. If you are traveling off the beaten path, watch out for ice chunks and drifts out from the fish houses. The crappie bite remains strong on the Mission and Cullen chains, and on Blackhoof and Sylvan lakes. The Merrifield end of North Long is giving up crappies in depths of more than 30 feet, and sunfish in depths of 12-18 feet. The walleye are there, with some nice fish recently pulled from Gull, North Long and Round lakes, especially during low light hours. Golden shiners on tip-ups and glow red buckshots have been working well in deeper waters. Many area lakes have been producing nice-size tulibee which can make for a fun afternoon of fishing. For the most action, hit 30-40 feet of water using a rattle spoon tipped with a bunch of waxies. Northern pike anglers are taking good numbers of fish from Gull, North Long, Edwards and Round lakes when working sucker minnows in 17 to 22 feet of water. Towards the city of Crosby, walleye are biting during evening hours on the south end of Pelican Lake. For the most fish, hit 21-28 foot depths using glow spoons and minnow heads. Crappies and sunnies are active throughout the day on Milford, Blind and Crooked lakes, with a good night crappie bite on the weed edges of Bay Lake. Northern pike are being taken on sucker minnows set on the weed lines of Adney and Lower Mission lakes. 800-450-2838; www.explorebrainerdlakes.com

Aitkin Area Lakes/Northern Lake Mille Lacs

800-526-8342; www.aitkin.com

Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs

On the east end of Lake Mille Lacs, the extra snow cover seems to have improved the daytime walleye and perch bite, with good reports coming from anglers fishing of 28 feet or deeper. During evening hours, some keepers are being pulled from 15-25 feet of water. Look for tullibee in 30-plus feet of water. For northern pike, hit 10-14 foot depths in Cove and Wahkon bays. On the west edge of Lake Mille Lacs, walleye continue to come from the flats such as Seguchie's, Sherman's and Eight Mile. The deeper rock points are also producing fish. Most of the fish are coming from 28-32 feet of water, regardless of time of day. Scattered pods of jumbo perch and tullibees are also coming from these deeper waters. Northern pike anglers are taking fish from the 9- to 14-foot weed lines of Garrison and St. Alban's bays. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com

Willmar Lakes Area

Roads have been plowed on area lakes, and fishing action remains great! Walleye and perch are abundant on Wakanga and Big Kandiyohi lakes. Green, Diamond and Florida lakes continue to produce northern pike and walleye. Willmar and Foot lakes are giving up nice-size crappies and panfish. Most anglers continue to downsize, using jigs with fat heads, crappie minnows or waxworms. As always, please use caution when traveling out onto the lakes. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com

Twin Cities Greater Metropolitan vicinity
Northeast Metro/Chisago Lakes Area

651/257-1177; www.chisagolakeschamber.com

White Bear Area Lakes

651/653-5122; www.ExploreWhiteBear.org

Waconia

Fishing was good on Lake Waconia last week, especially at the weedlines and pockets in the weeds. Sunfish were biting fast and furious. Northern pike had also been cooperating, with 5- to 8-pound fish being common. Sucker minnows and weedlines remained the best bet for the pike. Crappies have been active at the weedlines as well, but in slightly deeper waters. Look for fish to be suspended at the 15-18 foot breaks off the reefs. 952/442-5812; www.destinationwaconia.org

Southern Minnesota
Winona- Mississippi River

Area lakes had a good ice base of roughly a foot or more, with some good reports coming from panfish anglers. Crappies and sunnies can be found in depths of 2-4 feet; when they are in deeper water they suspend in the water column at a variety of depths. A vixlar depth flasher is very useful in these situations. Walleye, sauger and perch are schooled up below Dams 4, 5, 5a, 6, 7 and 8. Fishing has been fair to good, and the ice conditions at the lock and dams has improved. The best lures for the walleye and sauger are the new snap rap; try a number 5 jigging rap for the most action. Tip-ups have been good for northern pike when paired with large sucker minnows or shiners, and set only a few feet below the ice surface in the shallows. Deeper water determines how far down to set the tip up and that can be 7 feet down. The best bait for panfish is Euro larva, spike, wax worms and crappie minnow. For walleye, use large fat head minnows or just the minnow head. 800-657-4972; www.visitwinona.com

Lanesboro - Southeast Bluff Country Trout Streams

Ice covers the surface of many streams making it difficult to fish. This weekend's warmer temperatures should make fishing much easier. Still, be very careful when driving as many of the side dirt roads are icy. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com

Rochester -Southeast Minnesota Lakes and Rivers

The open water winter trout fishing season began January 1. While it is catch-and-release for brown trout and rainbow trout, the high quality fishing on area streams and rivers almost always makes for an exciting outing. 800-634-8277; www.rochestercvb.org

Faribault Area Lakes

800-658-2354; www.visitfaribault.com

Albert Lea

Walleye and panfish are biting near the freeway bridge on Albert Lea Lake. For the most fish, use minnows and wax worms roughly 6 inches off the bottom. On Fountain Lake, crappie action has been excellent for anglers using 3 ?- to 4-inch minnows. The bluegill bite has been best during evening hours in 6 feet of water. The best approach has been a gold tear-drop jig tipped with wax worms. And a few northern pike are being taken near the city beach. 800-345-8414; www.albertleatourism.org

Fairmont Area Lakes

800-657-3280; www.fairmontcvb.com

Ortonville - Big Stone Lake

800-568-5722; www.bigstonelake.com