Explore Minnesota Weekly Fishing Update Feb. 21, 2014 Many lakes are producing a nice mixture of walleyes, northern pike, perch and panfish, especially during low light hours. Fish seem to be turning more aggressive as the season winds down, and they get closer to their spawn.
Refresh your knowledge of ice safety guidelines on the Minnesota DNR's website, and remember to check ice conditions often. 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. 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 is recommended for snowmobiles and ATV's, and at least 8-12 inches 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. Consult with a local bait shop or lakeside resort for the most current ice conditions.
Please note that the 2013/2014 fishing season closes for walleyes, northern pike and other gamefish species at midnight on February 23, 2014 for most of Minnesota's inland waters, and the 2013/2014 Minnesota fishing licenses expire on February 28, 2014. New 2014/2015 Minnesota Fishing Licenses go into effect on March 1, 2014. Licensed anglers are allowed to fish year-round for panfish and rough fish species. This includes popular species such as crappies, sunfish and perch, along with less fished species such as whitefish, tulibees and eelpout.
Minnesota fishing opener dates for the 2014/2015 Fishing Season for most inland waters are as follows: walleyes, sauger, northern pike and lake trout, May 10; largemouth and smallmouth bass, May 24; muskie, June 7. The fishing season for crappies, sunnies, perch and catfish is continuous. Please note that seasons and regulations vary for certain boundary waters and some individual lakes and rivers--consult the Minnesota DNR Fishing Seasons and Minnesota DNR Fishing Regulations websites for the most current information.
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
Walleye action on Rainy Lake continues to be best in the morning and late afternoon hours in 30-35 feet of water. Sand Bay, the American Narrows, and areas from Dryweed Island to Dove Bay have been the most popular. Rainy Lake City continues to produce large northern pike; for the largest fish, use a good-size cisco or sucker minnow in roughly 10 feet of water. Crappies have been hit and miss, but when you hit, expect lots of action. Crappies are responding best to smaller minnows on colored jig heads. Area snowmobile trails are getting a workout since conditions are the best they've been in years! 800-325-5766;
www.rainylake.orgKabetogama
Fishing is picking up on lakes Kabetogama and Namakan now that the temperatures have turned more moderate. Most patterns haven't changed, with walleyes, perch and sauger coming from 28-33 feet of water on live bait and glow jigs. Try bouncing the jig off the bottom, pulling up a couple of feet since the perch and walleyes are often suspended off the bottom. For pike, use tip ups in depths of 12-20 feet. Late afternoon hours are still yielding the most numbers. Most anglers can access the entire lake when using a sled and a portable; permanent and wheel houses are mostly confined to just off the ice roads. Lake trails and land trails are in great shape for the snowmobilers; skiers are also reporting excellent conditions. 800-524-9085;
www.kabetogama.comEly
Anglers are reporting good numbers of walleyes, especially when fishing 18-20 feet of water. Currently, only a few road accesses are available, but a short walk off road has been very productive for some folks. Walleyes up to 20 inches in length are being reported, with most of these fish falling for buckshot and forage minnow spoons tipped with a minnow head or waxworms. Some anglers are also doing well using a live minnow fished under a bobber, a foot or so off the bottom. Most of the large northern pike are being taken by anglers free lining sucker minnows up to 8 inches long. Concentrate your efforts on areas that have a 6-20 foot drop-off or former weed edges. These areas are often just a short walk from the ice roads. Crappies and sunnies are responding to small jigs tipped with waxworms or minnows worked in 8-12 feet of water. 800-777-7281;
www.ely.orgGrand Rapids
Many area lakes, including Lakes Winnibigoshish, Bowstring and Pokegama, are producing a nice mixture of walleyes, northern pike, perch and panfish. Fish seem to be turning more aggressive as the season progresses and they get closer to spawn, and this leads to good fishing action. Well plowed and maintained roads on the large lakes such as Winnie and Bowstring provide a way to access good structure, and snowmobiles and ATVs/UTVs offer anglers a means of getting away from the heavily fished areas; anglers taking the most fish have been mobile. Low light periods are giving up the majority of nice eating size walleyes, as well as trophy size walleyes and northern pike. Try to locate the shoreline structure adjacent to deep water; start in 20-30 feet of water and then head out to the mid-lake humps, bumps and bars, or right on top of the slopes. Perch fishing has offered lots of fun and fast-paced fishing action. Perch are nearing the transition stage of moving from deep-water soft spots to shallow water structure in 10-15 foot depths. Look for underwater points near deeper water, or fishy structure in the shallows that holds pods of minnows and other live forage for the most fish. A 1/16 to 1/18 ounce spoon type lure that glows or rattles works best, especially when tipped with a minnow head; jig aggressively to attract the larger perch. For crappies and bluegills, head to the deep holes where fish can be found suspended in and around these holes or at the slopes and sharp breaklines that lead to the deep holes. When fishing the shallows, look to the weed beds in 10-15 feet of water. Panfish are responding best to small "bug type" lures tipped with waxworms, spike worms or small plastics. Check with local bait shops, sporting goods dealers and resorts for the most current ice conditions, fishing hot spots and tips. 800-355-9740;
www.visitgrandrapids.comNorthwest Minnesota
Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River
Fishing has been consistent on Lake of the Woods, with lots of walleyes, saugers, and a good mix of jumbo perch and tulibees being taken. Anglers are having success fishing the mud and the reefs; check depths of 28-32 or 34-36 feet of water at Arnesen's, 16 Mile, Long Point, Zippel Bay, and Morris Point. During low light and nighttime hours, check depths of 15-17 or 20-24 feet. Some walleyes are moving back towards Pine Island, and there is a good bite in 28-32 feet of water near Knight and Bridges reefs. When fish are hesitant to bite, use a jigging technique with a jigging spoon and minnow head. Also use a dead stick with a live minnow 4-6 inches off the bottom. Gold and glow colors are best. On the Rainy River, evenings and mornings have been best. Move towards the mouth of the river, with positive results in 16-18 feet of water in front of the airport and Wabanica Church. At the Northwest Angle, walleye and sauger action remains strong. Good numbers of northern pike and crappies are also being taken. Try 25-30 feet of water between the rock and mud transition zone for the best results. Use glow jigs, spoons or rattle jigs; dead sticks should be set 4 inches off the bottom. 800-382-FISH;
www.lakeofthewoodsmn.comBemidji
Walleyes are turning a bit more active, especially during low light morning and evening hours. Lake Winnibigoshish is giving up greater numbers of walleyes, especially at many of the mid-lake bars and humps. Most of the active walleyes in Winnibigoshish will use the tops of the humps if they top out in the 20-30 foot range, and use the corners and turns on the bars that top out shallower than 20 feet. Panfish action has also been picking-up on most area lakes, with the bite to improve immensely as the lakes begin to melt. Once fresh water begins to flow into the lakes, the fish usually respond with a great bite. Please note that the 2013/2014 fishing season closes for walleyes, northern pike and other gamefish species at midnight on February 23, 2014 for most of Minnesota's inland waters, and the 2013/2014 Minnesota fishing licenses expire on February 28, 2014. New 2014/2015 Minnesota Fishing Licenses go into effect on March 1, 2014. Licensed anglers are allowed to fish year-round for panfish and rough fish species. This includes popular species such as crappies, sunfish and perch, along with less fished species such as whitefish, tulibees and eelpout. 800-458-2223;
www.visitbemidji.comCass Lake
Fishing has been good on Pike Bay and Cass lakes. Anglers are having the most success using fatheads in 13-15 feet of water, with some nice perch and walleyes being taken. 800-356-8615;
www.casslake.comBena -Lake Winnibigoshish
This is the last week of walleye fishing until the 2014/2015 fishing season opener, and the bite has really picked up. Look to the main lake bars and humps, and the tops of the structure in 16-22 feet of water during evening hours. Fish are biting are bit earlier on cloudy, snowy days. Perch are biting well, but a lot of sorting has been necessary. For the most fish, look to the shore drops in 5-20 feet for the most fish. Northern pike fishing remains very good for anglers using tip ups and sucker minnows; set on top of the main lake bars or humps, 3-5 feet off the bottom for the most fish. Ice travel is good, with resorts plowing out around the entire lake.
www.lakewinnie.netWalker -Leech Lake
The 35th Annual International Eelpout Festival kicks-off today, and runs through Sunday, February 23rd. Ice conditions are great for this event, with the ice measuring near the 30-inch mark in most places. Dig out your eelpout lures, and try your hand at catching one of the ugliest, bottom-dwelling, carnivorous fish in area waters--you might even take home one of the many great prizes! Any type of jigging lure that glows in the dark should be effective. Be sure to bring along a camera flash, or other type of light that will make your lure glow. Try the front half of a live minnow for bait. At night, anglers are taking fish using rattle wheels tipped with a live minnow hanging down within one foot of the bottom of the lake. 800-833-1118;
www.leech-lake.comHackensack
Fishing has been heating up on the larger lakes. Perch and walleyes have been very active on the shallow flats, with 12-16 foot depths producing the most fish. Anglers looking for good perch and walleye fishing during this weekend's International Eelpout Festival at Leech Lake's Walker Bay should head out on the main lake or run over to Kabekona Bay. Woman Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish are also good choices. There have been fewer crappie and sunny reports recently, but this may be due to anglers concentrating their efforts on perch and walleye catches. The best reports have been from anglers fishing the smaller area lakes. 800-279-6932;
www.hackensackchamber.comDetroit Lakes
Northern pike are active in the shallow weeds, with fish being taken on tip-ups with large sucker minnows. Many crappies can still be found suspended over the basin areas in 25-35 feet of water. Small jigging spoons tipped with minnow heads, as well as small jigs tipped with wax worms or plastics are producing fish. Sunfish action remains good in 6-12 feet of water in the weed pockets. Small jigs tipped with wax worms, either jigged or under bobbers, are turning lots of fish. Perch activity is increasing in the shallow weed areas, but some fish remain off the deeper breaks in depths of 18-22 feet. Panfish techniques are working for perch as well. Lakes giving up the most fish include Little Detroit, Melissa, Floyd, Sallie, Tamarac and Toad. Please note that the end of the 2013/2014 inland water season for walleye and northern pike is at midnight this Sunday, Feb. 23. 800-542-3992;
www.visitdetroitlakes.comCentral Region
Otter Tail Lakes Country
The panfish have turned a bit more finicky. They can be found lingering near drops on mid-depth weedy flats, but it can be hard to entice them to bite, possibly due to the threat of pike. Crappies and sunnies have been most active in 10-15 feet of water, with crappie minnows working best. Northern, pike measuring 18-25 inches, have been pretty feisty this week. Northerns can be found along the weedlines in roughly 15 feet of water when using sucker minnows. Walleyes have been active in 25-35 feet, responding best to gold, glow red, and firetiger perch pattern lures tipped with fatheads and shiners. The new snow cover continues to darken the lakes, impacting the best color patterns and fish locations. Travel with full-sized trucks remains tricky so ATV's and snowmobiles are the best mode of travel. 800-423-4571;
www.ottertailcountry.comGlenwood
Lake Minnewaska continues to give up walleyes to anglers using fatheads or shiners in 14-18 feet of water. Sunnies are active on the Glenwood side of the lake, hitting silver wigglers and small jigs. Once you locate sunfish, expect some nice-sized fish. Crappies are being pulled from the Glenwood end of the lake, but mostly during evening hours and after dark. Use a minnow on a small hook. The crappies have also been nice in size. Last night's snowfall has made it more difficult to get around on area lakes, including Lake Minnewaska and Osakis, however resort staff should have some of the roads by Saturday morning. Four-wheelers are recommended. 320-634-3636
Whitefish Area Lakes
Quite a few anglers are reporting lots of action this week, especially with the crappies. Anglers having the most success are using neon teardrop jigs tipped with crappie minnows. One angler said he didn't get much sleep due to the bells that kept ringing throughout the night, signaling a fish was on the line. Decent walleye action continues to be reported by anglers using suckers in 28-30 feet of water. Early and late in the day have been best, with fish tending to school during evening hours. Sunfish action has been great this week in depths of 8-12 feet.
www.whitefish.orgBrainerd Lakes Area
A few walleyes are coming from 20-25 feet of water on Gull Lake. Set lines have been best, especially when paired with smaller minnows and smaller jigs. For the most walleyes, fish during low light hours. Crappies and sunnies are being taken by anglers using a jigging approach at the deeper basins of area lakes. These fish are suspended, so a vexilar is very helpful. 800-450-2838;
www.explorebrainerdlakes.comIsle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs
Resorts are plowing out roads on Lake Mille Lacs today in preparation for this weekend's three fishing contests and the end of the 2013/2014 walleyes/northern pike season. Not many anglers ventured out this week, but those that did were typically chasing northerns. In addition to northern pike catches, anglers reported some decent perch numbers and occasional walleyes. 888-350-2692;
www.millelacs.comWillmar
Fishing remains good on many area lakes. Willmar and Foot lakes continue to produce lots of crappies and walleyes. Northern pike and panfish are also being pulled from Green Lake. Diamond Lake is giving up good numbers of perch, sunfish and crappies. Anglers will find it easier to use their 4-wheelers or snowmobiles to get on and off the lakes due to recent heavy snowfall and melting conditions. 800-845-8747;
www.willmarlakesarea.comTwin Cities Greater Metropolitan vicinity
Chisago City
Last week, Chisago Lake anglers were catching panfish near the A-Frame in 5-7 feet of water, especially when using the tiniest jigs available. North Lindstrom Lake was giving up larger sunnies to anglers using smaller baits in 18-20 feet of water. On South Lindstrom Lake, anglers were starting to catch larger crappies behind the hospital in depths of 18-25 feet. Green Lake has been giving up some nice crappies, and North Central Lake had been good for a few walleyes and crappies in 10-22 feet of water. 651/257-1177;
www.chisagolakeschamber.comSouthern Minnesota
Lanesboro -Southeast Bluff Country Trout Streams
As of Wednesday, Feb. 19, most streams were running clear and low, although many remained covered in ice. Reports of several blue-winged olive hatches were reported Feb. 18. As updates on stream conditions become available, they are posted on the Southeast Minnesota Stream Conditions web page. 800-944-2670;
www.lanesboro.com
