Fishing Reports News

Minnesota Fishing Report

Plastics or spinnerbaits are turning bass on the deep weedlines and bars of most lakes. Crappie action remains strong in 12 feet of water throughout the Le Homme Dieu Chain of Lakes. A few muskie reports have started off Lobster Lake, primarily with top-water presentations. Crawlers and leeches are producing walleyes during the evening hours in 20 to 30 feet of water on Lake Ida, Lake Miltona and Lake Le Homme Dieu.

ANNANDALE AREA

Clearwater Lake, Sugar Lake, Cedar Lake and Pleasant Lake are safe bets for northern pike and bass. Plastics and spinnerbaits have been best for bass, while sucker minnows tend to produce bigger pike. Sunfish and crappies have moved into 12 to 14 feet of water on Lake Augusta, Lake John, Lake Sylvia, Clearwater and Cedar. A few walleyes can be had in 15 to 20 feet of water during the evening hours on Clearwater and Cedar. Top-water baits have triggered muskies on Sugar Lake during lowlight periods of the day.

BATTLE LAKE

There’s some decent walleye activity in 18 to 22 feet of water on Clitherall Lake and Mollie Stark Lake. Otter Tail Lake is producing walleyes at two depths: seven to nine feet during lowlight periods and 20 feet during midday hours. Look to Blanche Lake and West Battle Lake for sunfish in 12 to 14 feet. Rush Lake is the best bet for northern pike and Deer Lake continues to produce muskies. Largemouth bass are active in the weeds on most lakes.

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA

The 17- to 20-foot weed edges of Gull Lake, North Long Lake, Pelican Lake, and Whitefish Lake are producing walleyes on a variety of live bait options. The weedlines on these lakes also are holding largemouth bass and crappies. Look for northern pike to be hitting sucker minnows in 12 feet of water on Gull and North Long. Sunfish action has picked up in 10 to 12 feet on Nisswa Lake, Lake Margaret and North Long.

CASS LAKE AREA

Muskie action really has picked up throughout the weeded areas and bays of Cass Lake. Bucktails and Suicks are the preferred baits during lowlight periods of the day. Work the weed edges of Lake Andrusia with Rapalas for northern pike. Walleyes can be had on leeches in the shallow sand and grass areas of Cass during the evening hours. A crawler or jig and minnow has worked best during the day in 20 feet. Look for perch in the six-foot pencil reeds of Cass and Pike Bay Lake. North Twin Lake is a safe bet for bluegills in 12 feet.

CROSBY AREA

The deep weeds of Perry Lake, Upper Dean Lake, Rabbit Lake, Serpent Lake and Upper Mission Lake are producing northern pike and bass. Crappies and sunfish are scattered throughout 12 to 20 feet of water on Big Mahnomen Lake and Lake Adney. Trout continue to be had in 35 feet at the Portsmouth Pit and Pennington Pit.

DULUTH AREA

Sucker minnows are turning northern pike on the weedlines of Rice Lake. The shipping channels of the St. Louis River remain a safe bet for walleyes in 25 feet of water. A few walleyes also can be had on leeches at Island Lake in 30 feet and at Fish Lake in 15 feet of water. Look to Fish Lake for bluegills in eight to 10 feet of water. Spoons or plugs are triggering lake trout and salmon on Lake Superior. The best bite has taken place 70 to 100 feet below the surface.

FARIBAULT AREA

Sunfish are hitting along the eight- to 10-foot weedlines of Lake Mazaska and Roberds Lake. Look for suspended crappies over 22 feet of water on Mazaska. Top-water baits and small bucktails have been turning muskies on French Lake. Largemouth bass are an easy catch on lakes such Kelley Dudley, Hunt and Cedar. Spoon Plugs also have provided steady pike action on these lakes. There’s some evening walleye action with leeches on French Lake in 12 to 14 feet and on Fox Lake in 20 to 22 feet of water.

GRAND RAPIDS AREA

The humps and bars on Bowstring Lake are producing walleyes. The best reports are coming from 17 feet of water with slip bobbers and leeches. Lake Pokegama and Trout Lake continue to produce some walleyes in 20 feet. Top-water baits are producing bass on lakes such as Big Trout, Balsam, Spider, Rice and Deer. The south side of Bowstring is kicking out crappies in 10 to 12 feet of water. Anglers targeting muskies have reported an increase in activity from many lakes.

HACKENSACK AREA

Spinnerbaits are providing consistent bass action on Ten Mile Lake and Birch Lake. Pleasant Lake is the area’s best bet for sunfish in 10 feet of water. Muskie activity remains strong on Baby Lake with bucktails and top-water presentations. Look to Ten Mile for walleyes during the evening hours in 20 to 25 feet of water.

LAKE MILLE LACS

EAST - Slip bobbers and leeches continue to produce walleyes on the shallow rocks and gravel areas during the evening hours. Midday hours are most productive on the edges of the mud flats and deep gravel in 22 to 28 feet of water with spinner rigs and crawlers. Smallmouth bass are hitting crankbaits or plastics on the rocks and you will find northern pike on the weed edges of most bays.

WEST - Sherman’s Flat, Curley’s Flat, Seven Mile Flat and Eight Mile Flat are kicking out walleyes. During the daytime hours spinner rigs tipped with rainbow minnows or crawlers have worked best, while slip bobbers and leeches are the way to go at after dark. Crankbaits are turning northern pike along the weed edges of Wigwam Bay and St. Alban’s Bay. Tube jigs thrown onto the rocks will produce smallmouth bass.

LAKE MINNETONKA

The 15- to 20-foot weed edges are holding panfish, walleyes and largemouth bass. You’ll also find sunfish and bass on the inside weed edges during lowlight periods of the day. Crappies have shown up on the milfoil edges and can be had with minnows or tube jigs. Sucker minnows are turning northern pike on top of the milfoil and thick weed edges. Muskie reports have increased over the past week, mostly from weeded areas.

LAKE OF THE WOODS

The 20- to 30-foot shoreline breaks near Pine Island and the Lighthouse Gap continue to hold walleyes. Spinner rigs tipped with crawlers are the way to go. A few fish can be had in shallower water during the evening hours on jigs. The islands and reefs at the Northwest Angle have provided steady walleye action in 18 to 25 feet of water. Look for muskies in the bays and shallow reef areas. The best bet for northern pike is the Rainy River in 12 to 15 feet of water.

LAKE OSAKIS

Sunfish can be had in the shallow rushes and tops of the bars in 10 feet of water. There’s some evening walleye activity with Shad Raps in 10 to 12 feet of water on the main lake bars and flats. Spinnerbaits are turning numbers of largemouth bass and northern pike along the established weedlines.

LAKE VERMILION

Muskies continue to be active in the weeds. Hair baits and top-water presentations are triggering the majority of fish. Walleyes are hitting best during the evening hours in 14 to 18 feet of water. A few fish can be had during the day in deeper water on crawlers. A “wacky-rigged” Senko continues to produce smallmouth bass on the shallow, rock-covered shorelines.

LAKE WACONIA

The reefs and deep weedlines are producing walleyes during the evening hours. Leeches are working best in 17 to 20 feet of water. Top-water baits are fooling an occasional muskie on the reefs, with the best activity reported from Cemetery Reef early and late in the day. Spinnerbaits or sucker minnows are providing numbers of northern pike along the mid-depth weedlines. Look for sunfish and bass near the docks and pencil reeds.

TWIN CITIES AREA

NORTHEAST - Sucker minnows are providing consistent northern pike action on lakes such as White Bear, Big Marine, and Big Carnelian in 12 to 14 feet of water. Look to Little Lake and Lake Peltier for sunfish in 12 feet and bass remain an easy catch on most lakes. Leeches are producing walleyes during the evening hours on Clear Lake in 20 feet of water. The St. Croix River is a safe bet for walleyes and smallmouth bass.

WEST - Work the weed edges of Pierson Lake and Ann Lake with minnows for northern pike. Lake Parley is giving up crappies and an occasional walleye in 18 to 20 feet of water. Bass and sunfish are hitting on the 10- to 12-foot weed edges of Lake Bavaria, Lake Minnewashta, Lake Auburn and Parley.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH

Look to the main lake bars and north end humps for walleyes in 15 to 25 feet. Shad Raps are producing some fish during the evening hours in 12 to 14 feet of water. Perch are scattered, but active in the 10-foot weed areas and seem to prefer a jig and minnow. Numbers of northern pike are being caught in the same areas on spoons and crankbaits.

LEECH LAKE AREA

Walleyes during the middle of the day can be had on the weedlines with live bait rigs and leeches between 15 and 22 feet of water. The most consistent bite takes place during the evening hours with crankbaits off Sand Point and Second Duck Point. Muskie anglers are seeing more fish on the reefs and weedlines of Walker Bay. Look to Shingobee Bay for sunfish in 12 feet and spinnerbaits are turning numbers of bass in the rice beds.

McGREGOR AREA

Big Sandy Lake, Horseshoe Lake and Lake Minnewawa are kicking out sunfish in six to 10 feet of water. The shallow rock piles are holding walleyes on Big Sandy as well. Sucker minnows trolled along the weedlines of Gun Lake has provided numbers of northern pike. Look for pods of crappies on Big Sandy over 14 feet of water.

RAINY LAKE

Leeches remain the best bet for walleyes on the main lake reefs in 25 to 30 feet of water during the day. Saginaw Bay is giving up some walleyes during the evening hours using crankbaits in 12 to 15 feet. Tube jigs or crankbaits have provided steady smallmouth bass action in the sandy areas of the north arm. Smaller northern pike can be had in Lost Bay on crankbaits or sucker minnows.

RED LAKE

Northern pike action has picked up in the Tamarack River area. Slip bobbers and minnows are producing some crappies on the cribs. Walleyes are more scattered and off shore but still catchable. Spinner rigs tipped with crawlers or leeches are working best in 10 to 12 feet of water.

SAUK CENTRE AREA

Northern pike can be had along the 12- to 18-foot weedlines of Big Birch Lake and Sauk Lake. Sunfish and crappies are biting well in 12 feet on Sauk, Lilly Lake and Fairy Lake. Some crappies also can be had on the south shore of Maple Lake. Crawlers and spinners are producing a few walleyes on Big Birch in 20 feet of water.

STARBUCK AREA

Spinners and crawlers are turning walleyes during the daytime hours in 24 to 28 feet on Lake Minnewaska. There’s also some evening walleye action with Shad Raps in 12 feet of water. The sunfish bite has picked up in 12 feet of water on the Glenwood end of the lake. Smallmouth and largemouth bass remain active in the sand and weed areas of Minnewaska. Northern pike are an easy catch on the weedlines of most lakes.

WATERVILLE AREA
Crappie action is strong in flooded timber areas of Lake Francis. Northern pike are hitting minnows and spoons on Lake Sakatah. Weedlines of Lake Tetonka hold walleyes, sunfish and northern pike. The bigger fish are being pulled from six to eight feet of water during the morning hours.