Minnesota Tournament Trail Fishing Contest to be held on Lake of the Woods, July 6 and 7; photo courtesy of www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com
Walleye are taking on summer patterns. For the most action, use a live bait rig tipped with a leech or crawler. Bass action is heating up, and northern pike remain extremely active.
Minnesota fishing opener dates for the 2018/2019 fishing season for most inland waters are as follows: walleye, sauger, northern pike, bass and lake trout, May 12; muskie, June 2. The fishing season for crappies, sunnies, perch and catfish is continuous. For rules, regulations and other helpful information on fishing in Minnesota, consult the DNR's Fish Minnesota web page.
Northeast Minnesota
International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River
Walleye anglers report varied success. Some anglers are doing well, but others are having a hard time locating fish. Most of the walleye are being pulled from the windswept shorelines and the submerged structure. This week’s warm, dry weather should cause the walleye to head a bit deeper to find their preferred temperature. Smallmouth bass have been easier to find, with fish coming from the rocky shorelines and weedy patches in the bays along the south shore of Rainy Lake. Lots of good-sized northern pike can also be found in these areas. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org
Kabetogama
Walleye fishing continues to be good on Lake Kabetogama. Summer-like patterns are taking hold with fish found on the reefs. While jigs and minnows are still turning fish, split shot rigs tipped with a leech or half a crawler are starting to be more productive off the edges of the mid-lake reefs. For the most active walleye, check the soft bottom areas where mayflies are beginning to hatch. Soft bottom areas that are windblown will almost certainly deliver fish. Be sure to pause several times when retrieving your bait or lure since many fish are hitting halfway to the boat following a 10 to 15 second pause. As water temperatures rise into the 70s, the reef action should continually improve. Northern pike are being taken by anglers casting a variety of presentations along the shorelines. The smallmouth bass are extremely active, hitting mepps spinners and split-shot rigs tipped with a leech or shiner minnow cast along the weedlines near shore. Jumbo perch are being taken by walleye anglers. The perch bite seems to have picked up with the recent bug hatch. 800-524-9085; www.kabetogama.com
Ely Area Lakes & Streams
Anglers continue to report some impressive catches. Many of the walleye are still coming from relatively shallow waters. Leeches and crawlers are out-performing minnows. Some anglers are doing well when jigging plastics on a rocky point and slowly-trolling crank baits. With the warmer water temperatures, smallmouth bass are responding well to most presentations. Most anglers, however, prefer top water baits due to the adrenaline rush when a smallmouth explodes out of the water! Crappie action is beginning to build as weed cover thickens, and schools begin to form. To locate a school of fish, troll safety pin-style spinners with a jig and soft plastic tail, or a small crank bait. Anglers trolling for lake trout are also doing well, with trout up to 10 pounds nailing spoons and crank baits. Fish can be found at roughly 30 feet. To keep your lures “in the zone,” consider in-line weights, dipsy divers or jet divers. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org
Cook County: Lutsen, Tofte, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail and Grand Portage Area Waters
Anglers are pulling in large walleye on leeches worked in roughly 25 feet of water near shore on Gunflint Lake. On Devil Track Lake, the bass are hitting just about anything -- one dock angler had success using worms he had dug up in his backyard. Walleye are responding to small minnows and leeches. Northern pike are very active in Mink, Kimball and Hungry Jack lakes up the Gunflint Trail, and in Caribou Lake just north of Lutsen. Most of the fish are coming in on spoons and minnows. Large lake trout can be found in cold, deep waters. 218-387-2524; www.visitcookcounty.com
Grand Rapids
Most of the walleye have moved to their summer locations off shore. Many anglers are reporting nice catches of walleye when using slip bobbers and leeches along the weed lines and rock piles during late afternoon and evening hours. Good producers have been Big Winnibigoshish, Big Splithand, Bowstring. Trout, Pokegama and Round lakes. Trolling spinners with half a crawler is a great way to locate walleye, especially along and on top of weed beds in the shallows. Once the bugs begin to hatch, use a rig with a leech or night crawler. Fishing has been excellent for both species of bass now that the spawn is nearly over. Try moving from dock to dock, pitching and retrieving chatter baits, small square bill crankbaits or jigs with a 4 inch worm to draw them out of cover. The art of skipping under docks has been extremely effective with these presentations. Area lakes that are good for fast bass action are Rice, Pokegama, Trout, Loon and Wabana. Northern pike are almost always cooperative along the weed beds. Casting or trolling minnow-type crank baits is always a good presentation. Crappies and sunnies have been a lot of fun lately, and a meal of panfish is hard to beat. Look for panfish in and around the weeds, and at the fallen trees and docks near deep water. www.visitgrandrapids.com
Northwest Minnesota
Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River
Walleye and sauger are being taken all over Lake of the Woods now that the mayfly hatch has begun. Some shallow water walleye are coming in on spinners worked in 5 to 10 feet of water near Pine Island when there is a breeze. The Rainy River is giving up lots of smallmouth bass along the shorelines, inlets, structure and docks. The sturgeon season reopens July 1. Up at the Northwest Angle, surface water temperatures range from roughly 65 in the morning to the low 70s late in the afternoon. Shallower areas such as the Flag Island Flats have been very productive in 5 to 9 feet of water, especially during evening hours. Anglers report lots of nice fish, including a huge 31 inch walleye. The deeper waters around Four Blocks and Little Oak also offer good walleye and sauger action. Orange has been the top producing color. Even with the recent mayfly hatch and abundant crayfish, the walleye, sauger and northern pike bite has been amazing! Anglers will want to check out the many upcoming fishing tournaments taking place on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com
Bemidji
Walleye fishing remains good on area lakes such as Bemidji, Big, Plantagenet, Wolf, Andrusia and Turtle. The best action is taking place at the shoreline breaks and mid-lake bars and humps in 10 to 18 feet of water. Live bait rigs with crawlers or leeches are working very well, with jigs tipped with minnows, leeches or crawlers also turning fish. Crappies and bluegills can be found in and around the cabbage weeds in 6 to 12 feet of water. Bass fishing is excellent for anglers using plastics along the deeper weed edges, and around the docks early in the day. Northern pike continue to hit just about anything tossed their way! 800-458-2223; www.visitbemidji.com
Walker - Leech Lake
The fish have spread out and are more difficult to locate now that annual insect hatch has begun on Leech Lake. Leeches and night crawlers are the bait of choice. Stay on the move using a spinner rig and night crawler or a crankbait until you locate fish. Once found, switch to a live bait rig tipped with either a leech or night crawler. The windblown transitions from sand to rocks seem to be holding the most fish -- areas around Submarine Island, North Bar and Goose Island are good places to start your search. 800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com
Park Rapids
Fishing in the Park Rapids area has been extremely good. The crappies have moved out to the newly formed weed flats not far from where they were spawning a few weeks ago. Fan casting a small jig tipped with a minnow or plastic tail in 5 to 10 feet of water will produce crappies all day long. Also try a live bait rig with a nightcrawler, leech or minnow in 10 to 15 foot depths -- red #4 hooks will make the presentation even more enticing. Some anglers are doing well when working the deep weed edges or newly formed weeds on the shallow sunken islands. At sunset, try trolling a white crank bait on the edges of shallow flats in 10 feet of water close to deep water. 800-247-0054; www.parkrapids.com
Detroit Lakes
Water temperatures in the Detroit Lakes area range from 68 to 73 degrees. While some walleye are still on the shoreline breaks and points, most fish have migrated to the nearby humps and can be found 16 to 22 feet of water. Anglers having the most success are using rigs with crawlers or leeches, but jigging raps, trolled crankbaits and pulled spinner rigs are also producing fish. Bass remain in the shallows. Dock fishing, and casting the weed flats in 6 to 11 feet of water, are turning fish. Most northern pike are holding at the outside weed edges, especially at the cabbage. For the largest pike, check the breaks adjacent to the cabbage weeds in deeper waters. Crappies are hitting jigs tipped with plastics, spinners and beetle spins in 6 to 13 feet of water. Sunfish are in the weeds, but the larger sunfish seem to be holding in deeper waters nearby. The mayfly hatch has begun, and it will really pick up once conditions turn bright and sunny. 800-542-3992; www.visitdetroitlakes.com
Central Region
Otter Tail Area Lakes
Sunfish remain on their beds, with the walleye not far behind. If the bluegills are attacking your bait, try using some gulp on your spinners or jig heads instead, or switch to large minnows such as red tails or suckers. Jigging raps should also help. The mayflies are everywhere. Often this will stimulate the bite, however, if the lakes go through intense hatches for a few days it can have a negative effect. Walleye seem to be most affected. Anglers having located a large group of elevated fish may struggle to get a bite. The only cure is to find a different group of walleye that might be less affected by the hatch, whether on the same lake or on an entirely different lake. Crappies are beginning to show signs of summer patterns. Look for them over tall weed stands on islands and shoreline drop-offs. Once located, use a jig with a twister tail, blade, live bait or gulp. Cast and retrieve these through the top half of the weeds or above. Crappies are aggressive feeders in the summer and will move up and out of weed cover to grab a meal. 800-423-4571; www.ottertailcountry.com
Brainerd Lakes Area
Late last week, the walleye bite was strong during evening and nighttime hours on Gull Lake. Walleye were responding to blue blades with a leech and 1/8 ounce bullet weight trolled at 1.1 mph in 8 to 16 feet of water, especially at the windblown weed edges. Trolling stick baits on the weed edges around dusk and after dark was good for numbers and large walleye. The key was to troll at 1.5 mph using a jerk/pause technique. Rattles seemed to really increase the bite. Northern pike are extremely active, with lots of large pike coming from Gull Lake. Black spinnerbaits with bronze blades, as well as wade wobblers, were producing very well. A combination of casting and trolling at the weeds was been best. Many of the smaller area lakes were beginning to offer some great walleye and bass fishing. Slip bobbers with leeches on the rock humps and at the weed edges were producing well. A crawler harness trolled at 1 mph in 10 to 15 foot depths was also productive in some of the shallower, warmer water lakes. 800-450-7247; www.visitbrainerd.com
Willmar
While walleye have become a bit more difficult to locate, they are eager to bite once found. Green Lake is giving up lots of large walleye, with a 28 ½ inch walleye taken last week. Most fish, including bass and northern pike, are being pulled from depths of 5 to 15 feet, especially when it’s sunny. On windy days, anglers are having success along the shallow weedlines on area lakes. Lakes to check out include Diamond, Eagle, Willmar, Foot, South Long, Nest and Green. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com
Minneapolis-St. Paul Area
White Bear Area Lakes
Rainy, hot and windy conditions made fishing a challenge on White Bear Lake last week. These conditions, however, did not have an impact on the northern pike bite. It appears that there is a huge year class of pike in the 14 to 16 inch range. If you are looking for some fun fishing action, these small pike will deliver since they are easily caught while casting or slowly trolling spinner baits above the cabbage weeds in 8 to 12 feet of water. While larger fish are present, the smaller pike hit hard and provide a thrill, especially for youngsters. White Bear Lake also has a good population of smallmouth bass. For additional action, use smaller surface lures early and late in the day off the islands, peninsula points and locations where the sand drops off into deeper water. During midday hours, work depths of 15 to 25 feet. Many smallmouth bass are being caught by walleye anglers lindy-rigging with leeches or crawlers. Crappies are moving out to deeper waters where they can be found suspended when using slip bobbers and small jigs. Bald Eagle Lake has been great for largemouth bass, crappies and bluegill. The northern pike bite has also been good, with fish hitting large crank baits. 651/653-5122; www.explorewhitebear.org
Southern Minnesota
Lanesboro/Preston - Southeast Bluff Country trout streams
As of Thursday, June 21, fisheries staff reported that some area streams and rivers were running either slightly high or high with clarity off or muddy. It had been sprinkling for 12 to 15 hours straight, and stream conditions were changing relatively quickly. The upstream waters were expected to offer the best conditions. Check out the Minnesota Stream Flow Report before heading out. Anglers will want to consider a two-night Whitewater State Park fishing and camping trip offered by Twin Cities Trout Unlimited, July 15 and 16. This event is open to anglers of all ages and abilities. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com
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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