Explore Minnesota Weekly Fishing Update - Feb. 22, 2019

The International Eelpout Festival will be held this weekend, Feb. 21-24, on Leech Lake's Walker Bay!

Temperatures will be mild throughout the state this weekend, ideal for a day out on the ice! 

The gamefish season (walleye, northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass) will close this Sunday, Feb. 24 for most Minnesota waters.

Minnesota fishing opener dates for the 2019/2020 fishing season for most inland waters are as follows: walleye, sauger, northern pike, bass and lake trout, May 11; muskie, June 1. 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.

Please take a moment to review the DNR's Ice Safety web page and Ice Thickness Guidelines web page before heading out.

[Northeast] [Northwest] [Central] [Minneapolis-St. Paul Area] [Southern]

Northeast Minnesota

International Falls - Rainy Lake

The Rainy Lake Sportfishing Club’s Annual Ice Fishing Derby will be held Feb. 23 on Sand Bay and Rainy Lake is expected to be busy. All are invited to attend! If you want to avoid the crowds, head east where the Voyageurs National Park ice road provides access through Black Bay to hot spots around Dryweed Island and Cranberry Bay. The walleye bite on Rainy Lake has been best during mid-morning hours. Brightly-colored jigs tipped with minnows are working well, as are plain hooks and minnows under a bobber. Most of the walleye are coming from 25 to 30 feet of water. Crappies can be found depths of 20 to 25 feet. For the most current conditions, check the Voyageurs National Park Winter Ice and Trail Conditions web page. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org

Ely Area Lakes & Streams

Lake trout fishing was very good last week with several fish over 30 inches reported. Most of the fish were pulled from 35 to 50 feet of water, especially at the humps near deep water, the saddle areas and the deep flats. Red/white tubes and blade baits turned the majority of fish. Dead smelt, and light northern pike suckers fished under a tip up worked well on days when artificials weren’t working. Norther pike action was excellent last week with many anglers chasing flags all day long. Heavy suckers, lite northern suckers and Alewife’s fished in 10 feet of water or less resulted in some nice catches. Stream trout fishing started to slow on some of more heavily fished lakes, but remained good on many of the overlooked lakes. Trout were found shallow early in the morning, then deeper as the day progressed. Small rippin’ raps, jigging raps and tungsten jigs fished with waxworms or salted minnows produced the most fish. Interest in crappies has started to grow, but good reports have been limited. Crappie anglers should look for suspended fish in 25 to 35 feet of water and near the shallow bays up until to ice out. With this week’s full moon, eelpout are being taken from the tops of the humps during evening hours and overnight. Anglers setting eelpout jigs full of minnow heads at the bottom of the lakes are reporting excellent catches. 800-777-7281; www.ely.org

Duluth - Lake Superior and Inland Waters

Ice thickness continues to grow on area waters, but the thick snowcover has made it a challenge to access the ice. Light snowmobiles are currently the best mode of travel, but even they can get stuck in the many slush pockets. Inland lake fishing has been sporadic. While the panfish are schooling up nicely, it is key to fish for them when they are actively feeding. Small jigs tipped with spikes or wax worms remain the best bet, however, soft plastics can also be effective. Northern pike, walleye and bass are being taken along with the panfish. Dead sticks with live minnows near jigging holes have been getting lots of attention. A few more anglers are venturing out onto the St. Louis River in search of an early Lake Superior fish returning to the system for the springtime staging. Fish continue to be active during the sun up and sun down times of the day. Dead sticks have turned some nice fish. The back bays are still giving up a few panfish. Look for the river to become more popular once the walleye season ends and panfishing heats up. Lake Superior continues to host thousands of anglers, however, if you are not familiar with Superior then you must use extreme caution when accessing the water. Remember, ice is never consistent on Lake Superior. The best bet is to seek out someone who is familiar with the lake, and bring along all the proper personal safety equipment. Anglers are still reporting lakers, salmon and herring along select areas of the North Shore stretching from the Twin Ports to Two Harbors. The bite has slowed in the more popular areas due to the amount of fishing pressure, but fish can still be caught. Try to head out and set up early. Tube jigs in light colors tipped with meat are working best. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com

Grand Rapids Area Lakes

Due to recent snowfalls, access to Grand Rapids area lakes is limited to travel by snowmobiles or travel by vehicle at plowed accesses. Please note that there is a fair amount of slush and flooding below the 2 feet of snow covering area lakes. People getting out report lots of success with the perch and bluegills. Lakes to consider are Little and Big Cut Foot, and Bowstring. Hit the rock points extending from shore for perch, and the deepest edges of weed beds for bluegills. Drill several holes and keep moving until you find groups of fish. One of the species that is often looked in the winter is tullibee, more commonly known as cisco. Catching them is fun, and there can be hundreds of tullibee in one school of fish! Using your electronics is key to staying on these schools. For perch, crappies, bluegills and tullibee, use a 1/16-ounce tungsten jig head tipped with waxworms or euro larva, and drop the jig just above or into the school. Tullibee are very aggressive and you sit over a school and catch quite a few fish. Drill several holes since the schools will move but often not very far. Tullibee are some of the best smoked fish around! 800-355-9740; www.visitgrandrapids.com

Northwest Minnesota

Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

Anglers continue to take a nice mix of walleye and sauger from the south end of Lake of the Woods. Most of the fish are coming from 30 to 34 feet of water, especially in areas away from traffic. Some anglers are also doing well in depths of 15 to 20 feet during morning and evening hours. Rattle baits and active jigging have been the most effective. Some nice walleye were found suspended this week. Ice thickness exceeds 36 inches in most areas being fished, and auger extensions have been necessary when not working through a resort. Please note that permanent fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31 on Lake of the Woods, and the walleye season remains open through April 14. The northern pike season is continuous. Stronger than normal rivers flows are being reported on the Rainy River, and the ice is thinner than normal for the month of February. The area around the International Bridge in Baudette is not safe due to construction of a new bridge. While the snowmobile trail on the river is open and marked from Baudette (downstream from the bridge) to the lake, riders must stay on the trail for safety reasons. Up at the Northwest Angle, walleye are being caught at a variety of depths but the most consistent action has been in 24 to 27 feet of water. Glow red with gold has been a hot color combination this week. Rattle baits continue to draw active fish to the fish houses. Sauger activity has been very strong, providing anglers the opportunity for full limits before new regulations take effect on March 1. Please note that new limit regulations give a combination of six walleye/sauger with no more than 4 walleye. Snow depth ranges from 2 to 2.5 feet. The snowmobile trails are in great condition. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bena - Lake Winnibigoshish

Perch action has been sporadic on Lake Winnibigoshish. Most of the perch are being pulled from 28 to 32 feet of water or 15 to 20 feet of water depending on the day. For the most fish, work the Hunter’s Hump area, Snaghole Bar and the area south of Raven’s Point. A few walleye and quite a few northern pike have been mixed in with the perch. Deep snow and slush are limiting travel options, with snowmobiles or track vehicles working best. Please contact your favorite resort for the most current conditions and travel options. www.lakewinnie.net

Walker - Leech Lake

The International Eelpout Festival will be held Feb. 21-24 on Leech Lake's Walker Bay. The International Eelpout Festival was named one of the top “15 Weird Midwestern Festivals You Never Knew Existed” by the lifestyle blog BLT -- the residents are proud! Anglers and on-lookers alike will enjoy the Pre-Pout Party, sled dog rides, Big Top Ice Tent with VIP Lounge, Shot Luge, 7th Annual Beer Pong Tournament, live music, and of course, the famous International Eelpout Festival fishing contest. Please be advised that vehicle traffic will be restricted in one area of Walker Bay since ice measurements are not consistently 24 inches in all areas of the bay. 800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com

Hackensack Area Lakes

Water continues to flow up onto the ice and the slush has become more of an issue. It is especially thick on many of the larger lakes where ice can be thinner and sagging is more prevalent. The smaller lakes that froze over earlier are doing much better, although there is still a lot of snow to get through. Most people are using snowmobiles to access the lakes. Fishing reports were scarce this week except for some good deep water perch action and some walleye action during evening hours on Leech Lake. In general, this is the usual slow period before the late ice fishing action heats up. 800-279-6932; www.hackensackchamber.com

Central Region

Otter Tail Area Lakes

Fishing in Otter Tail Lakes Country has been more of a challenge this week, however, the panfish bite remains great. Those without a snowmobile should stick to the larger lakes with plowed roads and beat down trails. Another reason to fish the larger lakes is that the thick snow cover is killing off the weeds, leading to lower oxygen levels and more sluggish fish on the smaller lakes. The crappies and bluegill are most active over the mud bottom basin areas. Keep drilling until fish are located before setting up. Larger tungsten jigs packed with euro larva or a waxworm will help anglers to quickly get their presentations down in 13 to 25 depths -- once a fish is caught, getting your bait back down to the fish before they move on has been the key. The perch bite has also been very good with some really nice perch being reported. Some walleye anglers are taking fish when drilling lots of holes over the main lake structure to locate active pods of fish. This Sunday, Feb. 24, is the last day to fish for walleye and northern pike this season. It is also time to get a new fishing license since the old licenses will expire on Feb. 28. Remember, it’s almost time for the March madness panfish bite when panfish begin their move into the shallows and start their eating frenzy! 800-423-4571; www.ottertailcountry.com

Alexandria Area Lakes

As of late last week, heavy snow kept anglers concentrated near the plowed roads. The majority of anglers were fishing for sunfish and crappies so many of the roads were plowed to the better panfish areas. The sunfish bite was very good during the day, and crappie bite was good during low light hours. During the day, a small #12 horizontal jig with a couple of euro larva was best. For crappies after dark, a plain hook and minnow turned the most fish. Walleye anglers had some success when fishing structure away from the crowds. Those willing to walk out, use a snowmobile or plow their own roads caught the most walleye. 800-235-9441; www.alexandriamn.org

Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs

Some anglers are doing very well with catch-and-release (C/R) walleye on Lake Mille Lacs. In fact, one fish house group reported 31 C/R walleye. Reports from two others indicated 14 C/R walleye and 7 C/R walleye. The last two fish houses were place over more shallow waters. It appears that the Super Moon improved the bite for some anglers. This weekend, head to the annual Portside Perch Extravaganza Nitti's Hunters Point Resort on Lake Mille Lacs. Anglers have a chance to win tons of prizes! Other highlights include the Mad Hatter Contest, bean bag toss tournament, and food and beverage booths. Check out the Lake Mille Lacs webcams to view lake activity. Please note that in mid-March, the DNR will announce new walleye regulations on Lake Mille Lacs and they plan to allow some walleye to be harvested when the season opens on May 11. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

The Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo will be held March 15-17 at Hamline University's Walker Fieldhouse in St. Paul. This is the largest fly fishing event in the Midwest! Vendors from throughout the country, including fly shops, guides, top brands, outfitters and non-profits, will provide the newest and best in the world of fly fishing. Fly fishing education is emphasized with more than 3 dozen free programs and seminars, as well as on-going free casting instruction. Be sure to attend the Fly Fishing Film and Video Showcase at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 to view Midwestern fly fishing films, and enjoy hors d'oeuvres, local beer and lots of giveaways.  

Southern Minnesota

Lanesboro/Preston - Southeast Bluff Country trout streams

As of Feb. 14, most area streams and rivers were clear with a normal water flow. Fisheries staff described the conditions are great! Deep snow covered most of the shorelines so snowshoes were encouraged. There were reports of some midge hatches over the past two weeks. Check out the "Area Highlights" section of the Lanesboro Area Fisheries web page for stream maps. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com

Albert Lea Area Lakes

The 72nd Annual Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener will be held May 9-12, 2019 on Fountain Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Albert Lea area. Located about 75 minutes south of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Albert Lea is nestled between Fountain and Albert Lea lakes. There are 13 lakes in the area, many offering fishing, boating, kayaking and canoeing. In the heart of the city, the 521-acre Fountain Lake features several great fishing bays and is home to 20 species of fish, including largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, crappie, catfish and yellow perch. 800-345-8414; www.albertleatourism.org 

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