Explore Minnesota Weekly Fishing Update - Jan. 30, 2020

Scott Westbrock's 11-pound walleye pulled from Lake of the Woods

Very mild temperatures are expected over the weekend, with high temperatures ranging from 32 degrees in the north to 42 degrees in the south. And the sun should shine on all areas of the state on Sunday!

Please note that continued mild temperatures have stalled ice development, and travel is difficult on many northern lakes due to deep snow and slush. The best means of accessing many of these lakes is with snowshoes and portable gear.

Before heading out, please consult with a local bait shop, resort or guide service for the most current ice conditions. And please take a moment to review the DNR's Ice Safety and Ice Thickness Guidelines web pages. For rules, regulations and other helpful information on fishing in Minnesota, consult the DNR's Fish Minnesota web page.

Please note that the Fishing Update e-newsletter will not be sent out next week. Explore Minnesota newsletters will resume the week of Feb. 9.

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

Northeast Minnesota

International Falls - Rainy Lake & the Rainy River

Lake access is an issue throughout the area. The Rainy Lake ice road is open, but areas of the lake are difficult to access due to the thick snow cover and slush. Anglers fishing in the established areas are finding walleye and crappie when jigging live bait in depths of 25-30 feet of water. It’s possible to get out with portable gear and a snowmobile, but you will want to stay close to the staked and groomed trails due to thick snow and slush. Anglers fishing out of portables are walleye and crappie around Black Bay, particularly where there is some sort of structure.

To view the most current conditions within Voyageurs National Park, visit their Winter Ice and Trail Conditions page. 800-325-5766; www.rainylake.org

Ely Area Lakes and Rivers

While the lake trout bite slowed a bit last week, those that did catch fish reported a great bite! Successful anglers downsized their baits, using small rattling jigging spoons, small jigging raps and small bucktails tipped with a minnow. Most of the lakers were found shallower in depths of 15-25 feet.

Stream trout fishing continues to be very good for many anglers. Small tungsten jigs and flashy spoons tipped with a wax worm or minnow remain very effective. Anglers targeting rainbows have been finding them in the first 10 feet of the water column, and in 10 feet of water or less. Anglers targeting brookies are also finding them in 10 feet of water or less. Early morning and evening hours remain best.

The few walleye anglers that continue to head out are reporting excellent fishing! The most successful anglers are targeting 20-25 feet of water at the base of the sunken islands during evening hours. Dead-sticking a shiner minnow on a glow jig remains very effective.

Eelpout are being reported by all sorts of anglers, with a few of the eelpout measuring more than 30-inches! Anglers that are targeting eelpout are finding them in 20-30 feet of water. A pout bouncer loaded with chunks of minnows and bounced on the bottom during the evening hours has been very effective.

There is a wonderful article on ice fishing for brook trout in the BWCA in the January/February 2020 edition of the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Magazine. Check it out! 800-777-7281; www.ely.org

Duluth - Lake Superior, St. Louis River and inland waters

Fishing in the area has been very good, with anglers pulling good numbers of panfish, northern pike, trout and whitefish from a variety of waters. Unfortunately, ice conditions remain challenging due to large amounts of slush.

The bite has been on the inland waters, but anglers are having to work hard to get to their preferred spots. Look to the back bays that have vegetation and basin fishing. Set-up right at the outside weed edges at the shallow to deep water transitions. The best baits have been soft plastics on tungsten jigs. Tip-ups continue to produce a few bass, northern pike and an occasional walleye. Continued mild temperatures and stable conditions mean that the same techniques should continue to work well.

The St. Louis River is giving up fish at the flats in the 4-12 foot heavily contoured areas. Sturgeon are still active, and they are easy to pinpoint on electronics. The walleye are biting during low-light periods, but most of the fish are on the smaller side. 

Ice fishing is virtually non-existent in the Duluth/Superior area of Lake Superior. A few anglers, however, are taking some nice steelhead and salmon when fishing the open waters to the north. 800-438-5884; www.visitduluth.com

Northwest Minnesota

Baudette - Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

Ice conditions on the south side of Lake of the Woods remain excellent, with roughly 30-inches of ice in most areas being fished. Recent warm temperatures increased the catch rate with good numbers of nice fish being reported. Anglers are finding fish in 27-36 feet of water when using jigging lines and dead-sticks with a live minnow. If the bite slows, downsize your presentation or use a more aggressive approach. Rattles and vibration often help in stained water. Gold, glow and firetiger colors have been best. 

On the Rainy River, the current has dropped and the river is building ice. Snowmobiles are now traveling along the marked trail, however, extra caution is always needed on the river. Please note that there is thin ice around the International Bridge in Baudette. Anglers should work through a resort if ice fishing on the river since ice thickness can vary greatly.

It’s been a good week of fishing in the Northwest Angle & Islands Area. Most of the resort fish houses have been set over the structure, mud or edge of the reefs at depths of 23-32 feet of water. Rattling jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head or tail on a jigging line has been very effective, as have plain red hooks tipped with a live minnow on a dead-stick. The snowmobile trails from the south end of the lake to the Northwest Angle are groomed and in good shape. 800-382-FISH; www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bemidji

It is still difficult to travel on Bemidji area lakes. There is a plowed road on Lake Bemidji that runs a short way from the Paul & Babe parking lot, with a few fish houses set off the road. Lake Irving also has a plowed road. If you follow a road out, please do not drill a hole next to someone’s fish house due to the likelihood that the house will become flooded. The snow on the lakes has crusted over a bit so snowmobiles are a good option for travel, despite occasional pockets of slush. The best option for travel on many area lakes is to strap on a pair of snowshoes and pull out your portables.

Anglers fishing Lake Bemidji are taking some perch, walleye and tullibee from deeper waters. Lake Plantagenet is kicking out some perch and a few walleye, and Lake Andrusia is giving up crappies late in the day. 800-458-2223; www.visitbemidji.com

Walker - Leech Lake

Currently, on the south end of Leech Lake, the ice ranges from 18-24 inches thick both on and off the ice road. Slush and flooding continue to be a problem for anglers wanting to get off road, and warm temperatures late this week and weekend will probably exacerbate the problem. Anglers will be allowed to drive out with portables as long as they agree to drill and fish further than 100 feet away from any roads and houses on the lake. 800-833-1118; www.leech-lake.com

Detroit Lakes Area Lakes

Continued mild temperatures have slowed ice development in the Detroit Lakes area. Roads are plowed out on Little Detroit Lake for easier access, but there are very few other plowed roads on area lakes. Please stay close to the plowed roads and packed trails when traveling since slush and deep snow can easily result in getting stuck. Due to current conditions, few anglers are heading out. Those that do are catching crappies and bluegills in the deeper holes. While some walleye are being taken, the bite window is getting shorter. 800-542-3992; www.visitdetroitlakes.com

Central Region

Otter Tail Area Lakes

Fishing remains very good on area lakes, and anglers are having an easier time getting to the hot spots. Anglers are finding fish stacked up on most of the flats and transition areas. The weedlines have been good places to start. Focus on depths of 25-35 feet, moving on top of the flats towards the evening hours. Rippin’ raps have been great for calling in aggressive fish, and buckshot spoons in glow colors are also effective when tipped with a minnow head. If the fish become hesitant to bite, slow down your presentation. Remain mobile and search out schools of fish for the most action. 800-423-4571; www.ottertailcountry.com

Brainerd Area Lakes

The walleye bite on Gull Lake has transitioned back to a low-light bite, with mornings and evenings producing about the same number of fish. The same can be said for fishing on Round, North Long and Hubert lakes. Gold flutter spoons tipped with a fathead minnow, and suckers below a tip-up have been effective.

Crappies are being pulled from the smaller area lakes during mid-morning hours, and if you put in the effort, they can be taken all day long. Horizontal plastic presentations have been very good, as have 1/16-ounce or smaller jigging spoons. The bluegill bite has been best from 10 am. until 3 p.m., with the larger fish being taken on jigging spoons tipped with euro larvae. 218-825-0410; www.visitbrainerd.com

Isle/Onamia - Lake Mille Lacs

Most ice roads on Lake Mille Lacs are in great shape, but anglers need to remember that conditions can change quickly. Before traveling, please call the resort where you plan to access the lake to learn of any truck or wheel house restrictions. 

Walleye have been coming from depths of 13-18 feet of water, but a few have been found in depths of 27 feet. Perch have been the most abundant but it has been difficult to find fish larger than 9 inches. 888-350-2692; www.millelacs.com

Willmar

Get out and enjoy a fishing adventure and mild temperatures this weekend! Most Willmar area lakes have 16-18 inches of ice. The crappies have been active on Diamond Lake during daytime hours, as well as on the east side of Foot Lake during evening hours. Big Kandiyohi Lake is still a great location for large perch. Anglers looking for walleye can expect to pull a few fish from Foot Lake during the day.

Panfish have been eagerly hitting freshwater shrimp and euro larvae on Point, Diamond and Elizabeth lakes. All anglers must use caution when heading out, especially on Lake Elizabeth, where ice in some is only 8-10 inches thick. 800-845-8747; www.willmarlakesarea.com

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

No reports are currently available.

Southern Minnesota

Lanesboro/Preston - Southeast Bluff Country Rivers and Streams

As of January 27, most area rivers and streams were in great shape, with clear conditions and a normal water flow. Midges could be seen hatching throughout the area. 

The Stream Trout catch-and-release season opened Jan. 1. Maps are available under the “Area Highlights” tab on the Lanesboro Fisheries web page. 800-944-2670; www.lanesboro.com

Ortonville - Big Stone Lake

The fish are biting throughout Big Stone Lake! The lake has 18-20 inches of ice, with 4-12 inches of snow on top, but most anglers are able to pull off the trails with trucks and fish houses. Be sure to bring a shovel just in case, and don’t forget your sunscreen! 320-839-3284; www.bigstonelake.com

Be sure to visit the Explore Minnesota Fishing & Hunting page for information to help you plan your next Minnesota fishing trip!

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