The 2020-2021 gamefish season will come to a close at midnight this Sunday, Feb. 28, for Minnesota’s inland lakes. High temperatures in Minnesota will reach the 30s in the north with some 40s in the south through Saturday — head out this weekend if you can!
Crappies and bluegills continue to offer the best bite, with fish coming from the deep basin areas. Some panfish are beginning to come from shallower waters, and this trend should continue as temperatures warm and fish migrate to the bays to spawn. Small tungsten jigs tipped with waxworms or spikes remain best, especially during lowlight hours. Anglers are also having fun with the strong tullibee bite. These are great eating fish when smoked or pickled. Action for both species will continually improve through ice out.
Ice anglers should check ice thickness often since conditions can vary widely, even on the same body of water. Anyone heading out should wear a life jacket and have ice picks easily accessible.
BAUDETTE – LAKE OF THE WOODS & THE RAINY RIVER
Some good fishing reports are coming from Lake of the Woods anglers despite the cold temperatures. A nice mix of walleye and sauger are being pulled from 29-33 feet of water. Coaxing the fish to bite has been key. In one hole, use a jigging line with a noisy or vibrating lure. In the second hole, use a dead stick with either a glow jig or plain hook tipped with a minnow. Keep the jigging line active to attract fish. Lures that glow are especially effective in stained waters. Electronics have been very helpful to mark suspended fish, as well as to gauge how the fish are reacting to your presentation. Some bait shops and resorts will rent units for the day.
On the Rainy River, walleye anglers are having success during morning and evening hours. A variety of areas can now be fished due to slower current and thicker ice. The snowmobile trail on the river from Baudette to Wheeler’s Point and on to the Northwest Angle is staked and groomed. Anglers will still need to use caution and work through a resort, outfitter or guide.
Up at the Northwest Angle, anglers continue to take walleye, perch, eelpout, northern pike and tullibee. The walleye have been most active in 24-30 feet of water off the structure and in the deep mud. Jigging with noisy lures roughly 3-4 inches off the bottom has been successful. A plain hook or glow jig with a live minnow has been best on a dead stick.
The Northwest Angle Guest Ice Road(opens in new window) is open, allowing guests to easily travel from the south edge of the lake up to the Angle. To view current conditions on Lake of the Woods, check out the many Lake of the Woods web cams(opens in new window).
Contact Baudette – Lake of the Woods Chamber of Commerce for more information.
BEMIDJI AREA LAKES
Anglers are eager for temperatures to reach the 30s in the Bemidji Lakes Area this weekend! The few anglers that headed out during the bitter cold spell continued to take lots of nice perch from Lake Bemidji, with even an occasional walleye also in the mix. Jigging spoons and minnow heads have been best, especially at the deepwater mud flats. Expect the crappie and bluegill bite to heat up this weekend. Lakes to check out for good panfish action include Gull, Midge and Wolf.
Contact Visit Bemidji for more information.
PARK RAPIDS AREA LAKES
Anglers will want to stick to the deeper water for more consistent walleye and crappie fishing for a few more weeks. The deep basins are full of crappies. Anglers are having lots of success during the day in 25-40 feet of water when using small minnows or tiny jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head. Most walleye are coming from the mid-lake structure such as the sunken islands that top off in 25-30 feet of water. White jigging spoons or gold weasel jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head will work best. The bluegills are stacked up on the steep shoreline breaks with an old weedline. Look for suspended fish just outside of the break using your electronics. Once found, drop a tiny jig tipped with a waxworm. Neutral colors are generally best for these observant fish.
Don’t miss the Polar Fest Poles ‘N Holes Fishing Derby in Detroit Lakes! The Fishing Derby has been rescheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 20.
Contact Park Rapids Lakes Area for more information.
DETROIT LAKES AREA LAKES
Ice conditions are the best they’ve been in the Detroit Lakes area this season. Travel on the lakes is easy due to minimal snow cover and hard-packed snow. Crappies and bluegills offer the most consistent bite. Some fish are relating to the green weeds, but most are coming from the deep, soft bottom basin areas that are near large flats. Some walleye anglers continued to take fish during the recent cold spell, although numbers of walleye were uncommon. The most successful anglers used a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or a dead stick tipped with a minnow. Northern pike remain active in the weeds near the edges of large flats. For the most action, use a tip-up with a large sucker minnow.
Contact the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce for more information.
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