FISHING CONDITIONS IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
BAUDETTE/WARROAD – LAKE OF THE WOODS & THE RAINY RIVER
Limits of walleye along with some really big fish are coming from Lake of the Woods. Most anglers are catching walleye using one of three methods: drifting spinners, trolling crankbaits, and jigging. When using spinners, add hammered gold, orange or glow red blades along with a two- or three-hook harness and a crawler. Jigs should be tipped with minnows. When the wind is low, let the boat drift while jigging off the bottom. Anglers using crankbaits should test a few until it becomes clear what the fish prefer. Gold, pink, UV firetiger and traditional firetiger are good color choices. Use lead core line to get the lures down to the fish using lead core line. Nice fish continue to be pulled from the area around Garden Island on the north end of the lake.
On the Rainy River, angler numbers are low but anticipation is high for fall fishing. In recent years, shiners have started running in September with various waves of shiners moving into the river through October. Sturgeon anglers are reporting decent numbers of fish.
Up at the Northwest Angle, walleye fishing remains good. Anglers are having success jigging the tight structure. When covering water, drift or troll crawler harnesses over the flats or along the breaks. Little Traverse Bay, a large open water area east of Little Oak Island, continues to give up nice-sized walleye to anglers drifting spinners and crawlers over the deep mud. Muskie anglers are reporting nice numbers of fish, with some over 50-inches in length. Northern pike are coming from the various bays and rocky points. Smallmouth bass are scattered on the rocks along the shorelines and points.
Contact Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau for more information.
BEMIDJI AREA LAKES
Bass fishing has been excellent on area lakes with good numbers and many large fish recently reported. The walleye bite has been a bit tougher, but patient anglers are taking a few fish when using live bait rigs with crawlers or leeches. Nearby Cass Lake has offered a more consistent bite, especially on the flats in 8-10 feet of water, and at the weeds in 12-16 feet of water. Leeches, crawlers, minnows, and jigging raps are all producing fish. Red Lake is giving up walleye to those pulling spinners with crawlers or minnows through 6-8 feet of water. Anglers will also want to try depths of 12-16 feet on Big Winnie. Large bluegills are hitting on the deep humps of area lakes, and the crappies remain off the deep cabbage with some suspended over deeper water. Check out the Bemidji Lakes Fishing Video(opens in new window) for more information.
Contact Visit Bemidji for more information.
PARK RAPIDS AREA LAKES
As of late last week, lakes in the Park Rapids area were giving up nice numbers of walleye over deep water. Schools of bait fish had moved into deeper waters, suspending roughly 30 feet down over 50-60 feet of water. Deep-diving crankbaits were key to catching walleye pursuing baitfish. Largemouth bass were very active and responding well to frogs. Smallmouth bass were a bit more finicky but still biting. Some large northern pike were reported by anglers fishing large minnows over deeper waters. Muskie anglers also had success as fish turned more active in shallower waters at the pencil reeds. Sunnies and crappies had also moved into shallower waters, with lots of fish coming from depths of 9-10 feet. Learn more at Jason Durham’s fishing video(opens in new window).
Contact the Park Rapids Lakes Area for more information.
DETROIT LAKES AREA LAKES
Water temperatures in Detroit Lakes area lakes remain in the low 70s but should drop over the next couple of weeks as days get shorter and nights get cooler. The walleye bite has been very good some days. Fish are scattered but most are holding off the breaks in deeper water on the outside edges of weedlines. Multiple techniques continue to work well. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass have been active. Largemouth are relating to weeds and shoreline structure such as docks. Smallmouth bass have been holding on the hard sand bottom areas near gravel or boulders in 20-30 feet of water. They can also be found on the deeper gravel. Northern pike are hitting large suckers along the deep weedlines. Crappies are coming from the deep edges of the cabbage weeds. An aggressive presentation is best for most species at this time of year due to large amounts of forage. Triggering reaction bites can be the most productive method.
ALEXANDRIA AREA LAKES
Walleye are holding at the deep structure such as underwater humps and sunken islands in Alexandria area lakes. Some fish can also be found roaming the lake basins. Anglers targeting the structure are having success pulling heavy bottom-bouncers and nightcrawlers, or aggressively fishing glide baits. Basin anglers are taking walleye by trolling crankbaits in a variety of baitfish patterns on lead core line. Crappies, bluegills and bass continue to gather at the weedlines so covering water to locate schools of active fish is key. Bass anglers are doing well when throwing crankbaits to locate fish, then using Texas-rigged plastics or jigs to work the school of fish. Panfish continue to hit jigs and small plastics trolled or cast along the weedlines.
Contact Explore Alexandria Tourism for more information.
BRAINERD AREA LAKES
Walleye anglers fishing in the Brainerd Lakes Area are finding fish roaming the bottom sides of steep and deep weedlines, and at the edges of the mid-lake humps. The key is to stay on the move until a school of fish is located. Slip bobbers with leeches, and jigs with minnows are working well, but live or soft plastic nightcrawlers on spinner rigs are also turning fish. A good way to catch multiple species is to troll spinner rigs at speeds of .8-1.8 mph along the weedlines and big weed flats. Casting or jigging a 1/16- or 1/32-ounce jig tipped with the tail of a mister twister continues to produce crappies and rainbow trout. Northern pike continue to hit spinnerbaits trolled over the weeds near bays and over large weed flats. Largemouth bass remain active at the weed flats and weedlines in 6-15 feet of water, and in 16-plus feet of water at the deep weeds. The mine pit lakes near Crosby and Ironton are giving up nice numbers of rainbow trout and tullibees. On sunny days, troll depths of 20-40 feet. During low light hours and when it is overcast, concentrate on depths of 10-20 feet. Crawlers under slip bobbers, soft plastics on tungsten jigs, and rap-style lures are all producing fish.
Contact Visit Brainerd for more information.
ISLE/ONAMIA – LAKE MILLE LACS
Walleye anglers are having success when targeting fish in 24-30 feet of water on the hard to soft bottom transition areas of Lake Mille Lacs. The edges of the mud flats are also good locations. For the most walleye, use a leech under a slip bobber. Smallmouth bass have been very active on top of the rock reefs in 8-16 feet of water, and at the edges in 16-22 feet of water. Anglers should concentrate on areas of big rocks and pockets of sand in rocky locations.
The DNR has relaxed the fall harvest slot for walleye fishing on Lake Mille Lacs. Beginning Thursday, Sept. 1, anglers may harvest one walleye 20-23 inches or one longer than 26 inches, with fishing allowed from 6 a.m. to midnight. The original walleye harvest slot for fall fishing on Mille Lacs was one fish 21-23 inches or one longer than 28 inches.
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