STATE FISHING REPORT

[Lee Borgersen]

                           :fishing2:STATE FISHING REPORT

Chisago City area: Chisago Lake and South Lindstrom are the primary lakes for good walleye action, on the weed edges at about 12-14 feet; the fish are hitting shiners or leeches. Some anglers are also catching walleyes on Green Lake in the early morning or evening. Northerns are being caught on South Center on crankbaits and spinner baits cast along weedlines. Bass are biting on all area lakes on typical plastic baits or crankbaits. Panfish are biting aggressively on all area lakes at shallow depths, hitting panfish leeches or nightcrawlers.

Lake Minnetonka: For walleyes, most anglers are working the edges at about 10-15 feet using Lindy rigs with leeches and floaters during the evenings on the main bays such as Brown, Smith and Wayzata. Some anglers are also catching walleyes in the channels or flats later in the evening using golden shiners at 10-12 feet. Northerns are hitting crankbaits at shallow depths on all big bays on the main lake or around the points and bars on Big Island.

Bemidji area: Anglers are catching walleyes on most of the area's larger lakes at 8-12 feet or near midlake structure at deeper depths using jigs and shiners. Crappies and sunfish are also very active at shallow depths.

Mille Lacs: Lundeen's Tackle Castle and Guide Service reports that the best spots to catch walleyes are Buster's Flat, 2-mile and the Graveyard at depths ranging from 5 to 34 feet. Walleyes are being caught on live bait rigs or spinners during the daytime and on slip bobbers, angle jigs and leeches during evenings.

Rainy Lake and International Falls: On Rainy Lake, walleye action seems to be best on rocky, windswept shorelines on minnows and jigs or on spinner rigs trolled on bays such as Sand, Jackfish, Black or Dryweed Island. Northerns are still aggressive in 10-15 feet near the mouths of the bays. On the Rainy River, walleyes are most active at 10-12 feet near weed edges.