Minnesota Fishing Reports

[Lee Borgersen]

   :fishing2: Minnesota Fishing Report



 Apr 27, 2015


 

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA

Crappies were hitting last weekend in the channel by Bar Harbor on Gull Lake, the small bay on Pelican Lake, and the Highway 371 Bay on North Long Lake. Those bites have slowed with the cold, windy weather early this week, but should pick up again as soon as the weather improves.

 



CASS LAKE AREA

The ice is now completely off the lake, but it's going to take a few more days of warm weather to drive crappies and sunfish into the shallows. Most anglers are just starting to fish the bays and other traditional spring spots for crappies.

CROSBY AREA

Crappie fishing was pretty good until the cold weather reappeared last Sunday. The bay on Serpent Lake was producing crappies and the backwaters on Milford Lake were giving up sunfish and crappies in 2 to 4 feet. Look for fish in the shallow bays of most lakes as soon as some warm weather arrives again. The first turkey season went well. Hunters were seeing plenty of birds and youth hunters did especially well.


LAKE MILLE LACS

East - Fishing reports have been pretty limited, but some people have started looking for perch, crappies, and sunfish in the bays and harbor areas. This action will get better as the weather improves and the water warms.

West - Although the ice is off the lake, there hasn't been much fishing activity on this end of the lake. Once the water temperature rises, the panfish should start moving into some of the harbor or dock areas.

STAPLES/LITTLE FALLS AREA


Nightcrawlers are producing suckers in the Platte River, Swan River, and Mississippi River. Crappies and sunfish are being found in 3 to 6 feet when the sun is out and the water warms and in slightly deeper water when it cools down. Look to Lake Alexander, Pierz Lake, and Beauty Lake with small jigs tipped with minnows, waxworms, or plastics.

LAKE OF THE WOODS

The Rainy River continues to produce good numbers of sturgeon, with the most fish coming from Four Mile Bay, Wheeler's Point, International Bridge, and Clementson Rapids. A 4/0 or 5/0 hook with a gob of nightcrawlers has worked best with a 1- to 3-ounce weight on the edges of the deep holes. Reports of 40-plus inch northern pike are coming out of Zippel Bay, Bostic Bay, and Four Mile Bay. A treble hook with a spinner and dead cisco has worked best under a float.

LAKE VERMILION

The ice officially went out last weekend, so there's no worries about ice for opening weekend in two weeks. There has been a handful of anglers trying for crappies at the mouth of Big Bay, but there doesn't appear to be any big numbers of fish showing up quite yet.


LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH

There isn't anything to report as far as fishing and likely won't be until the walleye season opens in a couple weeks. As the weather warms, many of the smaller lakes in the area should be safe bets for panfish in 2 to 6 feet of water.

LEECH LAKE

With the ice just recently going out and cold weather reappearing this week, panfish reports have been limited. Once the water warms a bit more and the sun comes back out, look to the harbors and marinas or small lakes in the area to start holding panfish.

RAINY LAKE

There isn't much ice left on the main lake and it could be totally gone by the weekend with this week's wind busting it up. The return of cold weather and wind have put a damper on fishing options this week.

RED LAKE

The ice went completely out on Monday afternoon with the strong winds. No fishing to report early this week, but crappies should start showing up in the shallows soon.