2020 Bemidji Area Fishing Reports

[woodman]

typical Lake Bemidji bite am and pm bites, with some action from 11-2 also. We will be out this weekend during the day, so I will know after that. I am on the edge of a bar and don't have GPS coordinates, just a spot I start out with every year. When the action slows we move. I know people are out deep, but with that comes keeping everything you catch due to air sacs popping and I would rather see the fish swim away and grow!

Pick a spot away from somebody out there and you will be fine. I know people in 15 feet and getting fish also. Don't be afraid to explore shore line breaks, or humps that somebody is not on.

Good luck with the move and good luck!

[Jigging55]

Woodman, If i went out of the Cameron access what’s my best bet to find some fish I don't know anything about this lake I’ve never really fished it other than on the dock a few times I have a pickup and a portable house this week and hope to take the girlfriend out fishing she gets bored quick if were not catching anything so please help a guy out.

[RussC]

There's quite a few breaks out from Cameron that should at least produce a good perch bite, if you've got a GPS it will be a lot easier than punching holes trying to find them. I've had good luck setting up right on the edge of a break or towards the middle of some of the gradual breaks.

[Jigging55]

Thanks RussC I was thinking of hanging a right when I got onto the lake and getting in about 15-20 FOW by that sandbar that looks like it runs along the whole lake right off the point infront of the college does that sound right? Im just going off of a map I printed off the MN DNR site.

[walleyeRyummy]

got my house out on bemidji yesterday...was set up and fishing by a little after 4...sitting in a about 20 feet...had some lookers on the vex and a couple of light bites...brought a couple of small walleye up then it was dark and dead...

[thrax]

Jigging, thats Diamond Bar you're talking about. Breaks along either side of it can be good, although some of it is very sharp. I know others along with myself have suggested GPS. If thats not available and not in the budget (I got a degree from BSU so I know what its like to live on a student budget) go to Gander and pick up a paper Lakemaster map of Bemidji. They have them in stock. $14.99 I guess. It will take a lot less $$ out of your propane/bait fund and still get you more spots than you can possibly imagine. You'll get a lot more dialed in than anything from the DNR website and you're ability to get on spots quickly will still be way better than without it. Then start pounding the water.

[basskisser]

Hey Brian- Where's yer report? Been working too hard to fish or what? I've had some luck on the N. end of Plantan but slowing down fast. Get out there and good luck!

"Josh's Brother"

[thrax]

Way to go basskisser. Haven't been out much, some jumbo's on Bemidji but nothing to write home about. Have to work Saturday but should still make it out. Continued good luck to you also!

[RussC]

Thanks RussC I was thinking of hanging a right when I got onto the lake and getting in about 15-20 FOW by that sandbar that looks like it runs along the whole lake right off the point infront of the college does that sound right? Im just going off of a map I printed off the MN DNR site.

Sounds just like what I did the other day lol. Should get you some decent fishing.

[Jigging55]

What time have people been finding the bite to be at I don't get off work until 4:00 and dont make it on the ice untill 5:00 am I missing it do I need to find shallow water for that late what am I missing because I can't find anything out thier except perch that are about 4 in. long.

[Up North]

this morning we had a good bite from the minute we set up (7am) till about 10am. In the evenings you'll pick up dinks until about 4:30pm and that bite will run until they shut off, usually 6ish or a little later.

Buck

[Jigging55]

Im looking to catch some eyes but seem where ever I go I don't find any. I plan on going out tomorrow after work around 4:30 or so and I'll be going out of cameron park but where do I go from thier is thier eyes by cameron bar or do I need to be real deep 30+ FOW?

[thrax]

Hit some terrific jumbo's on Bemidji on Saturday. Started shallow and only caught dinks, but when I started working my line of holes, found a real gem in 13ft. Drilled a set of 8 holes working outward on a pretty gradually tapering flat. 2 were at/over 11.5 inches, some more nicely over 10in. These perch were eating pretty large chubs (whole minnow) on a pretty large jigging spoon (Phelps brand) and they were nailing it 6-7ft from bottom, especially the larger ones.

Checked a new spot for just a couple hrs Sunday after the game, caught some dink walleyes, a few ok perch and a large whitefish that I saw come through suspended. In 27ft, on whats basically a saddle between two humps. Had fish coming in later also, nice ones, they were mostly lookers, missed two good bites that were likely better walleyes but they were very timid.

On a side note, have watched a muskie on the aqua vu each of the last 2 Saturdays, one with a buddy there to check it out also. On the 9th, one actually hit the camera (no damage) and that one took off a little quicker. This past Saturday had one hanging around in real shallow water for over 5min, real beauty too. Kept coming up to the camera, actually swam and rubbed its side against it twice, and would kind of do a small circle, line up, and look like it was going to nail the camera. I actually jigged it a couple times to see if it would, it didn't. But awfully fun and am thinking about getting a recorder setup for it, only had one for a few weeks and man are they fun. And really helpful.

One of the spots was right on the tip of Cameron Bar Jigging. I would recommend shallower vs deeper later in the afternoon and shortly after dark but thats just me.

[cbrooks]

Thanks for the report thrax. I'll be out there this weekend will have to bring the aqu vu to get my muskie fix.

[Jigging55]

I went out last night got on the lake around 4:45 was set up sort of off diamond point in 34 FOW had multiple fish fallow and look but what I was offering they didn't want I tried everything in the tackle box including all of my chubby darters I’m using crappie minnows maybe I should switch bait any suggestions that way I believe I’ll go out and try it again tonight if I feel well enough been sick since Saturday after the tourney. It's times like this where a guy wishes he had a buddy that has been fishing here for years.

[Matt Breuer]

Since you're not getting out there until 4:45, I would suggest you try shallower... We've got rentals in 30+, 35+, and one in less than 20. The ones out deep shut down around 5-5:30, but the shallower house keeps rocking into darkness. If I were you I'd set up on a break or hump, in 14-20 feet of water. Set up shop, lay a small shiner or fathead 5" off bottom under a bobber, sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee, and watch your bobber sink...

If you're still having issues, shoot me an e-mail...

[Jigging55]

Matt you are a great guide aren't you im not even a client but on every feed I've posted on you have been thier trying your best to help me out and it's greatly appreciated I'll try to find some shallower water tonight am I better off hanging a right or a left when I go out of Cameron park I'll fire up the gps tonight but I seem to think that its off cause last time it said I was on the backside of Cameron bar and I was right on top of it took forever for me to get out of 6' of water.

[Jigging55]

Me and a buddy went out lastnight set up shop in 24 FOW would of went shallower but running out of gas for the auger so 24 feet it was managed 1 eye finally and mark a lot of fish the would fallow but wouldnt take it maybe with the system that is suspposed to be coming through will turn them on. we got set up at 4:45 or so and had the fish on by 5:15 then nothing in the house up untill we left at 7:00

[scsavre]

Ive got to agree with Jiggin, Matt you seem to be about the nicest, most informative guide on this whole site. You offer more help to strangers on here than the resort owners have at the places i have gone. My group and i do a sleeper trip every year and half the time the guide doesnt even know where he's got us. Mush less if fish are going to come through at night.

I am trying to talk my group into going to Bemidji and through you next year, The only problem will be trying to keep my group in the shack and out of the darn 209 bar...

[Jigging55]

Matt I sent you a e-mail back if yah got time to answer it that would be awesome

[Matt Breuer]

I hit you back...

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Good to see you're enjoying the reports! I sure enjoy the process of acquiring them...

Houses slowed down a hair this week, but size seems to be improving. 3-6 walleyes at sun-up and again at sun-down is the norm, w/ the occassional 'eye mixed in w/ the perch during the day.

[Jigging55]

Went out of northwood access today set up in 26 FOW perch all day not much for size no eyes going to go in the morning early should I head deep or try to set up shop shallow?

[thrax]

We were on the North end yesterday and were on fire for overall perch numbers, for two hrs we were catching them fast and furious, we had to sort a bunch but left the lake with 10 real nice keepers, and put back a lot that some guys would have kept. The only limiting factors were that we didn't start fishing until 2:30, and our bite slowed at about 4:30. Another was that our hands did start getting cold, tried the gloves but just couldn't get the feel we wanted for perch jigging. We were using Phelps Glo Spoons and fish were coming up and nailing them on the drop, sometimes with full minnows, sometimes just heads. Largest fish were still coming up higher in the water column than the rest, if you went too close to bottom - dinks or at least smaller fish.

We didn't want to leave fish to find fish so at 4:30 we shifted out a little and caught one nice keeper eye, it hung around for minutes and really required patient coaxing to get it to bite, and it was still a light bite then. Nothing afterwards, was really slow for us, but only fished till 6:30ish.

Jigging, sorry to hear its not coming together for you yet. Sounds like you either need to get in closer to the crowds, or better yet, find a piece of the lake with no one around at all. We are fishing areas with no one nearby, most guys would drive and see us and think "what the heck are those guys doing over there? theres nothing over there," but haha, there are things over "there" and we are catching them. Often doing what no one else is in areas where there is no one else doing anything can work great. Good luck out there, be sure if what you're doing isn't working where you are doing it, change what you're doing, where you're doing it, or both and when you're not getting what you want, move, move, move. We drilled a ton of holes yesterday, but got what we wanted in the end.

[Matt Breuer]

Jigging, you're too shallow for the good day bite, and too deep for the really good twilight bite. Read this thread again, and with the info given you should be able to get into 'em.

Small jigging spoons w/ a minnow head have been best on jigging rods, Demon's or Frisbee's under a float w/ a fathead have been best on the still rods.

Last night we fished for a couple of hours, 9 'eyes total for the group. Roughly 50 perch kept as well. Perch bit non-stop w/ 3 of the 'eyes coming early. Best 'eye bite was from 4-5pm. Out this morning and didn't get an 'eye for the first time this year, and the perch bite was slow until 10 and only lasted an hour. Will be back out shortly!

Thrax, I think everyone knows what you're doing "over there"...

[thrax]

Matt, come with us and try it sometime, you might like it!! I heard we're a couple of goofy fun guys to fish with, the entertainment value alone would probably be worth it, lol. Glad to hear you're still on the bite.

[woodman]

thrax- I honked at you guys going on the lake and off the lake. I think your partner doesn't know my new truck. I was going to leave a note on his truck to call me, but didn't. Have to get out with that guy again and shoot the breeze! I love it where you were, I was over there a couple of weeks ago and had a blast!

[Slough Shark]

It's been awhile since I've chimed in so I thought I'd let folks know I tried the Southwest end Friday and Saturday evening with some decent luck on eyes in 26' using a white buckshot jig and a minnow head. Best time was between 5:30 and 6:00 pm. I had to really work them once I saw them on the Vexilar. Best one was 23 1/2 inches - I'm still smiling!! Good Luck!

[walleyeguy33]

Fished the Clam bar today from noon to 6:30, about 40-50 perch, ten keepers...(10 inches or bigger). Looking for eyes but didn't catch one. I was in about 33ft, I'm a guide on Lake of the Woods looking to catch some eyes here for the week. Any suggestions? Thanks

[cluelessfisherman]

Haven't done much for the eyes myself this winter. I have my perm set in about 32' of water and have been on a decent perch bite all winter. Took some pipeliners out last weekend and they were happy to take home a bucket of perch.

Only been finding a stray eye or two right before dark moving through, but they have been aggressive as long as you're pumping a spoon to call them in.

[Matt Breuer]

Had clients up renting who reported the worst day of fishing I've heard of in awhile! They arrived and were moving in to the house at 10am, and were off to chase pannies by Noon. They hit 4-5 different lakes before heading back to the shack for the evening bite. They didn't even wet a line. Every lake they went to was pure slush and drifts. One they couldn't even get to because the road was so bad getting back to it. After giving up on their panfish journey, they headed back to the shack only to realize that they had no minnows. After running over to another house to borrow some minnows, they managed to catch 5 perch before the sun disappeared.... wow... hopefully they get redemption today!

Side note..... travel on the lakes SUCKS right now!