Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports by Brad Hawthorne

[BradHawthorne]

Here is the honest scoop on the Perch, some day you fill a bucket and some days after 300 holes you have 10 in the pail. They are in 28-34ft off the flats 20-200 yards and same goes for the pebbles and rocks. Red larva and 1/8 spoons on the slow days and active fish days #2 jigging Rapala's. I donno if the #'s are down or if it's a food thing because 1/2 the perch I'm cleaning have nothing in there guts and the other half are full of the typical bugs of March.

[Tomcat41]

Any updates on Perch.....still deep? Heading up to Appledoorn's this weekend, maybe out of Lybacks for crappie too.

[leech~~]

Lybacks for crappie too.

You mean in Wahkon or Isle bays?

[Tomcat41]

Isle. Eddy is still plowing from what I read out of Lybacks. May get out to Hennepin island and/or banana reef. Hopefully more fishing than running.

[Walleyehooker]

Lybacks and Hunters are usually the last 2 to quit plowing. Both have possibilities of Perch but the perch schools aren't like they used to be and havnt been for a long time.

[Tomcat41]

Not expecting to fill a bucket, but found a recipe for a cajun perch Po'Boy sandwich and want to try them for dinner. A little 5 card and a few barley pops to end the evening.

[Walleyehooker]

I just checked and it doesn't look very promising but there are very few out fishing this time of year. We used to get them in deep water no where land years ago out there but she aint what she used to be. Ive usually done better out of hunters in the deep water or off of the flats but you still have to drill a lot of holes. You wont have to worry about filling a bucket just hope you can get enough for a samich.

[BradHawthorne]

The Mille Lacs Perch bite is actually pretty good if you know what your in for, stay on the move and drill, drill, drill. The Perch are now in the late season areas so that will cut down on the drilling acreage. Liberty 2 mile has been good and so has areas out infront of Lyback's. Find that magic 28-32ft and poof the bottom with 1/8oz spoons and red larva, once you locate a school stay with them they wont go far maybe 100 yards at most.

The panfish action on the local lakes has been the dirty little secret around the area...it's been ridiculous over the last few weeks and is showing no signs of slowing down, most of the lakes the panfish are in 6-10FOW just off the weeds or 3-10ft in from the edges. Farm Island, Clear lake are just a few that are going right now.

Good luck fishing!

[KeepLearning]

Any updates on perch and/or panfish bite on local lakes. I'm thinking of heading up somewhere this weekend? Thank you

[monstermoose78]

a few people in isle bay today no one on wahkon bay.

[BradHawthorne]

We have a few people fishing Isle bay, Wahkon and Cove are pretty much vacant. To be honest it's been a light year for panfish trafic on the big lake. I'm in total disbelief that no one is fishing the outer weeds in Wahkon bay or Cove..The ice is still 30+ inches thick and we just got 4 more inches of snow up here..Happy spring LOL.

[hugonian1]

Brad, you still chasing perch?

Any luck at all?

[KeepLearning]

Brad, I'd like to ice fish one more time. If I come up Saturday, is there anywhere I can still get on and fish? Thanks.

[monstermoose78]

There is some perch on the northend within walking distance from shore, Wahkon bay is giving up some gills, crappies, and perch. 6-10 feet. Perch have been deeper. Isle Bays is a tough bite. Stay away from the crowds and maybe you will be lucky enough to land a few crappies.

[BradHawthorne]

Ice has been shifting back and forth last few days, Water temps in the small amount of open water we do have range from 39-42. 1/4 oz jigs with rainbows or fatheads work if you find a pile of fish other wise rigging minnows is the ticket, adding color to the rigs dose help, orange, yellow, chartreuse any thing in that color range will get bit. CALL

ahead to your launch point to make sure you have open water and most important be safe, ice can and will move fast, very fast. I can't stress this enough keep an eye on the ice and always have your exit rout planed.

[BradHawthorne]

Water temps are hanging in that 42-44 degree mark, In years past we always see a strong minnow bite with late ice out and water temps in the 40's, this year is no different. Not that leaches won't work it's just a water temp thing. Yesterday both worked but minnows caught 80% of the fish.

Four techniques are working great right now, rigging minnows in 8-16 FOW with 5-7 ft snells, Drift jigging, pitching jigs and bobbers. Rainbows, shiners, and larger fatheads are all good tippage.

The lake is now ice free except for some piles on shore, come on up and sore lip

some Walleyes!

[BradHawthorne]

With the cold start to the season and seemingly constant rain we are catching fish in all areas of the lake. With cloud cover/overcast the weeds/sand bite is great but if its sunny you need to be very stealthy, long casts, don't run the main motor, etc. On sunny day I've been moving out deep, 26ft + even out to 30ft at times. Rigging and jigging with minnows and leeches, don't get stuck on minnows at certain times leeches work I'd say its 50/50 now. The evening bite has been good for the bobber fishermen.

Botton line some day you can go out and catch 40-50 fish other days 20 is a good number.

[BradHawthorne]

Fishing remains very good, a number of different techniques are working right now. Depending on the day rigging crawlers, leaches or spinners is the way to go. Let the fish tell you what they want. Bad days have been 15-20 fish good days are 30-50, we are seeing more keepers, yesterday I kept my 4 for the customers all between 18.5 and 19.5. Some days you get your limits and some days 1-2 for the box. Water temps are mid 60's

The fish are getting FAT! in some areas of the lake we are finding just sick looking hogs the pic above was a 22 inch fish and it looks like a 26+ Bottom line get up here the fish are biting and the weather has been pretty good.

We are back to normal with DNR enforcement time on the lake do to the local station being filled, wich I think is great. I had a chance to talk with the new warden last week and we had a laugh about the some of the violations, no boat lights well after dark..and if it's over 20 inches..yes, will you will get a ticket lol He has been nicknamed the "Fish Ninja" by one poacher after handing him multiple over fish tickets on night. I found that pretty funny. It's great to see the lake enforcement back to normal, It's a great lake and should be protected as such. Good luck fishing guys and gals!

[BrdHunter01]

We back to normal with DNR enforcement time on the lake do to the local station being filled, wich I think is great. I had a chance to talk with the new warden last week and we had a laugh about the some of the violations, no boat lights well after dark..and if it's over 20 inches..yes, will you will get a ticket lol He has been nicknamed the "Fish Nina" by one poacher after handing him multiple over fish tickets on night. I found that pretty funny. It's great to see the lake enforcement back to normal, It's a great lake and should be protected as such. Good luck fishing guys and gals!

We got a chance to meet him as well. Didn't talk long as it was about 11:15pm and a bit choppy. Seems like a super nice guy with great intenstions! 1st time I've been checked in years on Mille Lacs, and I fish the lake nearly every weekend all summer. Great to see!

[BradHawthorne]

Spinners and rigging is the go to on Mille Lacs, 26-32ft gravel edges and mud flats are putting out good numbers of fish. Good days are still 30-50 fish bad days are 15-30, very impressive.

Try spinners first and if your not putting up good #'s up.. go back and rig the pods out with 5-8ft snells and leeches. Slots fish are showing up regularly, some day you limit and some days you catch 40 fish and only 3 slots still very, very fun. Be safe and good luck fishing! We have just a few openings in July give us a call to cash in on this great fishing 651-271-8600

[BradHawthorne]

It's that time of year were just about everything is working, rigging, spinning, leadcore and slow death rigging. If the fish are hanging tight to the top edges, rigging and spinning and if your finding loose groups off the flats or gravel trolling seems to work best. Best colors this week have been pink, purple, and firetiger. The fish are getting fatter and I'm seeing young of the year minnow popping the surface along with bug clouds on the Lowrance. Mid summer is here, two months ago I was wondering if the ice would ever be gone lol. The local warden is still putting the hammer down, he took over 20 fish off poachers just last week..if it's not between 18-20 inches its gota go back.

[RIPN LIPS]

Great reports keep them coming. Have you pulled any leadcore in the basin or are you sticking to the edges of the flats?

[BrandonN]

Great reports Brad!

[BradHawthorne]

With water temps now in the 70's we are seeing bait clouds of minnows and bugs out in the basin areas. Yes, lead-core season has officially started!

#4 Rapala's and the Rapala Ultra Light Cranks are putting fish in the boat consistently. My trolling speeds are 1.8-2.5 mph. Be prepared to constantly adjust running depth, the pods of fish are spread out in the water column, I'm seeing fish from 10ft down to 34ft and everywhere in between, put the lures 1-5ft above the fish and they will smack it. Toward evening or dawn troll closer to structure in the mid day venture out in "no mans land"

Good luck fishing!

[BradHawthorne]

The leadcore bite is on, fish has slowed somewhat but we are still catching our fair share of fish!. On good days 30 fish is the norm but it is August so be prepared for slow days as well. Trolling at 1.6-1.8 has been the best speed. No lure color really stands out some days it's o-natural and other the brighter the better. Mornings have been the best.

[BradHawthorne]

Mille Lacs Report: The trolling bite is a bit different this season, the smaller baits are getting way more soak time this season. Usually we see a natural progression from smaller to larger baits but this season the ultralite Rapala's and #4 shad raps are holding the fish catching title. Depending on the day 1.6-2.5 mph is the key speed range, if you start catching fish at 2.5 keep the speed there until the bite slows and slow up until the bite window stops, then move to a different location. Don't grind! We are seeing the Am bite window shines from

about 6 Am to 11 Am.

Colors are all over the map, some days anything in the perch spectrum works, other days buggy colors such as purple, pink, and craw turn fish. In the afternoon switch back to after o-natural minnow patterns with some shine. Good luck Fishing!

[kapp]

how old is the perch sweetheart? and what kind of shape is it in?

greg kappes

[email protected]

[jigspoon]

Love the perch sweetheart .....

[bassfshin24]

Any reports from this past weekend? Interested to see how people are doing out there.

[bassinboy3]

Anybody been on the pond? How are ice conditions?