Bemidji Area Minnesota Fishing Reports

[Walleye Bill]

Well everyone not too much as changed as far as the bite. After this weekend with the warm weather (if we really do warm up) the ice conditions are going to deteriorate especially next to shore so be careful.

The Blue Gill bite is still slow in the area. The Perch bite on Lake Bemidji has slowed down some what. There were some guys fishing Diamond Bar but that too is slow.

I think the fish are just as anxious for open water as we are!!

[Walleye Bill]

Made it out this weekend but to my surprise it was slow. Fished Turtle River Lake and struck out. Drilled a hundred holes and moved around all morning. Had a lot of lookers but nothing on the ice.

Spent the afternoon on Bemidji and did better. Jumbo Perch are still biting, the middle of the day was the best bite. Fished from 15 to 40 and where able to put some in the bucket. The dead stick with a fat head and red hook produced some fish. Jigged with a smaller Buckshot spoon tipped with the Impulse Perch Eye which produced the bigger fish. Good luck everyone.

[rixxatool]

Thanks for the report WB! How was travel on Bemidji? Snow deep for walking? OR slushy? Or both? Thanks!

[Walleye Bill]

Travel was good once you got away from shore where the snow has blown in. Some slushy spots. I went out on the ATV there was some vehicles on the ice though. It's the time of year to start being very cautious!!

[Walleye Bill]

Well with the weather the last couple I don't have much to report. Looking at the weather its going to get into the 50's this week and next week. That should help with the Panfish bite. Once the melt starts the Panfish will move into the shallows.

Look for Crappies in deep water next to shallow flats. The Panfish will start moving in shallow. The blood worms and insect larva will be on the menu so be sure to match your bait with the items on the menu. Personally I like the Bug Collection by Northland and be sure to stay mobile. The fish will be on the move in search of a meal so punch some holes through out an area. In stead of getting one or two fish when the school comes by every 10, 20 or 30 minutes you will figure out how the fish are moving and be able to stay on them longer.

Good Luck !!!!

[Walleye Bill]

I was out on Lake Bemidji yesterday and to day. The perch bite has picked up. Biggest fish were caught in deep water 30 to 40 feet. I only fished the West side off Cameron Park north to Reese point. Small jigs tipped with minnows and smaller Buckshot Spoons tipped with minnow heads seamed to be the preferred flavor.

The Eelpout spawn is just about over with a few being caught here and there.

Ice conditions were good yet with some snow and water on the ice.

Good Luck everyone.

[Walleye Bill]

Made the last trip out this season Saturday. fishing is good but the ice is getting dark. Perch fishing was good from 40 to 15 feet. Cameron Park and Diamond Point Bar were doing well. Small jigs and spoons produced well. Good luck to everyone and be safe.

This will be my last report this ice season. I recently picked up my new boat and will be moving into it and getting it ready for the guiding season. As soon as I'm able to get on the water I will start putting everyone on fish again.

[C-130 Herk]

Bill,

What did you get for a boat? Just picked up my Lund 1775 Impact a few weeks ago and am looking forward to the mid-June trip to Andrusia. Merc 115 is broken in so I'm set.

Any reports for the Cass Lake chain yet?

Herk driver.

[Walleye Bill]

Herk,

I got a 2014 2075 Pro-V Tiller with a 200 Verado. I haven't been over to Cass but I know the ice still wasn't off. Fishing has been hit and miss from what I've herd. Did not get out this weekend, had injections in my back last week but I'm pulling out of the yard now. I will post a report this evening.

[BLA Fisherman]

Here's a video I shot in the Bemidji area this weekend

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Opening day tips from lakes area outdoors

[Walleye Bill]

I spent the afternoon on Lake Bemidji and Lake Irvin. Bemidji is quite cold yet and the fishing was slow. Lake Irvin was much better. We fished the inlet break on Lake Bemidji where the river enters the Lake Bemidji from Irvin and did very well. We also fished the outlet bar on Lake Irvin. Most of the boats fished shallow, pitching jigs with minnows in 5 to 6 feet. the fish coming out of the shallows were mostly males. I fished in 8 to 11 feet trolling back and forth and caught mainly females which were bigger fish.

I bounced a Northland Standup Fireball and my partner pulled a Bait Rig with a 6 foot leader. Rainbow minnows produced most of the fish.

[Walleye Bill]

Well everyone, Lake Bemidji is turning on. I spent the last few days last week pre-fishing for the Eagles tournament and fishing picked up everyday. Start looking in 8 feet and work shallower until you find them. The small pockets of weeds on the north end held a lot of fish and is a good place to start looking. Bait Rigs with long snells and jigs tipped with a shiner or rainbow did very well.

Good Luck!!!!

[C-130 Herk]

Isn't that tiller hard on the back? Injections don't sound fun, but if it helps with the guiding and fishing, it's worth it.

[Walleye Bill]

Yeah it's a tiller and very comfortable. Sitting in the back of the boat is very smooth.

[Walleye Bill]

The fishing report isn't as good as I thought it would be. It's been very slow. I have caught fish in 6 to 12 but nothing has been very consistent. Minnows have been better than anything else. Jigs and bait rigs have been producing about the same as well.

Good luck every one!!

[Walleye Bill]

Fishing this week on Lake Bemidji has been great. All week we caught good fish and lots of them. The reed bed on the east end of Diamond Point bar has been good in 4 to 8 feet. Reece Point and the north end in that same depth range. The shore line along the south east side has also been producing very well. The leech bite has been awesome using Northland Tackle Roach Rigs.

[Walleye Bill]

The Bemidji area is on fire right now. Lake Bemidji has tremendous fishing. Limits are easy to come buy along with big fish. Largest one this year has been 30" and I have constantly been putting 25" plus fish in the boat. The fish are scattered from 3 feet to 30 feet. The hottest fishing has been near or in the cabbage. Spinners with leeches and crawlers have been great. Mid day has been good pulling the Impulse leeches and crawlers a little faster than normal.

Plantan has also been great. Start looking on the North and East side of the island. Leeches and crawlers on a plane Roach Rig in 8 to 25 feet. The North and West side has also been really good. In front of the "lawn" on the North Side in that 8 to 25 feet and the west side along the steep break line.

Good Luck !!!!!

[pikerliker]

How has the bite been lately on Bemidji?

[Walleye Bill]

Hey guys,

The walleye bite has slowed down a bit but they can still be caught. the best bite has been on the weed edges. If you can find the grass that grows on the gravel and sand that's about 8 inches tall you will catch fish. The inside weed edge has also been really good in the evening and early morning.

Lake Bemidji has been producing fish on the weed edges and the humps and sunken islands. Depth can change daily but I would look from the 14 to 20 to get started.

Plantan has also been good on the North and East side and the island in front of Balsm Beach Resort. The 12 to 18 feet has been good during the day and slip bobbers with leaches has been good in the evenings in the cabbage.

Leeches and Crawlers has been the best with spinners and lindy rigs.

Good Luck!!!!

[Walleye Bill]

Had a great day on Red Lake yesterday. Released lots and came home with limits. The bite is still great. Most of the fish were caught in 5 to 7 feet on spinners and crawlers. The Northland Impulse crawlers worked just as well as the real ones.

The bite on lake Bemidji is still good with fish being caught just about every where. You will have to work at times so don't give up. Leeches and crawlers are the way to go. Have caught bigger fish deep with creek chubs or lite pike suckers.

Good Luck

[Walleye Bill]

The Panfish have really turned on on Turtle River Lake. Casting or trolling 1/16 oz. Beetle Spin next to the lily pads and right in the cabbage beds has been awesome.

The biter on Red is still great in the 5 to 8 feet but don't be scared to go in even shallower. The Macks Lures Wally Pop was been producing lots of fish and the Smiley Blade worm harness have also done well.

Lake Bemidji is still has the bite around town. the weed lines trolling crawlers and smaller leeches have worked well during the day. I have caught fish out as deep as 30 feet, so if the action is slow on the weed lines move out deeper. In the evening grassy and the bars on the north end have fish on them. Slip bobbers and leeches have worked the best on the humps.

Good Luck!!

[Walleye Bill]

The Panfish bite is still real good on Turtle River Lake. The same lures have been working well and we have boated gills as big as 13 inches.

Lake Bemidji is still producing fish. Grassy and the rock pile have fish on them but the bite has tough during the middle of the day. Mornings and evenings have been the best. The flats in front of the outlet on east side has been good as well.

Plantan has slowed down a bit but the bite picks up after dark pulling cranks on the island in front of Balsm Beach Resort.

[Guest]

The Panfish bite is still real good on Turtle River Lake. The same lures have been working well and we have boated gills as big as 13 inches.

Are you actually catching 13" Gills or 13" Crappies? If Gills those are fish of a lifetime and man would that be fun!

[Chris Haley]

With these dropping water temps the fish are starting to migrate towards their fall hangouts. Walleyes are starting to drop back down the breaks after spending about a month up on top of the flats and humps enjoying the reduced light penetration caused by the algae blooms. We have been doing very well with live bait rigs tipped with crawlers and leeches in that 15 - 24ft range. As the temps drop further the migrating young of the year minnows will switch the bite towards a deeper jig and minnow presentation. The deeper the fish go the more important it is to watch your electronics. If you are not seeing fish don't waste your time. Your depth finders read more of the bottom the deeper you go. That's why when fishing 6ft you might not see fish on the graph but are putting the smack down on them. With a 20 degree cone you're only reading 1.8ft of bottom when that shallow. At 30ft you're reading 10.9ft of bottom. So use that depth finder first before dropping a line. Get out there and have some fun. Maybe even take a kid with!! Uncle Ted said "Teach your kids to hunt so you don't have to hunt for your kids" The same applies towards fishing. Let's get these kids hooked on fishing so they don't get hooked on other things!

[Walleye Bill]

Hey guys, haven't been out around Bemidji much but have been spending time on Cass Lake fishing the Cabela's MWC event and the fishing slowed way down this week with the cold front that hit. The fish are there just have to find them. 25 to 40 was the best with bait rigs with leeches and red tails. Chris is wright, use you electronics especially your structure scan if you have it. A lot of the fish I seen on the structure scan I didn't see on the sonar and that was key. A lot of scattered fish but they will bite if you keep it in front of them. Good Luck guys!!

[Walleye Bill]

Fishing has been pretty hit and miss but it is still ok. Bemidji has scattered fish just about every where. 6 to 40 and minnows have been the best. I've also been jigging ice raps and they have been working pretty good. The Mack's Slow Death Smiley Blade rigs have also been producing a fair amount of fish. Either a crawler of a Northland Impulse Crawler cut about 5 inches long has been good too.

I've been over and Cass as well as, seems this cool weather and wind really slowed them down. Lindy rigs and Crawlers and the Slow Death rigs by Mack's have also produced fish too. Look at the top of the bars all the way out to 50 feet. If you are seeing fish suspended off the bottom lengthen your snells. I have had to run them as long as 12 feet.

Good Luck Guys!!

[Walleye Bill]

I finally had a chance to make it out a little these past few days. Found some nice perch on the North end of Lake Bemidji. Fished 22 to 25 feet off the flats and did very well. Jigged a UV Northland Tackle spoon and had a red hook on my dead stick. Also made it out to Turtle River Lake looking for some crappies. It was pretty slow we only caught a few fish in our normal spots but hopefully they will be picking up. Also spent some time on Lake Kitchi. We did a lot better out there on crappies. Drilled a ton of holes and stayed mobile as we could with the weather. We fished next to the deep basins in the bays and the main lake. Be careful if you venture back to the bays because the river comes in there. The Northland Forage minnow worked awesome. I will be headed out over the next few days. Might even make a run to Lake of The Woods.

Good Luck!!

[Drama King]

Heading to lake plantagenet this week/weekend to give it a try. Anyone been out there or heard any reports? We have had a bit of luck this year out there, but this late in the year, its always a challenge!

[Walleye Bill]

So opener has come and gone once again. It wasn't as good as I thought it would of been with all the warm weather the week before. Bemidji was kinda tough. Lake Irvine produced better. We jigged in 6 to 10 with the new RZ jigs from Northland and they were awesome tipped with a shiner. I will be headed out this week so I will let you guys know how I do.