Any info would be appreciated

[jpmuns2006]

Hey Everyone, my parents and I are goingup sept 9th thrue the 23rd and iw as wondering if anyone could give me any type of info on whats goin on what to use. First of all I plan on fishing the mississippi in the brainerd area and was wondering what to use and where to look to catch some smallies. I know the water is really low so ill be hittin it from shore. We plan on hitting alot of lakes within that 2 week period, which 5 lakes would be the best to hit around that time? Ive also head that the bullheads up there are great to eat, How and where can i get a mess of em. Like i said im looking for any info possible in means of catching bass, pike,panfish,walleyes, and ring perch, and even some yellow bellies. ANy info would be appreciated. thanx for your time!!!!

[Sportland_Bait]

I'm not a river rat by any means but I've always had good succes with small shallow running rapalas or crawfish style crankbaits. Some of our customers always talk of the tremendous smallie fishing in the fall flipping big redtail chubs on a plain hook/split shot rig. That will work great for big smallies and a few walleyes. I can't help you too much on the side of Bullheads.

Jason Erlandson

[gorrilla]

jp, another good smalley bait is medium size frogs if you come across them. As far as bullheads, they are usually best in the cool spring water, and as a kid I caught tons of them in southern MN. I know there are some up here, but I don't waste my time locally since it hard not to find sunfish, perch, crappies, bass, walleyes, and northerns up here. I think they taste fine too...

[jpmuns2006]

hey thanx for the help with the smallies and bullheads. is there still that regulation for smallies coming up soon about harvesting smallmouth bass. also where would be some good lakes to fishin the area and what to use for northerns,walleyes, panfish, and bass, maybe even some descent ring perch?

[tbags]

I do not recomend eating fish from the river. They are biting right now on tubes and buzzbaits. Don't waste your money on theose expensive redtails, just get some cheap tubes and you will catch a ton of them, and big ones too.

[jpmuns2006]

why wouldnt ya recommend eating fish out of the river from up there. where im from, further down the mississippi we wouldnt touch anything that came out of the river . the water is disgusting!!!!!! at least up there its descent quality water. Im sure fish from the mississippi would be a treat compared to down here lol!!!!

[barnyard]

You might check the regs, but I believe that you cannot keep smallies after Sept 1. It might be October 1.....

As far as eating the fish out of the river.... Lots of paper mills up this way. Even though they have cleaned up their act, there is still residual effects.

Tom B