Another Mille Lacs opener question??

[John Mickish]

This will be our first opener on the Mille Lacs and my questions is more on techniqes. We will be staying at an East side resort and we are wondering if we could get a little heads up on the where/how's. Not looking for your secrets just a few tips. Thanks.

[Benfishin]

Head to the north end sand(Malmo area) and drag a minnow or leech on a long lindy rig. Have a drift sock to control your speed and keep your heads up with all the boats. I always try to stay on the outside edges of the boats. Or you could find a nice rock pile, say Big Point and bobber fish w/ small jigs and leeches. Enjoy the masses!

[tonkapat]

fish 24 to 30 during the day then at night 12-15 ft break and shallower

[rodmaker]

Make sure you get up there early around 5:00am or so, to avoid "a mess" at the launches. Check back in a week or so, and the Cranker will be posting the status of boat launches.

Use long snells 7-9 ft. Plain red hook. Single bead (red, chart. glow). Have a rod rigged with a spinner rig. Use smaller sized spinners (gold, copper, red, chart, rainbow). 7 ft snell. Start working anywhere from Malmo and keep heading North. Carlsona is very good So is Barnacle Bill's.

Get out there with leeches, and start in deep water 30 ft and work your way in shallow.(Don't be afraid to get into 5-8ft). Sometimes with all the pressure, they move in shallow. You may be catching fish all by yourself.

It's going to be crowded, so be prepared. Make sure you have a drift sock. And hang on!!!!!

If the Sand doesn't work, you could always anchoring on a few rock reefs (big Point, Lakeside Reef) and throw slip bobbers med leeches and tiny glow jigs.

Make sure you have a tape in the boat to measure your fish!!

Rodmaker

[walleyeJoe]

think slow presentation, try working your way away from the crowd of boats. and make sure you dont hoot and holler when you get a fish and deffinitely dont flaunt the fish around, because as soon as you do you'll turn around and 20 boats will be drifting your way!!! trust me i learned, an i learned that everyone likes to follow the sponsorship stickers to they think that if you have a few companies on the side of my boat they tend to follow me all day i hate it, so usually i just work my way away from the crowd.

[TrophyEyes]

I would add. DON'T even stand up to reel it in. You draw a lot less attention bringing a fish in sitting down. Its bad that you have to fish like this, but if you want your honey hole to yourself, you gotta keep it quiet. If someone asks if you have been catching fish, just reply that you are not getting anything but small perch and rock bass. Or the ever popular.....I really don't know this lake very well, do you know what this area is called? People won't fish by you if they think you don't know what you are doing.

The only bigger attractant to traffic than stickers on your boat... is throwing out a marker. Keep your marker in the boat.

[youngie22]

I like dummy markers... throw a few around all over away from your spot. It is a blast to see which markers attracts the most boaters. Gotta love it!!!

[trackerbrent]

Do not overlook sticking shallow during the day. Bobber fishing in the shallow sand, 9'- 15', we did a lot better than the guys out deep running lindys'. We were pretty much by ourselves until people saw we were catching lots of fish. Like others have said stay calm and seated, although it is hard to hide grabing the net.

[perchman]

a funny story about tha magnetic attraction between one boat and others (looking to find a place to fish). My wife and I were out fishing one hot afternoon on mille lacs, did quite well, pulled anchor, decided to get away from the crowd and relax.. so headed out to open sea.. went out 2 miles or so.. no one in site.. toss the anchor.. we have a couple beers, relax.. I suggest we go for a swim.. wifes a little unsure (no suits).. so i climb up on the Bow of my boat (bare).. look back at her.. "see no ones around" ..shazam I turn around and here is a boat out of no where cruising right up us.. I never moved so fast in my life..

[perchman]

We had good luck drifting the sand 10-14' with a jig/leach during the day, then in the evening, bobber(small glow jig/leach) 6-8 feet in the rocks.. Oh son!

[John Mickish]

Thanks guys. I can't wait to see the zoo!

[TrophyEyes]

Now has anyone ever thought of throwing a Duck decoy as a marker? Maybe it won't draw as much attention. People would think its weird, but it may work.

[John Mickish]

Diver down flags??

[Blaze]

Quote:

---

Diver down flags??

---

Honestly, I doubt many MN fisherman would know what the heck a diver down flag is. On ML, they'd probably think it's just a rich man's "Mega-Marker". Probably fell out of a Ranger.

[eyewarrior]

I saw a guy use a Sea Gull decoy once. Didn't seem to atract much attention. Also if you talk to the guy who comes in on your spot they seem to think that they can fish as close to you as if they are your best buddy.

[walleyeJoe]

i think one of the best ways to catch walleyes on opener is in shallow water because all the spawning walleyes are weak and very hungry. go to your bait shop and get 1/32 oz. northland gum ball jigs. prefferablly chartruse, i dont know what the heck is in the water this early that is this color but every opener and early spring all the fish samck is chartruse, and then it usually swithces to green or red, or my favorite pink!. but tie a palomar knot and set it up so the hook sits horizontally, fish in the sand andwhere in about 5-10 feet of water, and keep the the jig about a foot and a half or more off the bottom. and bait it with a crappie minnow or a fat head right through the lips... now this rig is used for boober fishing... it might sound crazy but people always think mid day walleyes at 12 in the afternoon in 5-10 fow? your not gonna catch the trophies, your gonna catch slot fish from 16-20 inches and they have shoulders boy. my brother had a 19 inch walley on last year on opener and it weighed about 4 lbs.!!! trust me this tactic works... and if you do it youll probably see me out there!