1st time to the pond

[Sandmannd]

I'm heading up this weekend and bringing Big Wade from FM with me. It's the first time for both of us up there. Someone told me Father Hennepin was good to launch and so was Appledoorn's. Not sure which way to go. Paul W. do you work for Appledoorn's? I did some ice fishing with you last year, would be nice to see ya again. Anyway, where should we head and use? I heard Bannana Reef, sloppy joes and 7 mile were good (have no clue where those are) and too use about a 7 ft snell with a red hook on it. Is this good advice? Any other advice I can get would be great.

[elusivecrappiecatcher]

Those are all good areas to try. I fished 7 mile and so did about 75 othe boats. Everyone was pulling in fish, but I wish I would have given the Banana flat a try. Myr Mar flat also was decent we did pull some out of there as well. 7 to 10 foot snell and a red hook with a green bead should do the trick. We used floating jigs in all different colors. It didn't matter the color they would hit any of them.

[Sandmannd]

Are these areas hard to find at all? What do I look for besides boats? I don't wanna just head to a group of boats and butt my way in there.

[eyewarrior]

I assume you have a GPS that will accept a MN Lakemaster chip. It has all of the main flat/bars etc names & contour lines. It's worth every penny!

[wallygator2148]

We have a nice deep access at Hunter Winfield's in Isle, near Father Hennepin State Park. We've got lake maps to browse or buy, and we'd be happy to show you some nice spots too, as I'm sure Appeldoorn's does as well.

good luck

[Sandmannd]

Thanks for the info wallygator2148, I just might look you up. I do have a GPS with the lake chip so I'm sure that will be a help. How is the fishing with the mayfly hatch? Heard some good and some bad.

[rodmaker]

Agate Bay also is a nice place to launch.

[Paul Waldowski]

sandmannd,

Sorry for the late response. Stop in and see me and we can definately get you set up and pointed in the right direction.

I was able to sneak out for a couple of hours last night with the kids and we managed several fish over the slot, with my daughter getting the biggest at 27 1/2 inches. Slip bobbers and leeches, 19 feet of water.

[Sandmannd]

Thanks Paul, what time do you guys open. We were planning on leaving the cities around 4 AM. What are your rates to launch?

[rodmaker]

Paul,

Please check your e-mail at fishingminnesota.com.

Rodmaker

[Paul Waldowski]

Rodmaker,

Nothing there. Call me @ 651-248-0613

[Sandmannd]

We made it out of Hunter Winfields at 6 AM. Nice landing by the way. Took us an hour and a half to figure out where to go. Low cloudes and some nice waves for our first ever trip. We were trying to find Sloppy Joes and would ask people but it was like asking the scarcrow on the Wizard of Oz. Got differant directions every time. Finally setteled just west of Hennipen Island and Wade landed his biggest eye ever at 26".

Then I got my first eye on Mille Lacs. It was a whoppin' 14.75". Not much but had to snap a pic of my first.

We moved around a little to 5 mile, 4 mile, bananna reef and back to the original spot. Wade managed another 24" and a 20 1/2 inch. That was it for the day, but a nice outing for our first ever. I looked on the DNR site when I got home and found we were so close to Sloppy Joes at times, just didn't see it on my GPS. Next time out we know a few places to head to at least.

A question for all you mighty fisherman. Is there anywhere to get into perch or crappies on the lake during the summer? I always hear of them being caught in the winter but does no one fish for perch in the summer?

[BigWadeS]

Thanks for posting that Shane, it was great to pop the mille lacs cherry this weekend. Can't wait to get up there and do it again.

[Kyle Sandberg]

I always catch a few perch mixed in with the walleyes. They don't school up like they do in the winter and are harder to target. For crappies, its like winning the powerball. There are pictures on the walls of some resorts of a few, FEW, people with nice ones but, to best relate, it's like trying to catch a ski. One in every 10,000 casts.

[Shack]

The best spot I have found over the years (it has been a few since I targeted them in summer) was in shallow reed area's.

Find reeds and cat tails, you will find perch in summer.

I like to fish the furtherest out point of a reed line (to middle of lake).

I have found this to be more so on west side of lake.

Bobber fishing with plain colored hook and leach, to a minnow tipped jig.

They tend to have a differnt tast to meat when caught in summer and look a little more green. I figure this is because of their summer haunts and change in cover..

Good luck.