mille lacs 2020 Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports

[rcatcherman]

Olden days it worked again this last outing thur thru sunday. But I was using it with a lindy ratlin flyer red glow. The problem in the deeper thick mud I could only get 22 to 24 inch eyes to hit it. But oh well at least I was catching. In 3 days only got 2- 16 inch walleyes 1- 17 inch walleye and 9 11 inch perch. Was out of Terry's in the deep water at 8 mile.

[james_walleye]

3 of us were up for the weekend. We struggled and it wasnt for lack of work. The nights were spent in my buddies sleeper at the Red Door on the sand break and nothing happened in there. Saturday was spent drilling a ton of holes all over 5 different mud flats on the north end. -3 degrees when we started our "trolling". We pretty much concentrated on working points and inside turns from the base of the breaks out about 40 yards from 28- 33' and pretty much stayed away from any crowds. Maybe we should have worked farther off of structure because we only ended up with 2 decent perch in the bucket. I really felt confident that if we moved all day long that we could put a decent bag together but it didnt happen. We settled on a sweet looking spot a good 3/4 mile from anyone hoping for a sunset bite and that was a bust as well. Anyone got an idea what we did wrong or was it a case of just not hitting the right spot?

[dvd]

That sounds like a Mille Lacs trip. Been very tough out there. We were out of Terry's and bounced around and nothing but dink perch. We've been up a couple times and nothing but small perch. This summer was extremely tough as well. The dead sea has come back.

[LindyRigger]

Hey James Walleye,

Don't feel bad, we were out North end-Red Door this weekend and had a 20" eye and some small perch to show for all our efforts...

Good luck and keep tryin'

LindyRigger

[TRZ II]

I was on the SW side and had my worst weekend of the year by a long shot, caught a few dink eyes and that was it. first time this winter i did not bring fish home.

[rcatcherman]

Lindyrigger, I had to work my backside off also. Did manage 3 keeper walleyes 10 perch. But it did take me 3 days to get them. It has been a tough year on Millacs for everyone that only gets to get out a few hours a week. As for me it was a tough summer last year also.

[MTguy]

Moved the sleeper from 25 to 32 feet of water on saturday. 25 feet only 4-5 inch perch. When we got to 32 we marked bigger perch and saw eyes on the camera. Only got one 12 inch perch it was fat. The deeper water seems to be holding more fish. Very tough. The eyes have no interest at least for me. The last two times i have been up there once the sun goes down i dont mark a fish. Anybody have any ideas why?

[Walleyehooker]

Mille Lacs still has loads of bait in it and this time of year the walleyes dont need to eat much to survive.Combine that with very clear water where they can seek out a meal 24 hours a day it doesnt give you a lot of opportunity fishing over an 8 inch hole.More than likely at night they are just full and laying on the bottom as they arent hard pressed to get a meal during the day.There is probably enough bait in there right now they can sit and wait for it to just come by.Thats why keeping on the move and drilling holes and trying to find active fish is usually more effective on Mille Lacs.Its not a lazy mans walleye lake.I also believe that by drilling holes it sometimes attracts fish or if not attract at least gets them up and moving and looking around.

[catchphoto_filet]

I thought mille lacs had a great bite last open water season. I was going almost every weekend and on the weekdays when i could. There is a lot of bait fish still but IMO its more the time of season that creates the lack of a good bite. Spring time during the night ban is good and til around little after 4th of july IMO. This is the consistent hard water reports over years and years. Save the gas and put it into your boat!

[BrdHunter01]

That sounds like a Mille Lacs trip. Been very tough out there. We were out of Terry's and bounced around and nothing but dink perch. We've been up a couple times and nothing but small perch. This summer was extremely tough as well. The dead sea has come back.

The summer was tough? It was our best summer since the "Perch Explosion" Many limits and many big ones along with a ton of little guys. Then comes winter...... DEAD SEA!

[Walleyehooker]

Like I said Mille Lacs is a clear lake and can be tough on the average angler as can any lake for that matter.I see guys swearing while they are loading up their boats all the time saying it sucks and is the dead sea.Experience,knowing the lake and having good electronics and knowing how to run them are just a few things that help put fish in the boat.Then there are some days where it can be down right tuff to find some hungry fish on a big lake.If it was easy it would have been fished out a long time ago.

[PikePatroller]

Well what haas been working then? I gotta start thinking positive...ill be there in a few days? Macho Minnows? glo jigs? whats the night bite like if it even exists?

[BigWhopper]

Headin to the mud this wkd with mt 9 yr old girl. She is so pumped to catch some fish. Hearing her say "mud flats" is like music to my ears. Her 12 yr old brother & I caught a lot of smaller perch, tulibee & 9 walleye over a weekend 3 wks ago - and I would be happy with that for her. I was surprised 3 wkds ago that sitting on the top edge over night for two nights we did not have a bite - that has never happened to me out on the mud before. It was only 25 yards from there in 32" that we had all our great daytime action. Any ideas?

[Ryan_V]

I was on the SW side and had my worst weekend of the year by a long shot, caught a few dink eyes and that was it. first time this winter i did not bring fish home.

Maybe it was all those drunk women running around!! Or possible the generator that "blinded" you in the house?? I'd say that's worth the trade for poor fishing!!!

It was nice to finally meet you this weekend!! We had a good time when we stopped at your party!!

[TRZ II]

that is a possibility!!! Thanks for stopping by it was a good time! Feel free to stop in anytime if you see I'm up. Seems all my spots were dead this weekend maybe just that slow time of year. Hopefully the perch wills tart soon!

[PikePatroller]

coming up tomorrow afternoon? and advice? just wanna catch a few fish... thanks

[herefish101]

I love it when people call Mille Lacs "the dead sea", that just means they won't be back, that = more fish for me, just keep drillin.

[bassinhole89]

Heading up to Mille Lacs in a week and a half. looking for any pointer at all. Im gunna head to a flat. Are the further out flats better then the closer ones?

[incogneato]

If you want productive fishing on Mille Lacs you have to drill alot of holes and just like the fish be on the move. 2 fridays ago I was up fishing the deep edges of the mud and ended up with 35-40 perch and 11 Tulibee. Went out again last friday, saturday and found the active fish in 27FOW as compared to the 30-32FOW they were in the week before and they were on a gravel to sand transition with rocks near. One area would produce for an hour or 2 then it was time to move and another spot would produce for an hour or 2. If you are on small fish move as the bigger perch dont roam with the smaller ones. Walleye are being caught just not in huge numbers, most of the best walleye fishing has been between 7pm and 7am with some lucky to get on a daytime bite. Move, move, move thats the key. Hope this helps

[Wishin4Walleyes]

Was out over the last weekend. Work the deep edges of the flats for perch and tullies. Perch bit all afternoon from 12-4. At 4 the tullies moved in and bit till just after sundown. Must have caught a 100 fish in that 6 hr window. Had no luck at all over a day on the gravel. Green Frostee spoon tipped with Euro Larvae.

Hope that helps. Any tips on where a guy can snag a couple walleyes during that 7PM to 7AM bite? Are they coming through on the flats later in the evening?

[kingfish689]

went out of terrys for the first time yesterday.terry gave me a few places to start my search for tullies and perch. went out drilled three holes and never droped a line down two of them. now I know this is not how it works on the pond but I fished one hole all day. at the end of the day I had a nice limit of tullies 10 nice perch with 4 of them over 13 inches and 2 walleyes first one 19" the second one 29" .I was in 35fow and fished from 10am till about 330 CPRed the walleyes

[Supercrew]

The fish gods were in your hole, GREAT.... Post a pic of your biggin', A lot of guys will read this and be scratch'n their heads wondering.... What the **** Huh?

[bassinhole89]

Thanks guys. Those tips will really help. I hope to have a day like Supercrew but we will see. I will let ya know how it goes.

[Supercrew]

You mean kingfish689,.... I have not been on the pond this year, had a family home on the SE corner for 25 yrs. It's a great lake !!!!!!

[kingfish689]

[bassinhole89]

Yes im sorry. Great job Kingfish689. Sounds like a great day on the hard water.

[MidCoast]

Mille Lacs from my experience usually slows down by now... The best eye fishing is early ice fishing.

[rcatcherman]

Kingfish389, Great outing. You just never know when it will happen! That is why the more I go the better chance I have at the Trophy One's...

[MN Angler]

Kingfish389 Nice work! Looks like you had an awesome day. My Fiance and I are heading out of Terrys tomorrow morning. I have only fished the lake once before and am excited to do some exploring. I hope Terry can give us some good guidance as well. Any tips on bait and lure selection? Thanks and good luck everyone.

MN Angler

[flyboy10]

Fished 5 mile gravel today from 9 to 5. Kept 7 perch and threw back 2 small walleye. 30 feet + and gold worked the best for me. No bites after 2 pm and my largest ( a 13 1/2 inch perch ) came at high noon.