Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

2020 Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports


Rick

Recommended Posts

westside,

were you right on top of the flat or fishing the edges? we fished shermans too. had the perm on top with no luck but drilled a bunch of holes off the edges. caught a few in the deeper water.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

since most of the ice in my area has been under a foot of snow and slush, i set up camp on the pond this year. never have fished the lake and after a couple of weeks here is what a newbie has found. put the house on the base of a steeper break on an inside turn and have drilled on top and on the break as well. have caught fish on every level, just not many(couple eyes, 1/2 dozen perch a day), with no real consistent pattern, but most of the fish have come early and late, and the night bite has been non existent. been trying everything in the box and various minnows. so far i like a small perch colored dropper tipped with a head the best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rattlin Flyer with minnow head.

Great report Westside. I am glad you got into some eyes and glad you got back out. You have a great set-up. Did you get that hole fixed? Sucks when that happens but you will always have something to talk about or break the ice when outside shootin' the breeze. grin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great report Westside. I am glad you got into some eyes and glad you got back out. You have a great set-up. Did you get that hole fixed? Sucks when that happens but you will always have something to talk about or break the ice when outside shootin' the breeze. grin

Yup, I got the house fixed. Got free matching fabric from a fellow HSOer and paid $10 to a guy from C -list to put it on. All in all a great deal. Can't even tell that house have a patch. Yup, HSO outing was afun trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

westside,

were you right on top of the flat or fishing the edges? we fished shermans too. had the perm on top with no luck but drilled a bunch of holes off the edges. caught a few in the deeper water.

Was fishing on the top of the flat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone seen anything caught after dark lately? Haven't heard much about eelpout being caught, anyone catching pout?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Were out here on the gravel area out of fishermans wharf and we all but got the skunk. We got maybe 10 perch in a day. There was 8 people fishing. I personally didn't catch any.

Anyone know where they are biting?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was out of a Hunter's rental Monday through Wednesday this week. After getting blanked Monday on Sly's, they moved us Tuesday morning per our request out further into the lake onto some deeper gravel. While waiting for them set up the house, my dad hit this hog on a nearby transition in 29 fow. Dad.jpg

Left Wednesday morning with 4 eyes and 5 jumbos. For the first time this year we hit eyes after dark with one coming at 7:00 and one at 10:30.

One trick I discovered with the perch after getting sick of watching them on the vex and Aquaview, was once they came into view, start slowly lifting my jig. The active perch would follow it up and eventually hit it (usually 4-6 ft off the bottom).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

was out with the cousin fished the gravel and caught 3 eyes and no perch. Moved out to try the mud again and caught nothing on the mud. I tried 9 mile, 8 mile, the boot, and someothers and nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

moved the house on the edge of a rock pile in 25 ft and had constant perch bite all day, not jumbo jumbos but a good number hitting 10 and 11. the bigger fish were not that aggressive had to bang the bottom a few times, slowly raise and twitch the line, and give them a little time before setting the hook. used a #6 grub jig to help keep the smaller more active ones off the line. red larva or waxies equally effective. lost an eyeball at the hole around dusk when packing up to go, the only one i saw all day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fished the pond again today and it was SLOW for us. We did the family thing with a couple wheelhouses so not really a big deal. Fished 30-33ft, caught maybe 20 or 25 fish all day. All the walleyes caught today were released but we did keep a few perch. The tullibees were biting once again and a few were kept for the smoker. The lindy flyer spoon did it again with a minnow head. Also deadsticking a red hook with a fathead produced a few fish.

Quick pic and then a release

STA73419.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went up with a group of guys and rented the big 12 person house from Appeldoorn's, they had it in about 16 FOW. Fished in one form or another from Friday 1:00 pm until about 9:00 this morning. Fishing was pretty slow. Friday the weather was awful when we got there, almost white out conditions with the blowing wind, so we just stayed in the shack. Caught a few jumbos that afternoon, then landed a 17" walleye and lost a 22" at the hole right about 5:15. No other bites until an eel pout around 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Saturday we hole hopped a bit further out around 25 FOW, had lots of lookers, but very few takers, picked up a few jumbos right before dark, but no keeper walleye. Then hooked a 26.5" walleye this morning at 7:15 on the rattle reel and caught about 10 jumbos before we left. Only 4 of us really spent much jigging, most of the guys just dropped the rattle reels down, so it's not like we had 12 people fishing hard. Over the course of the weekend we threw back probably 10 small walleye, and saw a TON of small perch on the camera, so hopefully that means the fishery is still improving, but I think with the cold front that hit yesterday things just slowed down. Still had a great time, and would recommend Appeldoorn's to anyone looking for a rental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fished the pond for the first time this year on Weimer flat. Got out last night around 2:30 pm, set up and had lines wetted at 3:30. I had three quick bites all of which I missed and nothing else came through until 1:30 am when I iced and released a 12" eye. No other action until noon when some tullies moved in and bumped my minnows around but no solid bites. The guys I got the icehouse from fished last weekend and filled out so i'm guessing the weather is what is affecting the bite. I saw some fish on the cam and marked plenty on the flasher I hope not all of my trips out there this year are so unproductive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got out on the pond for the first time this year and set up on the big bar off Indian point. got a late start at 7:45 in 26 fow and only small perch showing up so we moved out to 30 fow and started getting fish. ended up with 7 eyes with three dinks going back and keeping four between the two of us. only a few big perch to be had but the tullibees kept us busy in between schools. Still a great day even though it was 17 below when we started.

time to fire up the smoker and pull'em out of the brine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fished yeterday on 4 and 5 mile gravel. The bite was on for most of the day. Deep was the key 30+ in the 2 spots I fished. Wound up with 2 limits but nothing over 16 and nothing under 13. 50/50 split between the dead stick and jigging. They only seemed to want to bite one type of jig. Its made by Lindy and its not a spoon smile. Once a fish showed up on the Vexi they would rush up to this jig and just hammer it it. No cute little nips at it just a full out wack.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fished yeterday on 4 and 5 mile gravel. The bite was on for most of the day. Deep was the key 30+ in the 2 spots I fished. Wound up with 2 limits but nothing over 16 and nothing under 13. 50/50 split between the dead stick and jigging. They only seemed to want to bite one type of jig. Its made by Lindy and its not a spoon smile. Once a fish showed up on the Vexi they would rush up to this jig and just hammer it it. No cute little nips at it just a full out wack.

Good to hear about that flyboy10. I am thinking about tryin 4 and 5 mile gravels this afternoon. Thanks for the report.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where were you getting the eyes at heading up there this weekend looking for a good place to go to get a number of eyes and what access to go out off

Link to comment
Share on other sites

heading up to mille lacs this weekend wondering were the eyes are hitting and what resort or access that is best to go out of to get to spots where eyes are hitting

Thanks Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They were not at Fishermans Wharf, horrible fishing until tuesday there. Small perch, thats all. No eyes at all. I heard that 4 miles out there were catching some. DNR stopped a buddy of mine, Said no one has been catching many eyes at all. Sorry for the bad news

Link to comment
Share on other sites

fishgutz, how many tullies did you end up with? And what size were they? I'd love to get some in the smoker, i just ate the last of 'em from last year about 2 weeks ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The last week has been the worst fishing I have had since 2006 when I really started to ice fish Mille Lacs. Yesterday was the first time I have been skunked since 2007 about 80 trips. I have gotten lazy the last 3 years had 2 spots that always produced no need to move. Is it worth trying to move around or is it just a slow year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keep moving til you find fish that bite. I have seen a lot of lookers this year. I finally went deeper than I thought I should and there were biter there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Launched out of NW side of lake just south of Garrison this weekend and got 1 walleye (25" on a rattle reel over night) a couple smaller perch and 7 tullibees. All in all fishing was very slow all weekend considering we had six in the group. Anyone have better luck out there this weekend?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • The title was changed to 2020 Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Similar Content

  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      Flushed 3 pheasants today with Hazel but they were flushing 50 yards a head of her. Then we went by some little berries that looked black and hazels tail started going a brown bird gets up I thought hen then the bird banked and it was a grouse. It was good to get her out in the woods. I seen a few pheasants in picked corn fields. 
    • Kettle
      Walked today and yesterday, flushed 9, shot at two and got two. Hopefully next year I'll have a dog to hunt with. Still warm up here, skim of ice on ponds. Weather has been nice. Hopefully walk a bit more the next few weeks. Been pretty cautious walking for birds to not interfere with deer hunters. There sure are not the deer hunters there used to be 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.