mille lacs 2020 Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports

[TProGuy]

Thanks, Biff...

I was hoping to head up tomorrow, but now it looks like it will have to be Tuesday. Gotta sneak one last trip in before I call it a season!

[jltimm]

Thanks for the report Biff! Did ya fish the bays? How many perch did ya end up with, and were they of decent size?

[tweedlap]

Nice report !

tweed

[maros91]

Thanks for the report Biff! Did ya fish the bays? How many perch did ya end up with, and were they of decent size?

I was outside of one of the bays. It was catch and release today since I have some in the freezer already. The bite from 9-10 were all keeper fish, no dinks, 10" and biggest being probably 12" or 12.5". As far as a number, easily a limit if not more.

[jltimm]

Sounds like a fun day! It was a good weather day to be out there that's for sure. I was out by Hennepin island last Sun. and couldn't hardly catch a decent sized perch. Wasn't hardly a soul out on the main part of the lake either. I may try to get out there again, and hope my luck changes if I get to!

[Gordie]

Biff were you useing red euro larve

Did quite well today outside one of the bays also lot of little one s but managed to bring home a limit of 10-11 inch perch.

[maros91]

Biff were you useing red euro larve

Yes sir.

[Gordie]

yea I like that area you were fishing except they didnt want anything but the heads of minnows yesterday and its nice to fish in a area that know else is at.

[maros91]

I'm heading there right now in about 10 minutes. I will just be using larva today.

[markkstanley]

Fished the north side on Sat - 21 jumbos and twice that in smaller fish. Also one big eelpout, 5 ciscoes and 3 shiners. 3ft of ice. All the jumbos were caught on waxies - they didn't want minnows and euros just attracted the dinks.

[CPRadvocate]

Biff, What depth did you catch them at?

[maros91]

Wind was terrible today. Only managed 3 jumbo's. Heading up Friday if it's still a possibility.

[jltimm]

I was wondering how the wind would treat ya when I heard you were heading up this morning. Supposed to get nicer later this week. Would be a good time to go.

[ironman]

I used to fish up by malmo years ago with my dad...its been years. I should try it again...maybe tomorrow...anyone headed up there or want to? Let me know...I think I'm going to give it a shot.

[Gordie]

went up to the norht side yesterday afternoon and the ice along the shore is starting to break up but I've seen worse.

went out to 25 ft and droped my forage minnow down and smaked a jumbo then coulnt get anothe bite so I went right up to the break and droped my line to the bottom and lifted it about a foot and smacked a about a 4 1/2 lb smallie then got a nother one a bout 3 lbs was good fun, moved back out and got three more jumbos,one tulibe and three shinners.

[jltimm]

Hey Biff, If you don't mind me asking, what access were you using to get on the lake, as I'm thinking about getting out tommorrow if possible?

[RosstheBoss]

Ironman still thinking of heading to millelacs?? If so let me know I'm off till Monday, and heard its suppose to be real nice day tommorow.

[Sandmannd]

Heading up Friday night with BigWade. First time either of us have fished it on opener and I haven't fished it much at all. Going out of the Red Door. Any advice on a general area to go? Should we pull cranks or lindy?

I heard you can't fish till 6 AM and also heard you can fish at Midnight. Any idea which is right?

[jnorm1984]

You can fish at midnight, Opener for sure, but then its restricted a week er two after that...

[TravP]

If you go out at midnight I'd pull cranks real shallow rocks or bobber fish on a shallow rock pile. Once daylight comes i'd switch to a red ho0ok with your sinker 6-8ft up tipped with a leech.

[youngie22]

trav had a good plan. same as mine and alot... sorry; I mean ALOT of other peoples plans. I love opener out there, boats troling both ways on the shore line, some guys drifting aimlessly, others anchored sporatically in the dark. It is sure a good sight at the launches too, lawn chair and coller might be a pretty good time watching guys go in and out. 70's all week it looked like earlier today, sure it'll be sleet w/ winds at 35 from N. Can't wait I should be near Myr Mar if wind and waves allow.

[rodmaker]

Troll cranks, or use lighted bobbers with leeches if you go out at midnight.

During the day 7-9 ft snells -leeches, start with a red hook and chart. bead.

Fish Barnacle Bil's , Carlsona. Fischer's

[gregg52]

if you fish during the day... fish the sand either east or west of the red door fish the 1st break 9-12 very slow rigin

if you go the east there are different spots on the sand that have areas of gravel on them if you are good with loactor find these spots they will hold fish try alittle bit of everything fat heads even bring some crappie minows i use at least a 8ft snell sometimes with a white or black float if the wind comein from south dont be araid to move up shallower they will be big groups of boats all along the shore line but you should still be albe to find your own fish lots of fish on the sand you should know in the first hr or so if its

going to be a good day or slow

[Shack]

Personally if I was to be on the pond in that area at midnight Sand, I would be down at Big Point or the reef coming off Doe Island. Move around and do not stop until you locate some action on the electronics. At this point, you could toss out a crank of choice and see if you pick up anything while trolling around finding fish. Just a blip on the screen is enough, but if you do not see anything keep going. Once you have located some fish, I agree a lighted slip bobber is the go to. I would use glow hooks and just a couple split shots about a foot or so up from the hook. (IMO) At least one of the bobber rigs should have a pike minnow on it and the other would have a larger fathead. With cooler water temp, an easy large meal seems to have worked in the past.I am just not a huge crank guy when it comes to early/opener walleye fishing on Mille Lacs. I have tried it, but stick to works for me.

Then during the day I agree with Rodmaker:

Quote:

During the day 7-9 ft snells -leeches, start with a red hook and chart. bead.

This is killer on main and mid-lake gravel, sand and what not this time of year. Maybe even a crawler or a single light colored spinner if the single bead does not produce after a couple hours. Drift if you can or slow troll if no wind. Slow is the key this time of year! It will make diffrence. If the wind to too strong, throw out a bell anchor or put a sock out. You need just enough movment to keep the snell straight (IMO). Again (IMO) but walleys are kind of lazy this time of year.

Good luck!

I love opener out there, boats troling both ways on the shore line, some guys drifting aimlessly, others anchored sporatically in the dark. It is sure a good sight at the launches too, lawn chair and coller might be a pretty good time watching guys go in and out. 70's all week it looked like earlier today, sure it'll be sleet w/ winds at 35 from N. Can't wait I should be near Myr Mar if wind and waves allow

Man, you said it all right their! you got to love the opener on Mille Lacs. Good times!

[machohorn]

You gotta love Milacs on opener

[Sandmannd]

Thanks for all the advice so far guys. Much appreciated.

[rodmaker]

Don't be afraid to try different hook colors, orange, chart. purple. It seems after the first 3 weeks they get sick of red. They see a ton of them. Starting June, I catch more fish on other colors than red.

A good color for me is a purple hook and a single chart. bead.

[BigWadeS]

I think the best color for you will be silver & black when you are holding the net for me!

[dewey1980]

9 foot snell,red hook,large leeches,sands,north end,keep it vertical,lindy rig,we limit out almost

every year,some years we get plenty to eat.oh ya a sore arm from holding all that weight off the bottom

[Scott M]

I've never tried cranks on opener but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work. We've always live bait rigged or jigged and done just fine on the northeast sand. Back in the day my buddy's dad used to go out at midnight and light em up with slip bobbers and live bait on the rocks.

I'm not sure what the water temps are, but I'd be a little nervous about the leeches balling up. I've used them just fine on opener up there before so who knows. If things are warm then forget about it and rig up with leeches. Weather's looking good, but a Mille Lacs opener always feels like the day after ice out. Start out in winter parkas and in some years you'll finish in t shirts and jeans.

Good luck.