2020 Bemidji Area Fishing Reports

[Joe]

2020 Bemidji Fishing Reports - Click Here.  Show us your pics!

 

Fishing Reports for the Bemidji are a below? Lake Conditions and Access as well?

Enjoy posting how the fishing is going for you and include Pics if you'd like.

Lots of great info below and newer fishing reports are on the pages that follow.

 

[Sassyshad]

Well ive been out on Bemidji the last couple of night but haven't had much luck. Tonight was the best so far. I got out a little late but i caught 6 jumbo perch and 2 small walleyes (12 & 15 inches). It seemed that the fish just shut off at dark. I found that my best luck was in 35-40 ft of water. I caught everything off a plain hook and a fathead. I didn't catch much but its a start in the cold weather. Things should begin to pick up this weekend with the warmer temps. Good luck to everyone!!!

[Sassyshad]

Im just wondering if anyone is having any luck with Craps in the area, without traveling to far?

[Matt Breuer]

I'll break up the back and forth chatter and utilize this thread for what it's for, a fishing report...

Panfish in the Bemidji area remain active. The crappies are still holding in the deep basins in most lakes. The numbers have slowed down, but the quality of the fish has improved. The bluegill's are still holding in shallow in most lakes with weeds, while on lakes where the o2 is or has died off in shallow the fish are holding suspended off the breaks. Start shallow and work your way out, that's my advice for planning your assault...

Walleye fishing is slow but steady. Some days on Lake Bemidji are great, while other days you can only pick up 1-2 fish. We've had our rentals in 22-40' of water, and the action has been roughly the same in all depths in-between, with different times of day being better. Plan is still putting out fish, but it's slowed down dramatically from the start of the ice season.

All species are biting when found, and the people who're able to stay mobile are being rewarded!

Good luck out there!

[slayer-of-fish]

been out on bemidj and plan alot. Most nights its 2-3 but about 1/2 time now its 0-1. nice size though. r rarely venture beyond 20 feet unless im totally skunked. I was out on cutfoot tonight and caught 3 nice eyes in 6 feet of water.. bigger minnows work best for me.

[slayer-of-fish]

I was on bemidji last nite from 600pm until 1000pm. fishing tipups in 10-14 feet of water on the west side of the lake. I had 8 flags go up in that time period and pulled up 3 nice walleyes. all of them were 23 inch females. I was out this morning in the same spot from 530 to 800 and i managed 4 flags and two fish, another 23 inch female and a 18 inch male. I have no idea why everyone insists on fishing the 30-40 foot depths but keep on fishing them and stay away from my shallows!

[kwohl]

slayer, thanks for the report. I don't know why everyone is so deep either. I was in 30 feet last night and only caught a few little perch. I'll have to stay shallower next time.

[Slough Shark]

Fished Bemidji yesterday from 1 till 6 in 32 feet. Lots of perch no eyes. I'd like to try moving in shallower but the snow has drifted in around the house and I don't have a plow. Last Wednesday it was warm enough to stand outside without a shelter so I tried 12-22 feet with no luck. Drilled a lot of wholes but didn't see anything on the vex. Maybe just a bad night. Slayer have you been catching them shallow for awhile or just recently?

[Matt Breuer]

Clients in our rental caught right around 26 walleyes over the weekend. A lot of toss-backs. They pretty well stayed put in the rental shack and had off and on action the entire weekend, with lulls in-between. They did venture out in portables Sat. afternoon to a suggested area where they were rewarded with some great numbers of perch, as well as 1-2 bonus 'eyes I think...

Majority of the fish came in 24-26 feet of water depending on the side of the house, portable action was in 34-36'.

Fishing has definitely improved out there!

[slayer-of-fish]

ive been catching them shallow since i started to icefish. And for the most part their all nice fish. My thinking is this..when walleyes feed, they move shallow. when they move shallow to feed, my best luck is just big live minnows with maybe a spinner rig but mostly just a plain red treble. they move up to the shallows, 6-15 feet to feed and with a big minnow hanging down there it seems to me to be dynamite. During the day is when i may go to 20-30 feet and do some jigging. but once that sun gets low, the tipups are out anywhere from 10-16 feet usually. occasionaly i move from 20 to twenty four if fishing is just real slow. but when the fish are in feeding, their in feeding ya know?

[mcbobby]

A buddy and I are coming up to the area next weekend. Not sure what lakes we will be fishing yet, but will probably eventually hit Bemidji or Plant for the eyes night bite. How are travel conditions on these and other area lakes? Also, how is Bemidji for perch fising? When I have come up in the past, I have fished other lakes in the area for perch but have never tried Bemidji.

[ac777]

Bemidji's prety good as far as perch go, but haven't ran into many jumbos. Travel on bemidji is ok also. depends on where you go.

[Fish Slayer]

Plant has been pretty good if you stay on the roads. I havent venture to far off yet this year so dont know how much slush you will run into or if you will be able to drive very well with the snow depths.

[mcbobby]

Thanks for the info guys. Do you think it is worth while for me to bring my 4 wheeler up...or is the snow too deep/slush too bad off the main roads anyway?

[Matt Breuer]

With the amount of snow we lost over the weekend followed by this deep freeze you should be able to get around fine. Monday I was able to get all over the place without much trouble. A quad should be great.

ac777, there are some brute perch in Bemidji. Everyday someone catches some 11-12" fish on Bemidji...

[ac777]

With the amount of snow we lost over the weekend followed by this deep freeze you should be able to get around fine. Monday I was able to get all over the place without much trouble. A quad should be great.

ac777, there are some brute perch in Bemidji. Everyday someone catches some 11-12" fish on Bemidji...

Yeah i will agree with you on that, I've caught a few nice ones, and I saw a pic of one that was 14, I was just saying that most were average sized.

[Trelipe_King]

On Bemidji with the recent warm up and then cold snap the snow on the lake has firmed up nice and we have been getting around with trucks off the roads basically with out much trouble, haven't ran into any slush either. As long as you have 4WD you should be fine. So I would leave the wheeler at home, a truck will be fine.

[FishHawk11]

How about getting around with a 16' sleeper on Bemidji, we're hoping to get out to Grassy Island, anybody made it out there. Ill be up in 2 weeks, any info on travel would be great.

[Slough Shark]

On Bemidji with the recent warm up and then cold snap the snow on the lake has firmed up nice and we have been getting around with trucks off the roads basically with out much trouble, haven't ran into any slush either. As long as you have 4WD you should be fine. So I would leave the wheeler at home, a truck will be fine.

I would take this statement with a grain of salt as I just got off the lake after being stuck for about half an hour. Yes I have 4 wheel drive and I did get out but it took a lot of work. I'd stick to the roads.

[Trelipe_King]

slough shark yeah your probably right we could have just been in an area where the snow wasn't as a lot of other areas on the lake, sticking to the roads is definately the safest bet, but getting off the roads in some places is possible.

[TMF89]

Could anyone elaborate on that? I've never been stuck in the snow before, and I'd rather not start. What parts of the lakes are safe?

[Matt Breuer]

Never been stuck in the snow? Are you here for college from Cali?

The Southern half of the lake has more snow than the Northern half, however, the Northern half has far less ice. Places are drifted, while others barely have any snow at all. If you pay attention, you should be able to get around, especially with a quad. If you don't know the lake very well, and the thought of possibly getting buried scares you, don't leave the plowed roads...

[mcbobby]

Thanks for all the info guys. Leaving this afternoon and am pumped. I am bringing the wheeler. Will post how we did when I get back.

[Pikemaster101]

I could not agree any more with you. I also have been driving anywhere and have not even almost got stuck once yet. The snow has a nice crust on it and you can cut off any road where the bank is low enough.

[ducksnbucks]

Matt,

When you say much less ice on the north end, how much less? Enough for me to bring a 16' sleeper out there this weekend? Thanks for the info.

[Matt Breuer]

Anywhere from 12-17" is what I've seen and heard. I know people are pulling houses out there regularly, but if you do, be VERY careful. Lots of slush up on the North end as well...

[lungdeflator]

From the top of Tamarak Hall at BSU it looks like a road is plowed kind of going NE out of Diamond Pt. Is it possible to access grassy from that road?

[Matt Breuer]

I haven't traveled up that road, but it appears to go up to the Rock Pile. Not sure if it extends beyond or not... Otherwise you're referring to the one that runs up to the outlet, and no, I don't believe that one goes North from there.

[Mossy19]

How's the ice holding up after this warm weather? I am coming up at the end of Feb. for some perch and pout fishing on Bemidji. Just looking for an update. Thanks!

[ac777]

The ICe is still good 19-20 inches where I'm at. Still driving on it. it's got a lot of water sitting on top, but once that freezes back up it should be real good for getting around.