brainerd Brainerd Fishing Reports

[Charley]

Campground on Gull by the Dam run by the US Army Corp. of Enginers.

[PelicanBuoy]

there is the crow wing lake campground just south of Brainerd and Love Lake campground north of brainerd by gull lake, and I beleive its called Sullivans campground on North Long Lake just a few minutes north of brainerd. Hope that helps

[pegleg]

there is the crow wing lake campground just south of Brainerd and Love Lake campground north of brainerd by gull lake, and I beleive its called Sullivans campground on North Long Lake just a few minutes north of brainerd. Hope that helps

From this list, I would pick Sullivan's on North Long. They have an indoor swimming pool and with 3 kids camping, this would give them something to do if it rains or is cold during the day.

[firefish_12]

hey thanks for the help guys--look forward to helping the kids ctahc some sunnies or crappies

[PelicanBuoy]

Good Luck!

[Spearing Machine]

A buddy and I have been out three times this week with moderate success. We were on north long two times early in the week looking for crappies and it was pretty slow. Only picked up three all around 12 inches. Also picked up a few nice sunnies starting to move in shallow. Then last night we hit another lake in the same area and really pounded the sunnies. 10 feet of water and 6 feet down over the weeds. We used waxes and crawlers on a flu flu. Must have caught 75 and saved 20 real nice ones. About a third were females the rest males so they are just starting to move closer to shallow water so it will be another week probably. Had water temps of 60-62 degrees and its almost middle of june!!

[Acemac]

was out on gull last week end 6/13/09 and had Ok luck with the walleyes and northerns in booming out bay. this was the first time we have really fished this lake hard with "lindy rigs"

do any of you guys have tips for not missing fish I feel like we missed a ton of strikes due to the fish not being super aggressive.

will this live bait rig still be a good tactic in a month or should we try something new as the fish go deeper?

[Acemac]

ohh I would also like to add a quick comment about where your getting bait for gull fishing....

we usually stop at S&W or sportland corners to get bait. it is always very disappointing to go into either of these two places and leave feeling like you were not welcome in the bait store. I feel that a good bait store should be willing to help you catch fish not give you the cold shoulder and treat you like a moron.

This trip a gas station worker at the holiday on sportland corners sent us up to Spooners (I think this was the name) just north of sportland behind the old keps (now a peirz marine or something). it is a small shop that that has BIG service we sat and chatted with the owner of the shop and got some of the best bait we had ever received!

I am originally from the area and it felt good to be treated like a local fisherman again in a bait store. I will alwasy go out of my way now to go to this bait shop, and i would suggest the same for any out of towner that wants to feel welcome in the area.

When asked how the fishing was the owner of this shop did not just point to his white board and look at me like i cant read it was a great feeling!

[leech~~]

Ace, I have used the new little bait store which is up on the hill back off 371 a bit. But you can see it from the hwy, mainly during the winter and the guy is very nice and helpful. But I have always felt good about going into Sportland. They have always had good bait and Jason or Dad always seem to have time to chat and talk about spots with me. But I'm in there just about every other weekend. Leech~~

[kingfish689]

I use these bait stores about 3to 4 times a week and find all of them to be very helpful but I do not want them giveing away my hot spots they can tell you what i am getting on or how I am fishing but not where. as I said I use these places 3to4 times a week and I dont want them giveing that to some one that come in twice a year my best advice is go to one bait store get to know them and you will get better service from any of them . they know what side of there bread has butter on it. the better they know you the better info you will get

[Acemac]

I have to disagree with you. Like i said i used to be a local and never had a issue with how i was treated at the bait store. the last couple years I have been a tourist. Well growing up in the Brainerd Lakes area I know that the local economy is run pretty much by the tourists. So the way I look at it is if a bait store helps some tourist catch fish they will be back to keep money flowing into a weak economy.

The best thing guys like you guys can do is help us tourist catch fish so we will come back!

And we did try to go to the same place over and over about 10 trips a year to S&W for the last 4 years you would think you could get more then a snort out of them? And i know they remeber my group we are hard ones to forget!

[weeds]

As for missing bites on the rigs, did you feed them plenty of line? I go rigs all summer.

As for the bait shops, do you really listen to what they say anyway? The few times I've had something valuable to tell them, they seemed mostly indifferent. You're pretty much fishing on memories anyway if you listen to them. Just read the marker board on the wall and save your vocal cords and avoid the temptation to sit on their spot all day. They'll point you to about the most obvious spot on the water and tell you to fish between 5 and 30 feet. If you want to be right on 'em without any effort, I guess you pay a guide.

I like S&W because at least they don't have any pretense about it. I go up there about a dozen times a year and they don't know who the hell I am, and I don't care. They're close, they've got the hooks I like, and their bait works. That said, I've gone to all three you mentioned and don't have anything bad to say about any of them. I guess it's not their fault red tails are about a buck a piece. Anyway, even if they'd have put you on 'em, they wouldn't have been there to help you out with the missed hooksets, right?

[weeds]

Ace, I have used the new little bait store which is up on the hill back off 371 a bit. But you can see it from the hwy, mainly during the winter and the guy is very nice and helpful. But I have always felt good about going into Sportland. They have always had good bait and Jason or Dad always seem to have time to chat and talk about spots with me. But I'm in there just about every other weekend. Leech~~

Where's that? Can you give me a landmark that its by?

[delta dude]

Hey the Lab is glad to see you at S&W. To bad no other soul ever seems to in that store. Would also say I have been burned the last couple times on bulk leeches there. They sure are not like the old Koeps store.

[leech~~]

Weeds, the new little bait store is right up the hill from where the old Kopes bait store was before it closed. There's a little mall looking building and when you turn in there, look stright up the hill, you will see a little building up in the tree line that is the little bait store. Delta, the old Lab was always a nice little greeter at S&W. You always hear, oh he wouldn't Bite!!

[Acemac]

Hey all I am sorry that this turned into a "what bait store is best" thread I just thought I should give props to a store that I felt treated me well and made me feel welcome. I truly have nothing against any of the other stores. I just wanted people to know that if they want to feel like they are welcome in a store to give Spinners a try!

[Sportland_Bait]

I know that everyone has their favorite bait store, and we are lucky enough to have the little stores scattered throughout the state. I think there is a bit of nostalgia in every store. It is the history of fishing in Minnesota. I know that I love sitting back and listening to stories from the old days here at the shop. Like 60 pound stringers of walleyes from Gull in the late 70s and early 80s, or the 2 pound crappies from Lake Edwards, or the monster bluegills from North Long. Plus we always try to do our best to take a few minutes and talk fishing with the customers. I have been on both sides of the counter so I just try to treat the customer the way i would like to be treated. We get our fishing info from customers, local fishing guides, and we try to hit the water ourselves a couple of times per week. We pass it on to folks looking for a little help, but we also use discretion and try not to give up anyones honey hole. That just isn't right. Most of the time a depth and an idea of what the seasonal pattern is can help folks put a decent day together. Here at our store we try to sell the area's freshest bait in a friendly manner from a clean little shop. Hopefully that works for most consumers, and if we can give out a couple of helpful tips thats even better.

Jason Erlandson

[metrofisher7]

Are the sunnies still spawning or are they done yet?

[leech~~]

Jason, good to hear some feed back from the other side of the counter! Oh, and you did say that the 2lb crappies from Edwards was back in the 70's-80's right? I'm on the lake every weekend and just finding a crappie now and then would be nice! Leech~~

[Sportland_Bait]

I think they should be done on most lakes but you can still catch a few straglers in the shallows. Some really nice ones too. The sunfish anglers have done extremely well this season.

Jason Erlandson

[JConrad]

My grandsons and I caught a few really nice bluegills on Gull in shallow water the other day. (4 - 6 ft.). We also caught some really nice crappies on a weed line. Jason, the pink jig with the white plastic bait that you recommended is really great for the crappies. Thanks for the suggestion. It's about time to start looking for the blugills in deeper water and in particular around deep cabbage weeds.

[fishit]

I'm going to try Gull tonight after supper, anyone got a presentation or depth for walleyes I should start with that's been working out there better than another??

Thanks

[kingfish689]

I will be heading out in just a few min. I will trying a few spots up on the north end. will be useing live bait rig with leech and plan to make a few passes from about 30 fow up to about 12fow and let the fish make the plans from there.my luck has been in about 19 to 25 the last few times out wiil be back later to let you know how i did if you have not gone out yet. and if so see you on the water

[Burbot]

One of the other things to consider about the "friendly bait shop"; the shop is considered friendly if they give out great information; correct? How many of you friendly fisherman give out your honey holes??? for the friendly bait shop to pass along; should workout both way correct??

[Sportland_Bait]

I know that the best set up lately has been a live bait rig and a redtail chub. But I would be tempted to run a spinner and a nightcrawler or Gulp nightcrawler and cover some water. The fish have been pretty scattered. Once you locate a few biters or a school on the graph, then slow down and work them over with a redtail.

Jason Erlandson

[Tim_Anderson]

It's been awhile since I've posted a report. Not that I haven't been fishing...just haven't been on the computer much lately.

Have been fishing multi-species all over the area. From the Gull chain to Mille Lacs to the upper Mississippi to Alexander to some of the smaller lakes in the area. We've been catching some nice bass in the shallow slop on scum frogs, and some nice pike and bass out on the weedlines on spinnerbaits and jigs. Walleyes have been going good over on Mille Lacs. We're getting them good in the weeds on X-Raps and swimbaits. Castaics and Northland stuff has been doing it. Also getting some fish out on the flats on rigs (long snells) with leeches. Most fish are slot...you gotta let em go. Muskies are starting to get going too. We've been seeing a lot of fish but unfortunately there really hasn't been a pattern that I've been able to put my finger on. We've caught fish in the early and late morning. We've caught them in the evening and after dark too. But never two days in a row. The bite seems to be all over the place right now. What has worked for us has been small bucktails fast, creature baits on the deep weedlines, and big blades after dark. Big fish of the week was a 49 incher. Water temp is coming up fast now. The fishing should really get cracking here soon! Well, here's some pictures from the past week or ten days...

[img:center]

50 inch musky T-bones a 16" bass and won't let go! We tried for 20 minutes to net the beast, and came close, but it finally let go.

[JConrad]

Great pics Tim and nice post - thanks. I love the pic of the Muskie holding onto the bass... Amazing!

[fishit]

Well,I managed a couple small 12 inch walleyes last night in 30 feet of water pulling a leech. I started out with the crawler to no avail. I marked quite a few fish in the 25-30feet range, maybe I should have gone with the chubs. Next time!! Thanks for the input all

[motley man]

Was out this morning, all depths, no walleye. Caught 3 northerns, 1 bass, 4 rock bass, 1 perch. Used minnows,leeches,Gulp. Had 3 bite offs, 1 was large. Saw that everyone was moving around alot to try and find fish.

[Chode2235]

Fishing must be HOT lately... no posts in the past few days .... ?