Whitefish Chain Fishing Reports

[cat-man]

yep, spearing was done sunday for all. Heaths is a resort with rental houses.

[Itsa Pole Bender]

Well I wasn't able to get to Little Pine as I was using my Father-in-laws four wheeler to get around and didn't figure I could get there through the channels. I could have loaded my equipment on the truck and tried to find a way to drag everything out, but not sure where to do that from. Talked with a guy at church sunday morning and he said he was doing good on Little Pine for Crappie.

I did find some nice perch though in 18 foot of water. Was suprized as this was the first time in 8 years of fishing the chain that I have found keeper perch. I weeded out (threw back) the biggest of them as they were hens full of eggs. I ended up with 15 after I located them saturday afternoon.

[ozzie]

wow what size perch? You can get through the channels from cross to little pine but the channel from rush to cross is a no go but you could have taken the snowmobile trail and that would have gotten you around any sketchy spots......congrats on the perch did you catch them on main whitefish then?

[Itsa Pole Bender]

Perch were all from 8-inches to 11-inches and were caught on BT. The channel between Whitefish and Rush was the one I was worried about. I didn't know there was a trail around it and there were no tracks that I could see going under the bridge from Cross to Dagget so I opted not to head over there.

I started out on Pig. Had fish on the very bottom in 28 to 30 feet, but they would only nibble and couldn't get anything to hook. Didn't catch a thing in Pig.

[Meldebear]

Hey all,

I'm heading up to Crosslake this weekend for the St. Patty's day parade, beer and a break from work. I was thinking about trying for some crappie saturday morning before the parade. Are there any lakes with some easy access to try for some in the area?

Thanks.

[Vlasin]

Was on Cross Lake last weekend. Did decent on panfish - crappies and perch were hit or miss, but we did limit out with 4 guys. Fish the north end of the lake in ~15ft and you should do fine, especially if you have electonics.

FYI - make sure the tip of your hook is covered or you will not get a sniff no matter how many fish are down there...

[Meldebear]

Thanks. I will do that.

[RawFish]

Greeting, I just reserved a campsite near 50 lakes for the summer. I've fished Gull numerous times with good Walleye success. I'm going to try my luck on the WFC for opener even though I've never fished it before. Any suggestions for early season eyes on the WFC? I've heard that Upper WF is better early. Any truth to that? Thanks and GL.

--See you on the water!

[Mike_Top]

Upper whitefish will be easier to fish, in my opinion, as it is a little more flat, and has more water 20 feet or less. Lower and middle whitefish have got a lot of steeep dropoffs and a lot more water in the 50 to 120 foot range. I've always had early season luck right around big island, the island that seperates upper and middle whitefish.

[RawFish]

Fishing the white fish chain wasn't what I expected on opener. Had to fish around 50 fow to find the eyes and it was slow. Hopefully with this weeks nice weather the fish move in a little as 50' is not fun.

[anchor man]

Did anyone have some walleye luck out there on the chain? If so, I'm curious about your general depth? I got blown off WF, so I spent most time in Rush and Cross focusing on 9-12ft flats with a slip bobber. Lost one eye, caught several pike, and a couple jumbo perch. One pike was 36 inches. Didn't venture out too deep, but maybe that was my problem.

Thanks

[ozzie]

didn't even attempt to fish walleyes this weekend....chased the heck out of the crappies this weekend and worked hard for the fish we found....the bite was slow all over the chain for the crappies is what I heard others tell me.....I was able to keep 15 on Friday and sent a limit home with a buddy and then I took my old man out Saturday and we kept 11 and had a nice fish fry on Saturday night and will have a nice fry up this evening.....Only caught a couple crappies that were black out of the lake but after being in the livewell they really turned black. Found a few fish in the bays but did better in bays with deeper water near by and fished the deeper water

[Moses2531]

Saw the 50 FOW comment and was just curious if you find that the fish sit down that deep often. I have caught them down there, which makes me wonder if I should target these depths and deeper?

[fishgutz77]

I fished Cross on Sunday and did ok. I released a 25.5 inch eye and kept one 20 incher but was so pestered by pike we started pulling cranks and did not pick up any eyes only more northerns.

Sunday was nice weather.

[Mike_Top]

I saw that 50' comment too.. i've never fished wally's that deep. But on the wfc (aka minnetonka north) in the middle of summer on a weekend, thats probably where all the fish go to get away from the boat traffic and tommy bahama shirts

haha. another thought is that eelpout sit in deep water over the warmer months, could be marking some of those in 50 feet...?

[MikeG3Boat]

Fishgutz,

Where on Cross were you fishing? I am new to the area and am looking for some starting points.

[fishgutz77]

Most of our fish were caught on the Cross side of the channel buy the Wharf.

I didn;t bother fishing deep as those fish are usually negative.

[MikeG3Boat]

Fishgutz, Thanks for the info. I am going up this weekend to see what I can find. I may have to start dodging the pleasure boaters this weekend if it gets too nice outside.

[Jeff13]

Fished a few hours last night on upper whitefish. Got 3 16 inchers and missed a few others. Lindy and a jumbo leech, it 12 to 14 feet right on the outside of the weedline. Only had one pike bite off last night, that was nice not catching the hammerhandles.

[CRFan1]

Fished a few hours last night on upper whitefish. Got 3 16 inchers and missed a few others. Lindy and a jumbo leech, it 12 to 14 feet right on the outside of the weedline. Only had one pike bite off last night, that was nice not catching the hammerhandles.

Good to know...I am heading up to Kilworry for my annual week long trip this weekend (24th year for me!). It also looks like it's going to be nice for the first time in about 5 years, hehe.

[anchor man]

Well I'm yet to catch a walleye on Cross or WF yet this year. Been trying mostly shiners and leeches in the 15-20ft depths. Endless amounts of small pike and some bass. Anyone finding a decent walleye bite out there at all? One question, when you are trolling Lindy's in say 12 feet, are you pulling it slowly below the boat, or do you have it back behind the boat a ways? I've tried both and I'm wondering if the fish are scattering when the boat is overhead.

Thanks

[Jeff13]

When pulling them that shallow say 12 feet I usually put a bit of more line out, so I do not spook the fish.The edges of the weedlines seem to be good year round. The inside turns and points where deep water is near usually works. Ive used bullet sinkers and gulp leeches and crawlers as the year progresses near the weeds. The bullet sinker slides through the weeds and the gulp takes the abuse from the baitfish like sunfish. Lots of eyes deep in the weeds to in summer, when you get some wind. Casting cranks over the tops during midday in water supper shallow has worked. Four to 8 feet sometimes.

[Moses2531]

I've also had luck jigging above the weeds.. overcast when the boat shadow doesnt spook them too much I mean

[walleye365]

how about the smallies out there anyone catchin a few.

[rocstar]

Fished Cross Lake last Monday/Tuesday. Have never been there but my wife wanted to try the Campground at a girlfriend's recommendation. The campground is nice but I found the lake difficult to fish because of the many steep breaks, amount of weeds and numerous hammer handles. Picked up seven walleye trolling bottom bouncers with spinner rigs tipped with half a night crawler in the 12 to 15 foot depth. Best time was on Tuesday when the wind provided a decent chop in the Twin Island area although the wind was out of the east both days. Caught several nice largemouth, smallmouth and probably 50 hammers.

Although I found the campground very nice, I don't anticipate returning. I was dismayed by the amount of development around the lake and the amount of money tied up along the shoreline. To my understanding this is typical of the Brainerd Lakes area. We have always dreamed about having a lake place of our own but this is the last place I would ever want to be. Sure hope everyone is paying their taxes!

[fishgutz77]

The DNR survey on the lake noted that only one in ten boats on the lake where fishing.

You need to go early and go late.

when the power boats come out its time to go to bigger water on Whitefish.

hope you kept some snakes to help the lake out.

[cps2009]

Hey guys...headed up to the chain over the 4th, and while most of the weekend will be battling boat traffic and pleasure boaters, was going to try and wet a line with the wife. not looking for spots, but just wondering what areas you guys target this time of year for walleyes and pannies? Weedlines, deep rocks, sand? Also, is there a better lake on the chain vs another for panfish? Any help would be appreciated, trying to get a few fish in the boat for a meal! Thanks

[fishgutz77]

Try to make your way to Loon, or little pine they may be the best best for pannies with the least amount of powerboat action.

The chain is a early morning and evening and nite bite. good luck. most of the eyes are near current and week cover yet due to cooler water temps deep.

[cps2009]

Thanks a bunch! Appreciate any tips....

[schmitty3]

Hey guys, im taking a trip up to the chain in about a week in a half. Have never fished the chain before just looking for some info. Mostly gonna be looking for walleye, but also panfish. What lakes should I look to for walleye? depth? structure? bait? how has the fishing been? Any help is greatly appreciated.

thanks