Mille Lacs Tullibees,

[MJ1657]

Heading out from Terry's yesterday morning a front wheel drive would have been fine. When we left it would have been really tough going. It snowed some and the wind was drifting in the road.

[troutkingmaster]

Quote:

paul, if a guy was to make the trip up, can u get some perch mixed in with the tullies or are they in different areas?

We were out of appeldoorns this weekend and we managed to pick up 2 tullies while perch fishing around Doe Island reef. One of Paul's guys was surprised that we got them down there. Sounds like the better perching is down on the SE side and the tullies are up in the mud.

[lispeej]

How is the drive out there. Thinking about coming up to the big lake. Don't have a truck so is a regular fornt wheel drive okay on the ice? Any info will help. Thanks.

Pay the $10 fee and launch off of a resort road. They are usually maintained regulary and just stick to the main roads. Use your head when deciding where you want to fish. Just watch out for the drifts and snow piles. Otherwise, I've seen smaller front/rear wheel drive cars out there, and they do fine.

[Fishman11]

I was thinking about this thread and the "smell" discussion. The last time we were out, we caught a few and had a bucket in the portable. I was fishing outside, then came in to warm up and the smell was horrible. I was thinking, huh maybe TonkaPat and the other guys were right about the stench.

I was then outside fishing later on and Aanderud walked up to me with an empty bucket that was in the shelter and said "smell this". I put my head near it and just about heaved. It had a bunch of week old freshwater shrimp laying at the bottom.

Rotting shrimp is right up there with some of the worst smells in fishing.

lol... smh

[Lipriper84]

It started out slow for 4 of us on Saturday. Only had 4 on the ice from 10:30 to 12. Then we moved to another flat and I started nailing them One after another. My 3 buddies wern't marking anything and they were 10-15 yards from me. My Marcum was completly full from bottom up to 8ft. After I caught about 10 in a row they put on the same bait I had. a Gold Swedish pimple and soon after that their vexlars lit up. Pretty fast and consistant action from noon till 3:30 and that is when we deicided we had enough in the bucket. They were so thick down there, that at times I could feel my spoon hitting them while I was jigging. I probably ended up snagging 10 of them, Thought I had whales on hahaha. We even caught a fair amount of 15-16 inchers. I will be firing up the smoker tonight. Other than that we only caught a few small perch and 1 3 inch walleye. Good to see another year class started in there.

[Fishman11]

It started out slow for 4 of us on Saturday. Only had 4 on the ice from 10:30 to 12. Then we moved to another flat and I started nailing them One after another. My 3 buddies wern't marking anything and they were 10-15 yards from me. My Marcum was completly full from bottom up to 8ft. After I caught about 10 in a row they put on the same bait I had. a Gold Swedish pimple and soon after that their vexlars lit up. Pretty fast and consistant action from noon till 3:30 and that is when we deicided we had enough in the bucket. They were so thick down there, that at times I could feel my spoon hitting them while I was jigging. I probably ended up snagging 10 of them, Thought I had whales on hahaha. We even caught a fair amount of 15-16 inchers. I will be firing up the smoker tonight. Other than that we only caught a few small perch and 1 3 inch walleye. Good to see another year class started in there.

Where abouts? general location...?

[ozzie]

went on the south east area of the lake and did very good on perch keeping 22 for 2 of us with the biggest at a fat 13 inches had 7 between 12-13 and had another 10 that were between 10.5-11.75......best perching I have ever had!!!! We had tullies around us as they would come in and clutter our screen and then take off but we caught 4 of them with one that was a nice 2lber!!!

[Lipriper84]

Fisherman,

We went out of Hunters Point, had our success on Gregs Flat in about 34 ft of water.

We were trying to get to Center bar but Hunters has pulled a bridge they had over a crack. We were in there eating breakfast and the bartender got a call that a truck tried to cross where they had the bridge before and put in his front end. Didn't hear anything on how they got it out or anything. Anyone else hear about this?

[Fishman11]

Fisherman,

We went out of Hunters Point, had our success on Gregs Flat in about 34 ft of water.

We were trying to get to Center bar but Hunters has pulled a bridge they had over a crack. We were in there eating breakfast and the bartender got a call that a truck tried to cross where they had the bridge before and put in his front end. Didn't hear anything on how they got it out or anything. Anyone else hear about this?

Do guys have apps. On your phone or use gps to find these locations? Is driving on the lake still going to be ok next week you think?

[Paul Waldowski]

fishman,

Most guys have GPS either in there truck or on there phone in an app. The lake will be just fine to drive on a week from now. A lot of places are no longer maintaining roads so I would call ahead to get road conditions.

[Fishman11]

fishman,

Most guys have GPS either in there truck or on there phone in an app. The lake will be just fine to drive on a week from now. A lot of places are no longer maintaining roads so I would call ahead to get road conditions.

Thanks Paul, I will be up next week and will probably be calling you for some info.

[MidCoast]

Anybody experienced underwater camera affecting the Tullibee bite before? I was fishing at Mille Lacs for Tullies a couple of weeks ago. There was a whole school of Tullibees underneath, and I could see with my cam. Only a few would take my offering I gave them. Most were too scared to really bite it seemed like. I then lifted my camera back up, and the bite turned on instantly.

[DTro]

I couldn't discern either way if they were camera shy. My initial thought would be no, because when they would come in and bite, and we caught several on camera.

It was fun to see how they bite, but what was weird was that they actually seemed skittish about the bait, and not the camera.

[MJ1657]

Only way we could get them to bite last Sunday was to jig hard to get them to come in then hold the jig still once they showed up.

[Mnfisher]

Two of us fished 7 mile flat out of Terry's yesterday and brought home our limit of Tullibees but the bite was slow and not steady. Heavy jigging helped. NO perch! Most of them are already smoked as of this writing! Turned out good! I would like to go out of Hunter's soon to Greg's flat but was hesitant as I have never been out there and got a less than enthusiastic report from the guy from Hunter's that I talked to. I don't have a 4 wheel drive pickup. Can I still get out there safely? I would like to try for some more Tullies and some nice perch. What do you think? Thanks!

[Lipriper84]

When were out there last weekend there was a small car and a mini van. The trickiest part was getting over the initial bump from the plows. Some of the roads were getting drifted over so I'm not sure if they are still plowing way out there or not. Once you get on the main lake just use common sense and watch for drifts. if you carry enough speed you should be fine. Still lots of spots where there is bare ice out there.

[Fishman11]

Any of you guys own a handheld gps unit? I was wondering on which one would be a good one to use for mapping depth and areas on lakes. Nothing too high end for pro fishermen, but just an affordable one for the regular ice fisherman. Also, one that is compatible with the different types of lakemap chips available these days. Any opinions or suggestions on a unit would be great, thanks.

[hugonian1]

You might want to check with Hunters before you go as I have been told they are not going to maintain the roads to the flats anymore.

[broman]

Hunters posted on FB that they are going to plow out to boot, fishers, and blue jug by the weekend.

[Mnfisher]

Thanks for the information guys! What about those areas, blue, jug, etc. Would they be good for both tulibee's and perch? I would really like to get some perch 11" or so as well as some more tullies. Thanks

[monstermoose78]

The perch will be hit or miss but the tullies of the flats in 30-36 feet of water will be easier to find. Good spots to check out!

[The Prodigy]

Where do you guys set up for those tullibees? Edge of bars, over holes, near humps??? Just wondering, going up for the first time to target them and need a little guidance! Thanks, Prodigy.

[DTro]

Deep side/edge of the mud flat.

[maxpower17]

Wondering where you find the Tullibees on Mille Lacs. Also what do they bite on? Waxies? Minnow heads?

Thanks

[mrklean]

you have 10 pages of answer right above you

[maxpower17]

I was just seeing if anyone was paying attention. Seems like every other post is asking how to do it. I wanted to see who would break down first

[lispeej]

funny

[SerendipityFishi]

Went to the pond 5 times in the past 2 weeks, 7 miles, 8 miles and Serman flat, 3 times in the afternoon, got 0-5 tullies each time, had to fish hard to get them.

2 times in the morning, got 30-50 tullies, same location, same bait, same jigs.

So our experience is that Mille Lacs tullies bit in the morning.

Ice is still solid, Terry's said it will be safe for another week.

BTW, I stocked in the snow, Terry's guy pulled me out.

Thanks Terry's

[lispeej]

Was out this evening for a few hours. It was windy and mille lacs looked like a ghost town. Nobody to be seen for miles......

I marked fish, but no takers. Must be the change in weather.?

[Mnfisher]

We've had decent luck out of Terry's off 7 mile and going up to try again Wednesday. Hope the ice is still decent for maybe one last time up there. Keep posting conditions. This is a great site!