Mille Lacs 1st timers...

[tengy]

Hey guys/gals,

I will be headed up to the Big Pond this Friday with a few buddies for 3 days. This will be all of our first times on Mille Lacs. We will be out on the southwest end. We will likely be targeting perch and tullies with walleyes being bonus catches. We're not new to ice fishing, but Mille Lacs for sure. My question is what type of bait or jig colors have been the ticket to targeting each type of species? Or what type of structure to look for during daytime/nighttimes bites? Suggestions/tips will be helpful. We would like to put a few fish on the ice and enjoy Mille Lacs before the walleye season comes to a close that Sunday. If you would like you cam PM me. Thanks in advance. Tight lines!!

[tengy]

WOW!!

[lispeej]

Tengy.

On the west side of the lake is where I usually fish. I usually go out to the 7mile flats. Anyone of the flats will be about the same. Over there, you can catch all of what you are looking for. Get a good map of Mill Lacs and a gps if you don't already have one. It's different everyday out there (just like any other lake). Sometimes they prefer small bait, sometimes big. So my recommendation is bring a little of everything if you can. I usually find that fish are most active in the early morings til about 10am, and then again in the afternoon til about an hour or two after dark. But that's just my experience. Some folks may have different opinions about that.

For tullibees, use a sweedish pimple or kastmaster with a leader line and plain hook tipped with a waxie or eurolarvae.

For walleyes and perch, I have found a plain red hook with a crappie or shiner or fathead to work. But sometimes I change it up with a glow green demon head for darker times.

The most important thing to remember is:

Stay away from the crowds. Just because there are a lot of houses bunched together, doesn't mean they're catching all the fish.

Be safe and Have Fun!

[lispeej]

I should add too that dead sticks for me are the way to go.

Jig if you want, but I like to relax and sip on my adult beverage.

[GravelBar]

We fished a rock reef on the south end. Top of the reef is 9 feet and it drops into 30 feet. We've been fishing an 18" ledge. Been doing ok on Walleyes and Northerns. Dead stick with number 6 red hooks and pink jigs. Fat heads and shiners. Haven't seen any perch.

[tengy]

Thanks guys. This is the type of general info I'm looking for.

[Stick in Mud]

As someone else said, do your best to avoid crowds. There's plenty of excellent water on the lake, and getting away from folks will increase your chances of doing well. Those shanty towns are in those spots for a good reason--there are fish there--but you've gotta share them with everyone else.

If I had to choose between an awesome piece of structure with houses on it and an average piece of structure that I had all to myself, I'd go with the average structure, especially if it was away from any roads.

That being said, up until last week, I'd been having an amazing year fishing quite close to a shanty town (I swear...I was there first!). Last weekend was terrible, and if it wasn't the last weekend of the season coming up--and if I wasn't so terribly lazy--I'd probably move. But alas, we'll see if the fish can find me.

[greenbackslayer]

Make sure you have some shiners and rainbows to put on set lines. The big baits this year have been catching big fish. 28 to 32 feet of water was hot for me two weeks ago and havent been up since. Pink Gem-n-eyes were absolutely hands down the jig to have on a set line when I was up. And a gold and pink macho minnow. Couldnt agree more with Carmike. Stay away from crowds. There are so many good flats on Mille lacs find one that doesnt have a ton of people on it. And if you not marking fish move or the fish arent active.... MOVE. GOOD LUCK