mille lacs 2016 Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports

[Eaglenation]

On January 20, 2016 at 7:52 AM, fishing4life said:

Eaglenation,

 

Did you drive out?  I'm thinking of taking my young son up and renting from Appledorns.  Were there others fishing around you? 

Sorry, just saw this. Yes we did drive out and others were driving all around us. 

[Iron Cowboy]

On ice report. Out at the end of Appledorns resort plowed road. 3 miles out on the edge of the mud flat in 30 ft  5 eye's  all small largest 17 1\2  . Real slow after the prime time sunset bite....hoping for a good sunrise  bite. We'll see

 

 

[eyechoholic]

The best Ice fishing I have ever had on mille lacs. A went up Tuesday with a buddy we fished from 9-5 and got 23 walleye 1- 24" 1-193/4 and rest were 12"-15". Then I brought my permanent up Wednesday afternoon with my brother pretty slow where we set up caught 6 walleye. Thursday around noon i hit the honey hole while hole hopping out of my truck from 1pm to 5pm I caught 28 walleye out of one hole it was amazing. Then I went up Saturday with 2 buddies fished out of the permanent Saturday and this morning and the 3 of uscaught close to 50 walleyes total with 2 jumbos and 1 tulibee. Kast master gold spoon was the best with a fathead head only. They were super aggressive.

[Stick in Mud]

On 1/21/2016 at 7:45 PM, fish_hunt_guy said:

That's the first pout ive heard of or seen this year. I thought they were making a mini comeback the last couple years prior? Anyone else seen or heard of many being caught?

From what I heard, there were a few around last year.  I very, very rarely catch them because I'm almost always fishing shallow.  When I was a kid, I remember the ice just being littered with them as far as you could see.  Not any more.  And they're great eating, so I'm pretty bummed they're so hard to come by these days.

[mjk]

Was up on Vineland today, looking for some Pike.  16-17" of ice.  No Pike, was all over the bay today.  Did get a nice 19.5" slot Walleye at dark.

[hardcore365]

So my first day trip of the year on Saturday was successful. Between me and the buddy we iced 28 eyes and 5 perch. One eye was 23" ish another just short of 16" and the rest 13"-15". Only one perch would of been considered keeper size at about 11". Fished the gravel on the SE end 25'-31'. Blue w/ green glow rattlin flyer was the best producer. Only 4 or so on the dead stick all day. Fished 8 am-6 pm. 

[ozzie]

was out of Red Door on Saturday eve from 3:30 to 8ish and buddy n I caught 7 from 8" to a double we had on 15".  We drove and all the fish looked healthy

[addict]

Went out of Northwest end Sunday and set up shallow after wasting time getting across the crack.  Kinda missed AM primetime.   Did get one eye and a pike.   Moved way out to mud away from everyone, fished26 fow from 12 to 6 between three we iced about 20 'eyes.  One 18.5" one 17.5 rest 12 to 15.     All in all a good outing.   Fish were all on jigging hardware.   No flurry just fish moving through every 20 min or so from 1 till dark:30.   Garrison ice 13 in.   3.5 miles out 16+.

[bigbad3]

Out of Fishermans Wharf on two mile reef last weekend on 20" of good solid ice.  Caught walleye Friday night and all morning until noon on our rattle reels and also some in the house jigging with a camera.  We had a blast catching fish all morning on Saturday.  Our big was only a 21.5" with the rest all between 9 - 15", and a couple of smaller perch thrown in for good measure.  Great first weekend out on the ice.  Can't wait to get back up this weekend and give it another try.

[DLD24]

Fished from 12:30-530 out of hunters point in 25-29fow caught 5 13-14"ers, pretty slow, the wind was blowing like no other....

[Stick in Mud]

I'm not up at the lake, but Stick the Elder is, and I'm ashamed to say the bite has slowed down.  Quit, anyways, at least for him, as he pulled a big goose egg today. 

I don't know where he's fishing, but knowing the Old Man, I'm guessing he randomly put the house down in a spot that "looked good."  I'll move it tomorrow. 

[DLD24]

Well that's not what I wanted to hear, debating driving down Saturday morning and giving it a shot...

[Stick in Mud]

Yep, my dad put the house at least 100 yards away from anything that might resemble fish-holding structure. No wonder he didn't get anything.  I arrived at 4:15 yesterday, quickly moved the house, and we got 9 before 7:00 p.m.  My friends fishing out on the mud stopped counting at 25 eyes.  The bite hasn't slowed down--unless you purposefully put your house in a spot that won't hold fish.

[Sculpin]

Buddy and I set his shack off deep gravel yesterday afternoon, and it was bobbers down pretty quickly. We had a short window and had 5 of those 13/14/15's walleye's, and a couple perch. Did not even stay our for the evening bite. There are clearly a ton of that year class out there, and reports such as Stick's are coming in from most of the operators around the lake.

Fish on.! 

[eyechoholic]

Two of us fished from 730 to 530 yesterday in 32' ended up catching 11 walleye no big ones. Had a decent amount half way up and alot of sniffers. 

[DLD24]

We got fishing at 830ish in 30fow, we set the house up right on top of a pile of tullies, got one eye...Tried 26fow,nothing so we went in shallow for the last hour we were there and got my pb gator, left at 2...Not a good day for us...

[IceHawk]

Wow beautifull looking pike!

[fish_hunt_guy]

9 hours ago, DLD24 said:

We got fishing at 830ish in 30fow, we set the house up right on top of a pile of tullies, got one eye...Tried 26fow,nothing so we went in shallow for the last hour we were there and got my pb gator, left at 2...Not a good day for us...

Nice pike. How long was it?

[DLD24]

35 or 36 all I had was my ice scoop ruler....Blast of a fight on walleyes gear though 

[Stick in Mud]

Nice pike!!   Sure doesn't take long to figure out if you've hooked into one of those guys.

I fished pretty hard Saturday afternoon (which is saying something...I almost never fish hard), and I *almost* got skunked.  Caught one fish, that's it.  I drilled a bunch of holes out on some shallow structure, hopped everywhere, and only got one fish.  No good.  It happens, though.  Sunday was better for me.  I drove my little Pontiac out to the midlake flats to meet a buddy who was out there looking to fill the smoker with tullies.  We found a few of them and then happened on a nice pile of 'eyes.  Probably got 15 or 20 right before sunset.  Only one big one, though. 

It sure is pleasant fishing outside when it's 40 degrees!

[Weathertite]

Probably should not have taken your Viagra with Breakfast !!!

13 hours ago, Stick in Mud said:

I fished pretty hard Saturday afternoon

 

[Stick in Mud]

Well, usually I hardly fish, so it was a change of pace.   And it was warm....but it wasn't THAT warm.

[pappasmurf]

Hello everyone. I Will heading to milacs ice fishing for the first time, for my 40th birthday. So i have absolutly no knoledge of the lake, and would greatly aprieciate any, and all pointers of where to go. I just want to catch lots of fish, and if the stars are alligned the one of a life time. Thanks

[thescottith]

Ask the resort you head out of for advice, but right now it sounds like if you find any structure, be it mud, gravel, rock or even a rock to sand transition you will get fish.

I'm a spoon guy come ice time so that's pretty much all I use but jig raps, darters etc all have there place and it  never hurts to have the tip up out or a dead stick. 

If you have any specific questions let us know.

 

Edited February 2, 2016 by thescottith

[IceHot]

Yeah pick a resort and ask them for a spot or a resort with a road out about 3 miles out and find a steep drop/mud rock transition or any transition 17' down to 29' midday then shallow at night 7'- 17' weed line is where I have found all my big walleyes this year. (need gps or phone app to find these spots).  My resort of choice is red door. 

[Stick in Mud]

Another option is to go back through this thread and a few other winter ones from years' past.  You'll find all sorts of info.  If my failure in shallow water last weekend is any indication (it probably isn't...I certainly could've been in the wrong spot), you might want to head deep.  

[bassinboy3]

Thinking of heading up Saturday morning, wondering how the fishing has been since the weather change.

[Capt'nMorgan]

Smurfy did you find any fish?

[IceHot]

on the north-west side the bite has been the same for me except nights have been harder but mornings have been really really good.

[pappasmurf]

Set up yesterday afternoon on the edge of the mud flats. Got five small ones from 4 till dark.