Gull Lake

[Macintosh]

Hello everyone!

 

We have a huge family gathering / reunion (35 people, adults and kids) coming up, arriving and staying at Grand View Lodge, July 30, till August 4th.
 

Families from Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, and my wife and my 2 grown up married kids are from southern MN. We’re the closest.

 

I’ll be bringing my boat and was wondering where to go for panfish and walleyes on Gull Lake? I’ll be bringing kids and many adults have never fished before. Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated!
 

 

[leech~~]

4 hours ago, Macintosh said:

Hello everyone!

 

We have a huge family gathering / reunion (35 people, adults and kids) coming up, arriving and staying at Grand View Lodge, July 30, till August 4th.
 

Families from Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, and my wife and my 2 grown up married kids are from southern MN. We’re the closest.

 

I’ll be bringing my boat and was wondering where to go for panfish and walleyes on Gull Lake? I’ll be bringing kids and many adults have never fished before. Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated!
 

 

Sounds like a great time. 

Grand view is not cheap. If everyone has the money, you might check in to the Nisswa Guide service or Walleye Dan for a guide to have a better chance to get on fish.  Good Luck! 

[Macintosh]

Thanks leech~~, I thought about that, but like you said Grand View Lodge isn't cheap, we divided the cost in 9 different families and that became reasonable and affordable. We're trying to save money by going ourselves and try our luck. Thought I'd get a few tips/advice on panfish/walleyes and where to go before we leave.

[leech~~]

Hope someone can chime in.  You can also stop in at Dave's Sportsland new bait shop just south of the Holiday station on 371 at the Grandview lodge turn, and pick their brains.

[Wanderer]

8 hours ago, Macintosh said:

Thanks leech~~, I thought about that, but like you said Grand View Lodge isn't cheap, we divided the cost in 9 different families and that became reasonable and affordable. We're trying to save money by going ourselves and try our luck. Thought I'd get a few tips/advice on panfish/walleyes and where to go before we leave.

I don’t personally fish it much but from what I hear, you should be prepared to fish outside weedlines for panfish and watch your electronics for deep walleyes, like 40’, which means you should plan on keeping any you catch (barotrauma).  If you don’t mark fish, keep moving until you find them.

 

I’ll say at times the walleyes will come up on the shallow flats but then they’re spooky so you have to keep the boat off them.  Maybe troll with planer boards if you have them.  Low light conditions/wind.

 

Jigging Raps and bait rigs with larger minnows for the deep walleyes.

[gimruis]

I wouldn't even bother fishing during daylight hours if targeting walleyes.  Go at night.  As wanderer stated, deep outside weedlines down to 30 feet this time of year trolling with crank baits at a relatively high speed.  The water is clear and warm and its only going to get warmer with a heat wave coming next week.  Like bathtub warm.

 

Panfish should be easier with some small plastics or worms but you probably won't catch any sizable ones.  But at least you will get some action.

Edited July 19, 2023 by gimruis

[Roseypike19]

We had a similar reunion in 2010 and stayed at GV as well.  I did not have a boat, but I rented one of their little 16 footers (no electronics and no trolling motor) and just trolled #5 shad raps on the edge of the weedlines for several sessions.  We caught pretty much every species in the lake including walleyes, pike, bass, rockies, perch, nice bluegills, and crappies.   A little wind helped of course, but we still caught them when it was flat.  I would have liked to diversified my presentation, but for people who don't normally fish and no electric motor, trolling provided steady action. 

 

I also took out a kayak early one morning and fished for bass on the docks and channels north of GV.  Caught a few nice ones.  

 

Hiring a guide would be ideal if you can; otherwise, fish the outside weedlines with your favorite technique and catch every species and/or go shallow in the slop for some decent largemouth.  If all fails, troll #5 shad raps!  

 

Good luck.