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Crappies on Mille Lacs


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There are plenty of slab Crappies in Mille Lacs Lake, although nobody puts forth the effort to fish them. Most who do fish Crappies fish down around the southeast side.
Crappies are findable in Mille Lacs near the Garrison area in the winter, as well as mid summer. The find can be rewarding. Ever see a big suspended school of fish off a break or over the deeper water and figure its bait fish? Try approaching those schools with smaller jigs and worms or minnows. You might be surprised what you pull up.

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Yello, When you say "slab" how big do you mean? I dont live anywhere close to the big pond but would be intrested in making a ice trip there this year. Im guessing I would need a guide because I dont really know the lake. I was there at the Fishingmn.com Ice tourney last year.

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A slab Crappie varies by area, and by personal opinion. My definition is a Crappie that is 1 1/4 or bigger. Mille Lacs can give up Crappies 1 1/2 pounds (13 inches) and even better.
There are other lakes in the area that also put out fish of that size with consistency and recieve little to NO fishing pressure.

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Thats what I've been wondering about a long time. I have heard of nice crappies in Mille Lacs, but i don't fish it much besides in the summer. But this year i wanted to get up there a lot. How consistent is the crappie bight on the big pond? Would you say its a hit and miss kind of thing that you have to search long and hard for, or is there a haunt that if I located could hold crappies consistantly? You talk about other lakes in the area, any clues as to what they might be? Could Shakopee be one? Any tips/hints would be great.
Thanks.

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Crappie Locatation is bases on oxigen, forage(food, and predator location. Generaly speaking, the crappies will hold in one main area during winter, however might be shallower in the early ice period, and after the ice has begun to "honeycomb" in the spring. If you find a group of Crappies one week, look to find them there, or within the same structural area the next week. Keep in mind that sudden fronts can draw fish to the bottom and make them undetectable at times.

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Try either the north side of Sherman's Point(wig wam bay) around 22-25 feet of water, and near the inside turn for wintering Crappies. Also, give the North side of Indian point in 25 feet of water a try. The Crappies might take a while to locate at first, but once you find them, they will be in the same area generaly speaking. Look to 12-18 feet of water as the ice starts to "honeycomb" and snow recedes in the spring.

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D-man, you could set your watch by the bite. We had our big house at "Jacks" for years. We moved to Agate Bay when Jack sold. We had had enough of the evening rush hour in the crappie beds. It seems to be a little differant now. It dos'nt seem as busy in the beds as it used to be. I go down early in the morning before sun up and punch in. Some days we get a couple, some days we dont. I hate to publish the times that are hot because someone always pulls up and starts to punch holes during primetime. There is alot of area in that bay. I stay away from everyone. I try to be fishin an hour before sun up. I also try to be fishin an hour before sun set. Sometimes the evening bite can last quite awhile. Not big numbers, but nice size.
I go down a couple times during ice season.
On one weekend last year, fri-sat-sun, we kept 17. Total weight was 21 lbs. My son had a honest 17.5" which went a even 2 lbs.
Now that I spilled my guts...
Good Luck...

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If anyone finds a school of 17" plus slab crappies on Mille Lacs...post the GPS coordinates here.
I would like to see that. smile.gif

This includes you too...PCG!

Skeets

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

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