Newcommer to mille lacs

[Minnow Bucket]

I going to be going to Lake Mille Lacs for the first time ever this weekend. I've heard the fish are darn near jumping into the boats. Just wondering if anyone would like to suggest a certain technique that seems to work well with this lake. and also where a guy should start beings the lake is soo large. Thanks guys..

[Fathead]

Hi Minnow Bucket,

My first question to you is...

What is your experience level for fishing walleyes on other lakes? WHat techniques to you have alot of confidence in?

There are many effective presentations for this lake right now. But I would start with what you know best.

As far as where to fish...

You're right, at first glance this lake is enormous. My suggestion to first-timers or less experienced anglers to Mille Lacs is to break the lake into quarters. Select one of the the quarters and fish only that section of the lake. It seems like all areas of the lake are producing fish right now. I would suggest starting out on one of the lakes southern gravel reefs. Reefs that tend to hold alot of fish right now are Sloppy Joes, 4-mile, or 5-mile gravel. These reefs have little depth changes. They usually top out at 24' (sloppies) or 26' (4-mile or 5-mile). You can run the top of the reef or down into the 31 to 32' adjacent basin areas.

Effective presentations are Lindy rig/leech; spinners&crawlers; 3-ways and rapalas (my favorite), and even jig fishing or slip bobber fishing with jigs and leeches.

If you have a considerable amount of experience fishing eyes, you may want to venture out into the midlake mudflats. Some of these flats have turned out a phenomenal amount of fish the past few weeks.

Good luck on your adventure.

[Guest]

Minnow Bucket try Slip bobbers and lind rigs I used a rattleing no snag sinker with a 6' snell with a plain chart. hook and leeches caught the biggest walleyes of my life the first time on the big pond! non rattle sinkers didn't produce a fish it was really strange? we fished the southeast corner by the graveyard and the Northwest corner by Garrison we did very well and you should have a lot of fun! we didn't slip bobber but saw people catching them that way to. Good Luck BigBassBrettskee

[Guest]

I've never tried the slip bobber thing, actually only heard of it at Mille Lacs for eyes. How do you normally fish those on a lake of that size? drift with the bobber in light wind or anchor over a rock pile or something??

[Scott]

When using slip bobbers we've always had the most luck anchoring over the rocks or on the edge of a flat.

Good Luck!

[Guest]

Minnow Bucket
depending on your boat size and the weather(mainly the wind) the flats have been pretty good when you can get to them. We did well on shermans flat and 9 mile this past weekend and also the rocks just south of Eddys resort in the evening which is just off shore a little ways. hope this helps

[muskieman]

Hot weather has pushed walleyes to waters that are deeper. Sand bite is the longest the old timers have seen. Time to focus on the July bite which is flats. Temps will trigger a massive muskie bite in 2 weeks. Look out here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Creek Kid]

This past weekend was my 1st time on Mille Lacs as well. We didn't do very well. I thought we were doing things right. Hope things work out better for you. Please post your success when you get back. Good Luck and Enjoy! Even with limited success, we had a blast out there!

[This message has been edited by Creek Kid (edited 07-02-2002).]