What to expect?

[Guest]

I am going up to Mille Lacs in a rental this weekend. Should I expect the walleyes to be few and far between? How about big perch?
It seems like fishing has been pretty slow so far. I will make sure to bring other things to keep me busy. Anybody have any tips on how to be as successful as possible?
Thanks.

[Guest]

swords
we have been up the last four weekends and have had some very good walleye fishing despite all the negative reports. I by no means claim to be a pro or anything but this is what has worked the best for us by far this year. We like using the medium size jig-a-whipper hawger spoons in the chartruse color. We always get them at lundeens but there are probably other places that sell them to. On the set lines the only thing we have been able to get them on are the Golden Shiners and a plain #6 hook. Ever since someone told me to use those golden shiners a few years back, it seemed to improve our catch on the set lines 10 fold. Jigging I would say has caught 4 out of every 5 walleyes this year for us and it seems as if they don't bite until you jig them 3-4 feet of the bottom. This got a little longer than I thought but hopefully this helps. by the way where are you going out of?

[Guest]

Thanks for the info Rocky. I will definetly give those jig-a-whippers a shot as well as the golden shiners and plain hooks. There are 6 of us going up, we are going out of somewhere in garrison. I am not sure which one, a buddy booked it.
Are most of the rentals still in fairly shallow, or have they moved them out now?
Is the slot 14-17"?
Also is it true that you can't filet and eat what you catch out on the lake? I thought I read that in another thread.
Thanks,
Swords

[Guest]

WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD SUCCESS AVOIDING CROWDS AND AGRESSIVE JIGGING WITH LARGE 1/2 OZ. CASTMASTERS OR BUCKSHOT SPOONS TIPPED WITH A MINNOW HEAD OR TAIL, AND MOVING AROUND ALOT TILL WE MARK FISH, ON SUNNY DAYS I LIKE ANYTHING GOLD IN COLOR, ON OVERCAST DAYS I LIKE A PERCH COLOR WITH A SILVER BACK.
WE HAVE BEEN FISHING DEEPER ROCKS LIKE 27-29'

[IceEyes]

Swords,
The slot is 14 inches to 16 inches that you can keep and 1 over 28 inches. The limit is 4. If the walleyes are a 1/4 inch on either side of the slot throw them back! I had a buddy get a $90 ticket for a 16 1/8 inch walleye at the Garrison access. It's not worth it to say close enough to the slot and keep them even if it does give you hard feelings. Good Luck....Mille Lacs is a tremendous fishery!

[MNice]

Whoops, my bad! Thanks for the info, and I'm gald I didn't get caught!! We did have a few perch in the pan and I thought if I had the carcus I was OK.

[Guest]

Swords
I am not sure where they will have your house. we have been fishing the mud in 29-32 feet of water. good luck to you this weekend

[Guest]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! Does anyone know if they stop you from driving out with all the warm weather lately? I would assume not because I saw trucks out on Lake Minnetonka today and the ice is not as thick as Mille Lacs there. I will report back on Sunday when I get home as to how we did.

[Guest]

As previously posted , the slot limit remains at 4 fish - 14" to 16" with 1 over 28" , until after the night ban ends on June 9th. Then the new slot goes into effect.
Another word to the wise. If your fish are even 1/64" out of the slot do not take a chance. It may cost you money.
Swords: you can't clean and eat fish on Mille Lacs.

[MNice]

You may eat fish not affected by a slot, but save the carcuses because they do count for your limit.

[Guest]

You CANNOT be in possesion of fish filets regardless of species while on the ice or water of Mille Lacs.

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651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/
click here

[This message has been edited by D-man (edited 01-08-2003).]

[Guest]

We were at Eddy's and caught 6 eye's. I was amazed at the size, they were 25.5 to 28 inches. We were in 28 ft. straight out from the Conoco/Subway. I was hoping to catch more, but I was pleased with the size. 2 were on shiners, and 4 on rainbow's. No perch or anything else.

[redhooks]

nice fish Swords! I'd rather catch a handful like that than a truckload of dinks!

[EBass]

Was on the big pond this weekend. Drove trucks and saw trucks being driven everywhere. Seemed to be about 18-20". It was so cold and windy. 10 below with wind gusts around 30-35mph.

Anyways. I caught two. A wee little eye and one about 17". Both on jigging spoons. The bigger eye came when my spoon was life less. I set my rod down to grub and watched a nice red mark hit mt spoon on the vex.

We were about 5 miles out on some gravel on the SE side. I think it was a gravel flat. Saw fish in everyhole, but they were lookers.

Best time was prime time. (dusk)

My buddy caught two 22" and one 20" that had cancer or something.

I love how we get away from the crowds and people drive over and mark the spot you just found. So we left and joined the crowds. If you can't beat them join them right?