Another Mille Lacs Opener

[The Cranker]

As I sit here in the resort office over looking at the sunset over the new open water on the big pond, we call Lake Mille Lacs. There is an excitement that comes over me for the opener of walleye fishing. At 40 plus years of age I remain a little kid at heart. I still can not sleep the night before two event, one is opening fishing on Lake Mille Lacs, and the other is the opener of pheasant hunting in Iowa. When that little kid in me stops getting excited about these openers, then that's when I take up another hobby, like maybe needle point or something along those lines.

You see Lake Mille Lacs has this mystery about her, she is big, and she can be intimidating at times, but she can also be calm and beautiful too. Above all, Lake Mille Lacs features one of the very best Walleye, Smallmouth bass and Muskie fisheries in the world! The lake is producing trophy fish of each species each and every season!

Many of us, with myself included, have doubted the slot size restrictions on the walleyes that the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources have put on Lake Mille Lacs over the years. Boy was I wrong. Now, I have to believe that Lake Mille Lacs is probably the best Walleye factory in the world in my opinion. For this, my hat goes off to the Minnesota Department of Resources on the job that they have done with the lake.

For those of you that don't know, it is not uncommon to go out on Lake Mille Lacs and catch 30 to 60 walleyes in a day with two or three over 27 inches. It is also not uncommon to catch a monster 50 inch plus muskie. Infact , there are strong rumors that the next world record muskie will come out Lake Mille Lacs. The smallmouth bass are getting bigger and bigger each season. There have been numerous 6 plus pound smallmouth bass caught over the past few years. The other fish attraction on Lake Mille Lacs is the early spring crappies. Lake Mille Lacs isn't known to have many crappies but in the spring of the year one can go out on the south end of the lake and catch 1 to 2 pound crappies.

One of the best times to come to Lake Mille Lacs to fish walleyes is in late May through June. The walleyes are done spawning and are active. I like fishing the wind blown sides of any structure. Whether its the rocks, sand humps, gravel or mud. I like to pull 6 to 8ft crawler harnesses with Colorado Blades, or lindy rig, or even find some structure and just bobber fish with a leach on some rocks. By fishing these wind blown sides of structure you will increase your chances of catching some of those beautiful Mille Lacs walleyes.

Muskies are not my most sought after fish. But from listening to some of the best guides on the lake the rock piles and weed beds are going to be your best bet for finding a trophy muskie! Most guides will tell you that the months of September and October can be just incredible! Top water baits along with spinner baits will produce fish. Smallmouth Bass will be found mostly along the rocks. Typically all your bass lures will produce giant smallmouth bass on Lake Mille Lacs

People pay thousands of dollars to head to Canada for fishing like we have here on Lake Mille Lacs. It's truly a fishing mega. If you have never fished Lake Mille Lacs I invite you to come on up, over or down to Lake Mille Lacs and experience the excitement that this lake provides!

Fish On!!!

[minniwinni91]

Cranker This is awsome Good Job.

[Team Otter]

Well said Jim.

Mille Lacs is indeed special but I also have room in my heart for Gull, Leech, Winnie, Lake of the Woods, The Rainy River, URL, Pokegama and some of the local gems here in southern MN.

[Tim_Anderson]

Oh yeah......can't wait to get after them muskies! Is it June yet?