Fishing Report 07/25/08

By Outdoor News

LAKE OF THE WOODS
Along the south shore, walleyes are hitting outside the Lighthouse Gap all the way over to Zippel Bay in 16 to 24 feet. Spinner rigs or jigs are working best. At the Northwest Angle, jigs continue to produce limits of walleyes and northern pike around Oak Island and Flag Island.

LEECH LAKE AREA
Look for walleyes on the bars and shoreline breaks in 20 feet of water. Bottom bouncers and crawlers, Lindy Rigs and leeches, or a jig and minnow have all worked. There’s some evening trolling action with Shad Raps or Minnow Raps in eight to 12 feet. Bass fishing has been excellent in most weedy bays and muskies continue to follow baits, but won’t commit to them.

RAINY LAKE
The main lake reefs off Blueberry Island and Steamboat Island are producing walleyes in 36 to 42 feet. Saginaw Bay and the Tempton Channel area are kicking out walleyes in shallower water. Crawlers, leeches, and minnows have all worked. Work the upper Rainy River area for walleyes with minnows. Black Bay continues to give up crappies and Lost Bay has been best for pike.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH
Short Lindy Rigs and minnows started producing good-sized perch in 18 to 25 feet on Moses Bar, Sugar Bar, and the Snaghole. You’ll also find perch on the 15- foot rocks of Raven’s Point. Walleyes are hitting leeches and crawlers in 18 to 22 feet at Moxes Hole, Moses Bar, the humps, and Sugar Bar.

BEMIDJI AREA
Walleye activity is limited to the evening hours and after dark with crankbaits on Lake Bemidji in 14 to 16 feet. Lake Plantagenet started producing bigger perch in 15 to 20 feet. Crappies have moved deeper and suspended on Big Bass Lake and Lake Julia. Look for pike and bass on the weedlines of Grace Lake and Big Turtle Lake.

BLACKDUCK AREA
The weedlines of Blackduck Lake are giving up good-sized perch and an occasional walleye. On lakes such as North Twin, South Twin, Pimushe, and Rabideau you’ll find walleyes, panfish, and bass in 14 to 20 feet hitting live bait.

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA
Look for some evening walleye action in 20 to 30 feet at Gull Lake, North Long Lake, Pelican Lake, and Round Lake. Live bait rigs tipped with leeches, crawlers, or minnows are working best. Crappies are being found suspended along the established weed edges and sunfish are coming off the area’s small lakes in 12 to 16 feet. Bass and northern pike also can be had on the deep weedlines.

CASS LAKE AREA
Shad Raps have started producing walleyes at night on the bars of Cass Lake. The 12- to 15- foot breaklines of Cass and Pike Bay Lake also are giving up walleyes via leeches. The best perch reports are coming off the shallow sand and weed areas of Cass. Big Rice Lake and Kitchi Lake are worth noting for bluegills, while spinner rigs and minnows are triggering pike on Big Wolf Lake.

GRAND RAPIDS AREA
Crappies remain active on the weedlines of Jay Gould Lake, Lake Pokegama, Little Splithand Lake, and Lake Wabana. Look for sunfish on the deep weedlines of Bass Lake and North Star Lake. Bucktails have produced several muskies on North Star, Moose Lake, and Deer Lake. Walleyes are hitting leeches on Trout Lake in 12 to 25 feet and spinners and crawlers on Pokegama in 18 to 24 feet. Lakes such as Pokegama, Wabana, and Spider are safe bets for bass, while the deep weeds of Swan Lake and Shallow Lake are holding pike.

HACKENSACK AREA
Trolling leeches, crawlers, or crankbaits has produced some walleyes on Ten Mile Lake during lowlight periods. Look for crappies and sunfish on the eight- to 12- foot cabbage beds of Birch Lake and Pleasant Lake.

Bass action remains strong on the weed breaks of most lakes with plastics. The smaller lakes such as Baby, Little Boy, and Wabedo are producing muskies via white or black bucktails.
LAKE OSAKIS
Northern pike and bass remain active along the 12- to 14- foot weedlines. Spoons, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and live bait are all working. Look for walleyes during lowlight periods on the Four Mile Bar, Banana Bar, sunken island on the north end, and Center Bar in 18 to 24 feet. Panfish reports have been limited.
LAKE VERMILION
Spinner rigs and leeches or slip bobbers and leeches have worked best for walleyes in 17 to 24 feet. The weedy areas are producing more muskies than the rocks and slow-moving baits have been key. Mepps spinners, spoons, or white spinner baits are producing pike in the weeds and bass continue to relate to the docks.
MANKATO AREA
Throwing Rapala X-Raps in 14 feet around Grassy Island or in Baker’s Bay on Lake Washington and in the narrows of Madison Lake has produced walleyes. A jig and minnow or crawler and spinner has triggered walleyes on the south end of Lake Hanska. Look to Lake Francis for sunfish in less than 10 feet and northern pike are cruising the weed edge and hitting minnows on Little Jefferson Lake.
McGREGOR AREA
Tube jigs or minnows pitched under the floating docks on Big Sandy Lake and Lake Minnewawa has produced crappies. The weedlines of Big Sandy are giving up an occasional walleye or northern pike. Look for sunfish and bass tight to the weeds on Minnewawa as well.
ORTONVILLE AREA
Walleyes are hitting spinners and crawlers in 13 to 15 feet on the east side of Lake Oliver. Work the Grapevine area of Big Stone Lake in 12 feet for perch. The rock piles of Lake Traverse are holding bluegills and there has been some evening walleye action with crankbaits here. Nightcrawlers continue to produce catfish on the Minnesota River.
PARK RAPIDS AREA
Bluegills remain active in eight to 10 feet on the Crow Wing Chain and Upper Twin Lake. Walleyes are being taken in 20 to 25 feet on Fish Hook Lake with leeches and crawlers. The weedlines of Big Mantrap Lake and Fish Hook are producing northern pike. Bass action is very good throughout the area.
RED LAKE
Gold spinners and live bait are producing walleyes on the offshore rock piles. A few crappies continue to be mixed in and the main key is to cover a lot of water. Crankbaits have started triggering bigger pike in six to eight feet - again cover big chunks of water.
RED WING AREA
Walleye action has picked up around the Maiden Rock Flats in 12 to 15 feet. Leadcore and 5 Rapalas are triggering the majority of fish. The rip/rap areas around Lake City started giving up crappies, while sucker minnows are producing flathead catfish below the dam on the Mississippi River. Look for northern pike in front of the tributaries such as the Rush River and Pine Creek.
ST. CLOUD/EDEN VALLEY AREA
Look for walleyes to be hitting leeches and crawlers in 20 to 30 feet on Lake Koronis. There’s also a weedline bite on Koronis, Rice Lake, and Horseshoe Lake. Sunfish are hitting in four to 10 feet at Cedar Island Lake, Long Lake, Pearl Lake, and Horseshoe. Hit the Sauk River with nightcrawlers for catfish. The bass have moved to the deep weedlines on most lakes.
STARBUCK AREA
Walleyes are hitting leeches under bobbers in five to 20 feet during lowlight periods on the bar in front of the high school on Lake Minnewaska. Minnewaska also is giving up sunfish in 10 to 12 feet, as well as numbers of bass and good numbers of northern pike. The pike have been most active at the creek mouths and cool water areas.
WATERVILLE AREA
Northern pike continue to hit minnows or spoon plugs in eight feet at Lake Sakatah and Lake Tetonka. The mouth of the lagoon on Tetonka is giving up crappies in eight to 10 feet. Look to Roe mhildt Lake for walleyes and crappies during the evening hours.
WILLMAR AREA
During the day, you’ll find walleyes hitting live bait in 30 to 40 feet at Green Lake. At night, crankbaits have worked best on the shallower flats. Diamond Lake, Long Lake, and Lake Andrew also have produced walleyes, but with less consistency. Work the 10- to 12- foot weedlines for sunfish and a few crappies at Andrew, Nest Lake, Florida Lake, Norway Lake, Eagle Lake, and Games Lake. A few bigger pike have been caught on the shallow prairie lakes, while bass remain active on the weedlines and bars of most fisheries.