Monster Walleyes

of Mille Lacs

 All around the lake the reports keep coming in of monster Mille Lacs walleys being caught.  

Even as we head into summer the Monster Walleyes of Mille Lacs Lake are still being found on the end of many anglers lines. Minnesota and out of state anglers are finding these fish from the north shore sand to the rocks of the southwest bays and out on the gravel and mud flats. Also many anglers are finding themselves catching the biggest walleyes of their lives this season. Traditionally we are starting into the part of summer which sees many of these fish skimping on size but this season they are staying nice and plump which means anglers are catching walleyes which weigh more than average.

Currently the tactics of choice being found are to use a yard long snell and brightly colored spinners with a leech on pockets of fish found with your electronics. In some cases where this presentation is not working a longer snell of five to six feet is recommended with a single brightly colored hook tipped with a leech. Troll slow while you move through the pockets of fish and keep your bail open while wrapping your line once around your index finger to sense light bites and get a feel for what your presentation is doing at the bottom. Once a bite is detected then let loose the line from your finger and allow some, a foot or so of line, to be let out to entice the fish to bite. Close your bail and hold on normally to your rod and see if you feel any tugging. If you do, gently set the hook and reel in. Ninety nine time out of a hundred you will have a walleye on the other end. Your odds are also in your favor of having a 2013 year class Mille Lacs Lake Monster Walleye to share and talk about.

The backup method being used right now for finicky and stubborn fish concentrated in pocketed areas is the simple and old fashion method of jigging. Bringing a scoop of fathead minnows with just encase has proven positive for many anglers. Rainbow chubs and even pike minnows are an option and will help with larger fish that are stubborn to get on the hook while eliminating many of the smaller fish. Anchor right over the pockets of fish found with your electronics and bounce jig right off the bottom and bring the jig up a couple feet and back down. This backup method has also been proven positive for shallower fish found off of reef and bars and fish found held up after dark on any area of the lake.

Mille Lacs is certainly not only filled with Monster Walleyes. Many anglers I have spoken with are leaving with their limit of two keepers and reporting nice fish from younger year classes. This would contradict many reports from some of the major news sources around the internet but reality for me certainly states another story. Mille Lacs appears, for the time being, to be in great health and most importantly producing some of the biggest numbers of Monster fish this angler has seen to date. Even if we are on the verge of some inevitable bubble anyone who is contemplating a trip to Mille Lacs should head up here. You will certainly not be disappointed.

Good Luck

IceFishingMilleLacs.com Staff

Editor’s Note: Image courtesy of HotspotOutdoors.com and Brad Hawthorn