Mille Lacs Lake Update and Report for 7-25-2013
7-25-2013
Fishing has been great for all species. From walleye, perch, muskie/musky, and even panfish, Mille Lacs has been producing great numbers and great fish.
Fishing has been had on deeper edges of the structure. We are –kind of- in a deep winter pattern but with an open water mentality. Fishing deep, right now, is the key. Next week, given the weather pattern coming through, many factors could change, but deep is the key due to water temps.
Mid-lake structures are holding some plentiful baitfish and great fish right behind them. For panfish, you will still want to seek shallow bays and areas. Muskies, you will want to be in that 10′ foot plus range but keep an eye on the shallower rock and humps. Walleyes are coming in at slot lengths all over the spectrum. Perch are holding both shallow and deep.
Seventy plus fish per trip are being reported with walleyes. Perch limits and panfish, crappies and sunfish, are also being reported.
The fishing is excellent but only outstanding if you make it up and get out fishing. Ask your resort manager or fishing guide where the best areas to fish are. They will tell you, and you will get fish. All resorts and guides are reporting great fishing. Mille Lacs is a great lake and is producing some great fish right now.
Here is some info from Bard Hawthrone of Hawthrone Outdoors:
The following reports will help you find great fishing on Mille Lacs:
Eastside of Mille Lacs
Appeldoorn’s Sunset Bay Resort:
Fishing is excellent from Doe Island to the gravel.
Mac’s Twin Bay Resort with Buzzie’s on the Bay Bar and Restaurant:
2013 Mac’s Twin Bay Kid’s Fishing Contest
As part of our 20th Anniversary Celebration weekend, we held our Kid’s Fishing Contest on Sunday, July 14. Great fun for 119 kids and their parents again this year! Lots of fish were caught, and lots of ‘fish on’ calls were heard. You’ll see some electric green t-shirts around town—all participants and volunteers were given a cool anniversary t-shirt to help us celebrate.
This year the weather was gorgeous again. It’s always so much fun to see all the smiling faces—kids, parents, grandparents, volunteers—no one can resist smiling while watching these kids get excited about fishing.
All the kids tried for the “big one,” and we saw some nice fish at the scales. The top 3 fish weighed were all different species! Dogfish, smallie, largemouth! Then we had a great lunch from Buzzie’s—and some cool prizes. Todd’s Bait donated all the leeches and crawlers, and Cabela’s provided a free hat to everyone. Berkley made sure every kid had a pony spool of the line! Thanks to all our sponsors–the Isle Sportsmans Club, Lakeland, Rod’s Bait, and more kids won certificates for a guide trip with Chris Meyer, and a 20 person launch with Derek Voge, even four seats on an open launch at McQuoid’s. Top prizes and trophies went to the top 3 big fish and the kid with the most fish. But the door prizes can blow you away—including 27 fishing rods, eight tackle boxes, six lifejackets! So many kids get to take home a special prize just for fishing with us.
Every year we have incredible volunteers, and we can’t thank any of them enough. Buzz and Kelly provide a great meal. We have neighbors and friends and folks from the community to help register, setup, on the docks, handing out prizes. Soo much goes into this event. It’s just amazing.
Karen & Kevin McQuoid, Mac’s Twin Bay Resort
Check out more pictures on our Facebook page.
2013 Mac’s Annual Couples Tournament Results:
Mac’s Twin Bay Couple’s Tourney 2013
With weather forecasts looking like rain and thunderstorms, turnout was lower than usual, but 17 teams braved the predictions and had a great day on the water together.
Teams could weigh four fish this year, and no team brought in their limit. Mike and Carol Herrick weighed the only ‘over,’ a 6.88 lb 28.25 walleye.
Mike and Carol took first place with a basket weighing 11.06 lbs. Second place was Ron and Chrissy Beck with a 4.22 lb basket. They were also the top placing Evinrude team and took home the $150 gift card. Third place went to Scott and Deb St. Sauver, with a basket weighing 3.35 lbs. Mike and Carol qualify for the 2014 Cabela’s National Team Championship to be held next June.
We once again had some great gifts for the anglers, thanks in large part to our sponsors. Cabela’s again provided several gift cards for the anglers and also provided hats for everyone. Ranger and Cabela’s provided can coolers. Evinrude provided a $150 gift card for clothing.
You’ll see some electric green t-shirts around town—all participants and volunteers were given a cool anniversary t-shirt to help us celebrate. Bowen Lodge up on Winnibigosh joined us as a sponsor this year, donating a three-day two-person stay in one of their cabins. Berkely provided some fabulous gear bags, and Pure Fishing contributes some unique Fenwick rods.
The fish fry was fantastic as usual, and our thanks to Buzzie’s crew. See you next year!!
Fishermen’s Wharf Resort:
Ice Update: Last night’s blowing and drifting created lots of headaches this morning. The roads are opened up and all in good condition. The bridge at 2 Mile is closed, and the staff is working on a new location for another bridge. We’ll keep you posted when a bridge is open again. Stay Warm!
Nitti’s Hunters Point Resort:
Launch boats are doing well. There finding a ton of fish and a lot of keepers bobbed up on the rocks. I have two open boats going tomorrow, 1-5 and 6 pm-10. Today, the day launch caught 26 fish with five people, and tonight, they already have over 50 with still 2 hours left. Give us a call to set up a reservation. 320-676-3227
Johnson’s Portside:
Fishing Mille lacs has been a lonely sport this summer.
Crowds are scarce on the weekends and even more so during the week on Mille lacs. Fishing has been no less than “STUPENDOUS” for most of the year, and slot fish are being caught and put in the pan. For some reason, the perception is it’s a lousy fishing year on the big pond, WRONG!!
Water temps in the mid-’70s and moving up with the hot days, most fishing types will get the walleyes in the boat, Riggin’, blades,slip-floats, and now the lead-liners are starting to appear and having good results.
Smallmouth is a no-brainer for some mid-day fun, and northern or muskie are here too.
No crowds to fight, and some great summer weather awaits you.
GET UP HERE AND FISH !!
Westside of Mille Lacs
Rocky Reef Resort:
No Report yet!
North End of Mille Lacs
Barnacle Bills Resort:
7-22-2013
A big thank you to all that entered the Barnacles “in house” fishing tournament this weekend. A bigger thank you to the Barnacles staff for doing an excellent job hosting the event. All had a good time.
Fishing: those that did well this weekend made adjustments with a north wind that approached us Friday and turned things around a little. Finding the groups of feeding fish on the edge of the mudflats and staying on them was vital. Rigging with leeches is still working on the Mud, but once again, find the grouped up fish first. Spinners with crawlers are also working on the Mud and trolling lead core between the mudflats. Even bite is best with slip bobbers off the Mud’s deep side in 28-32 feet. I did have a report of active fish moving to the deep sand. I am planning on trolling that late this week and will keep you all posted.
7-14-2013
High winds and cold weather visited us this past weekend. Travel and fishing conditions were very challenging at times. The walleyes reacted to the weather as well. It’s approaching that time of the summer when our fish move again, this time slowly into fall patterns or a “forage feed.” Start looking to spinner rigs tipped with crawlers or minnows off the edges of the Mud. Main lake “basin trolling” with the lead core between the flats is a great option as well right now. The evening bobber bite out front on the first break was somewhat spotty this past weekend, guessing mother nature is assuming responsibility for that. Looking forward to a great upcoming weekend at Barnacles, great weather is forecasted!!!!
7-8-2013
Thank you to everyone for the safe boating and courtesy on the lake this past busy holiday weekend. Onto the fishing. The walleye bite is still in full swing right now. Daylight hours, the mudflats are on fire! All presentations are working out there. Rigging with leeches, spinners with crawlers, lead core trolling, and even basin style lead core trolling between flats produce fish, eaters, and bigger fish; we even put one on the wall this weekend! Evening hours, the first break in 16-22 ft is successful with slip bobbers and leeches and the bottom edges of the mudflats with bobbers in 28-32 ft.
7-1-2013
Welcome, everyone, to another great 4th of July week at Barnacles! The weather forecast looks very promising. We are expecting another great turnout out this year. Let’s make sure we are taking extra caution on the water to ensure a safe and enjoyable week for everyone.
On to the good stuff, Walleyes!!
With a slight lack of food still, the walleyes are going strong. The mudflats are holding plenty of fish. Rigs tipped with leeches are still working. The spinner bite has turned on as well out on the Mud; tip your spinners with either crawlers or rainbows. In closer, the sand is still giving up fish in 23-27′ during the day and 13-18′ at night. Look for lead core trolling to be useful as well real soon.
Lyback’s Resort:
Today as fishermen came off the lake, we got to see who caught what. Fishing was good for most Friday, Friday night, and Saturday a.m. When the winds started Saturday afternoon, it shut down until about midnight. Most of the rentals did fair overnight Saturday and early morning until about noon. The wind picked up along with the barometer, and things slowed.
All in all, except for a couple of houses, fishermen were happy with the fish they caught. Seen one and heard of two 30 plus inch Walleyes caught and released, and most Walleyes caught were too big to keep. With the 40 plus winds Saturday, everyone had a story to tell when they check out today after seeing what the lake can dish out if it wants to. All in all, I would say a pretty good weekend. All the rentals stayed were warm and safe, and all had a good time. We escorted a few lost fishermen from different areas that got turned around, but most fishermen stayed put through the worst of it. Today was spent clearing snow from the access and the first mile out on our roads ( I think most of the snow on the lake ended up in front of us), and it was like plowing cement. But we got it all cleared away, and we are in good shape now. It sounds like the next couple of days; we are headed for the deep freeze. No more ice worries! Time for the auger extensions!
Red Door Resort:
The Red Door Resort Fishing Report 7-25-13
The lead core trolling bite has been the best presentation for catching fish this past week. Some reports are coming in from trolling a spinner crawler rig. At the same time, others are still catching some fish on lindy rigs and leeches. The mudflats are still the main area to concentrate your efforts. Salmo Hornets and small Rapalas have been the crankbaits of choice, and hammered gold and hammered silver blades have been the best for spinners. The water temperature has been in the mid 70’s the past couple of weeks now.
Smallmouth action is still an option near the shallow rock shorelines. Tube jigs and topwater popper plugs will now turn a few fish!
It’s not too early to start thinking about your fall full moon plans.
Bob “Bobber” Carlson
The Red Door Resort Staff
South End of Mille Lacs
Hunter Winfield’s Resort:
No Report yet!
Chapman’s Mille Lacs Resort & Guide Service:
Guide Trip this morning caught eight walleyes, two smallmouths, and one pike, and for a change, only one walleye was too big; the rest were 14-17″ which was nice to see and one keeper.
Tony Roach’s Video Report from YouTube on the Current Mille Lacs Bite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVzkdnWbPno
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