Memorial Weekend Mille Lacs Fishing Report
5-23-2014
Well, once again, it is Memorial Day Weekend, and many are up on Mille Lacs, ready to have a good holiday weekend and to do some fishing. Contrary to what many have been saying, the fishing has been pretty good. For those who travel to “The Pond” and have fishing on the radar, the outcome can be positive as long as you stick to some basic rules and tactics.
Find the baitfish and find walleyes!
Right now, the water temps are still cool. They are always freezing. The walleyes are still transitioning from shallower waters to deep waters. The key is finding them during this transition period. The cold temps have been proven to hold good things, though. The walleyes are schooling tight, and when you find one with your electronics, you will find more.
Key areas holding fish are still ones with darker and transitioning bottoms. These areas have baitfish. Rocks, boulders, and humanmade structures transitioning from shallow depths to the 10’-15’ are always a great area to focus on. From the southeast to the mid-east and mid-western rock reefs are going hot right now. Even getting right up on Spirit or Father Hennepin can find good schools of walleye.
This week, the bait of choice has still been larger minnows and mid-large sized jig heads. Pulling them across schools of walleye found with electronics is the right thing to do.
Secrete Tip: Pike/Sucker Minnows and even Bullheads. Leeches this weekend will not be worth the time. The fish are hungry. More practical, live baits will be standing your presentation out over nature forage.
The main thing is to get out and fish. You will never catch anything by not fishing.
Call your favorite Mille Lacs resort. Many have extra openings this weekend, and I will be more than happy to get them filled with your last-minute request. Have a great weekend!
Eastside of Mille Lacs
Appeldoorn’s Sunset Bay Resort:
Agate Bay Resort:
No Report
Mac’s Twin Bay Resort with Buzzie’s on the Bay Bar and Restaurant:
No Report
Fishermen’s Wharf Resort:
No Report
Nitti’s Hunters Point Resort:
Fishing Report May 18th, 2014
The water temps are starting to move in the right direction…. Reports are between 46 – 52 degrees. With that said, the weather forecast looks pretty nice for the next five to seven days! We appear to be about two to three weeks behind normal with the late ice out.
Walleye fishing should improve or move to more traditional presentations like a rig and a leech. The sand bite has been in 14 to 18 feet of water. This may move a bit deeper as the water warms all week. Also, the deeper rock/sand transitions you would typically try in early spring… last week’s tournament was won on a rig and leech presentation. Minnows are producing too, so having both may not be a bad idea… your call!
The evening bite reports I am getting are starting to normalize and trolling shorelines and rocks with shad raps and raps. Bobber bite has had some success too.
Smallmouth report has been relatively consistent with inside 9 foot producing using just about any walleye technique or traditional bass tactic.
Something new, I will try to update on the sunny and crappie bite for this area too. With what I said about the water temps, the crappie bite is going well on the area’s smaller lakes. Shallow water with a minnow under a bobber. I went crappie fishing on Mille Lacs but did not catch any, but many people were out fishing them too. So the report is any day, hopefully!
I witnessed something cool yesterday, two mating pairs of Musky in about 18 inches of water. I have seen this before, and it seems to be a few weeks behind schedule, from what I recall. Hope to see you all this weekend … be safe!
Johnson’s Portside:
Water temps in the mid-forties, and we still had some walleye action on Mille lacs.
Yes, the number of anglers was down for numerous reasons, but those that fished the 2014 opener had a great time.
Most reports came from less than 16′ of water. Sand or rocks didn’t matter.
Jig n minnows worked well, something quite a few anglers on Mille lacs are not familiar with, but those that know the technique can do well in the cooler water.
Slot fish were caught, and quite a few large walleyes were landed as well. Expect to see some of the smaller fish when the water warms up.
Mille lacs is always a great lake for recreation and fishing, and nobody can beat our sunsets.
We will see many of you in the coming weeks as the vacations start and the weather warms (it will, right?)
DO THE LAKE!
Westside of Mille Lacs
Rocky Reef Resort:
We have all of the docks in finally, and we had beautiful weather for that. Fishing is starting to pick up also, and it should only get better as the water temps get warmer. It has been a late spring for all of us, so I am sure most of you have been trying to get your spring things done also. Well, memorial weekend is almost here, and with the warm weather this week, the bite should start to pick up the weekend.
I believe that there will be a great bite ahead, and we will take full advantage of it. This is still one hell of a fishery, no matter what the DNR says. They do have a clue of what is out there, but for those of us that fish here, we know better. So with that being said, come on up and enjoy what the lake and the area have to offer. I have cabin #1 still available for this weekend, so if you need a cabin for this weekend, give us a call @ 320 532 3431, and we will set it up for you.
North End of Mille Lacs
Barnacle Bills Resort:
No Report
Red Door Resort:
Sunday was a better day for fishing with several large walleye caught, including some elusive 18-20″ caught on the north end. Here are some pics of Dean (in the green shirt) and Nathan Kulifaj on their first fishing adventure on Lake Mille Lacs with Andy Larsen and family. The Walleye is 25″, 26″ and even an 18.5″ keeper. Special thanks to Andy and their family for taking the boys fishing out front of the Red Door Resort.
South End of Mille Lacs
Wilderness Warmth:
No Report
Jerry Brandt’s Ice Fishing:
No Report
Lyback’s Resort:
No Report
Hunter Winfield’s Resort:
No Report
Chapman’s Mille Lacs Resort & Guide Service:
No Report