# MN Report



## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

From Tony Dean:

MILLE LACS(cf) ? Johnsonˆs Portside, Crappies! Weˆre talkin' Mille Lacs Lake slabs. Yes, Mille Lacs does have crappies and theyˆre awesome. Most of the early action is coming from shallow rocks. 
Weˆre talking 2 to 3 feet of water. A small jig and crappie minnow have taken some dandy fish. They can be a trick to find, so for more details stop in and see Shannon.

ALEXANDRIA(b) ? Christophersonˆs Bait & Tackle, Most area lakes are hot right now for crappies and sunnies. A few lakes worth a look at are Geneva, Pocket, Lobster and 
Victoria. The fish seem to be active all day long. Spring fishing is here.

BATTLE LAKE(p) ? Benˆs Bait and Tackle, Blanche and Dead lakes are starting to produce someactivity for crappies and sunnies. Look for shallow warm water and youˆll find the fish.

BIG STONE(b) ? Budˆs Bait & Tackle, Opening walleye fishing is this weekend. If the weather cooperates we should have a decent bite going. For all of your fishing needs, stop in and check us out.

CHISAGO CITY(p) ? Frankieˆs Live Bait and Marine, The crappie bite kicked into high gear this past weekend. A few areas that really took off were Pancake Island on South Center, the south end of Chisago and the north end of North Center. Stop in and see Brad for all of the details.

CROSSLAKE(pf) ? Holiday of Cross Lake, Ice came off smaller lakes and bays this past week, with Edward, Pelican and North Long 
lakes ice-free. Crosslake, Whitefish and Trout are half to three quarters ice-free. Crappies are being found in bays and other shallow areas that warmed up early this week. Minnows and waxworms with hooks or jigs produces some fish.

DETROIT LAKES(b) ? Dick Beardsleyˆs Guide Service, The ice is off area lakes and it wonˆt be long before all the lakes start producing crappies. There are some fish going on Little Detroit Lake but not shallow yet, still out deeper 10-12 feet. If we could get some consistent warm weather, that would really help! It wonˆt be long and the crappies should really start to take off! Our local DNR are out doing their milking of walleyes at the fish hatchery on Lake Sallie. If you have never seen it done, you should as it is a great learning experience!

DULUTH(b) ? Marine General, Fishing is very good. Shore fishermen as well as boaters are finding a nice mix of rainbows, cohoes and lake trout. Pier fishermen are also having a great time catching these awesome fish. Smelt are still in the main lake and should be moving up into the streams in about a week or less. We are having a great time!

EDEN VALLEY(p) ? Mike1s Bait & Tackle, Crappies are hitting on Minne-Belle Lake in the shallows. Also, check out Horseshoe, Cedar Island and Long lakes. This bite is 
actually better during mid-afternoon. Action is finally starting to fire up.

LAKE OF THE WOODS(pi) ? Area Tourism Bureau, 
The 6th Annual Ice-Out Trophy Pike Tournament will be held this weekend, April 27-28 on Zippel Bay on Lake of the Woods. For ticket information and details call 1-800-222-2537.

LEECH LAKE(pi) ? Leech Lake Guide Coalition, ICE OUT! Most area lakes are reporting ice out! As of early in the week, there was still some ice remaining on Leech, with current weather it appears that will be gone by the weekend. Sharpen your hooks! For anglers looking to go panfishing opportunities abound. Check with resorts and bait shops for day-to-day updates on hot bites. Spring has sprung!

MAPLEWOOD(p) ? Larryˆs Live Bait and Sporting Goods, Most area lakes are producing a decent panfish bite. Bald Eagle, Whitebear, Peltier and Centerville are just a few bodies of water worth taking a look at.

MONTEVIDEO(p) ? DJˆs Sporting Goods, With the cold and windy weather we had last weekend, anglers were far and in between. Look for next weekˆs report to be a lot more lively!

PARK RAPIDS(b) ? Delaneyˆs Sport Center, Good weather means good fishing! There has been some decent crappie action when the conditions are decent. A couple lakes worth noting are Big Mantrap and Long Tom. As soon as the weather cooperates we should see the entire area take off.

PELICAN RAPIDS(c) ? Park Region Sport Shop, Lee Brenna, Intersection of Interstate 59 and 108 in downtown Pelican Rapids (800-962-8553)

RAINY LAKE(i) ? Rainy Lake Tourism, We are excited for the walleye opener May 11 on Rainy Lake! We are looking forward to rolling out the red carpet for Governor Ventura, his party and hundreds of media members to experience a true northwoods fishing opener.

STARBUCK ? Minnewaska Bait, Panfish are hot right now. The Starbuck Marina has been excellent for spring action. Crappies are hitting minnows and sunnies are biting on waxies. Only fish down about 2 feet below the surface. Pelican Lake is also giving up some nice fish in the shallow warm water.

WABASHA(p) ? Daveˆs Bait and Bullets, As of Tuesday, the gates on the dam were finally opened up which has basically shut down fishing in the area. Anglers still working the 
area are finding a finding a nice mix of smallies and perch. Otherwise, it has really slowed down for the time being!

WACONIA(p) ? Maseˆs In Towne Marina,) Our docks are finally going in as we speak. Good angling reports are far and in between with the wild weather. Peterson Creek has been the best spot for warm water and also clusters in the milfoil in Waconia Bay. Both areas traditionally hold good numbers of panfish.

WAYZATA(p) ? Wayzata Bait & Tackle, Just in time for spring, the Gander Mountain crappie contest is this weekend. Anglers can purchase tickets at one of Gander Mountainˆs Twin Cities locations. The contest hours are from 12:00 a.m. Sat. thru 2 p.m. Sat. The weigh-in will take place at Lord Fletcherˆs. 
It should be a lot of fun. Speaking of crappies, anglers are reporting good activity in Grayˆs, Maxwell and Black lakes. The magic depth currently has 
been 6-7 feet.

C-J Johnson - Outdoor Media Relations 
Minnesota Office of Tourism 
100 Metro Square 
121 7th Place 
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101


----------

