# Minnesota Fishing Report



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Minnesota Fishing Report 
By Outdoor News
The Associated Press - Friday, December 16, 2005

There's been steady walleye action reported during the evening hours on lakes such as Le Homme Dieu, Reno, Darling and Miltona. The key is to fish tight to the weeds in 12 to 20 feet of water with shiner minnows and setlines or jigging spoons and minnow heads. Look for panfish in the shallower weeds on Lake Geneva, Pocket Lake and the north end of Lake Le Homme Dieu.

ANNANDALE AREA

The west and east ends of Clearwater Lake are kicking out walleyes in 20 feet of water and crappies in 16 feet. There have been good walleye reports coming from 14 to 18 feet of water on Sugar Lake, Lake Sylvia and Buffalo Lake during the evening hours. You'll find suspended crappies over 20 to 30 feet of water on lakes such as John, Pleasant and Marie. These same lakes are worth noting for sunfish in 10 to 12 feet of water.

BATTLE LAKE

Fathead minnows are producing walleyes and perch in eight to 12 feet of water or 18 to 22 feet on Otter Tail Lake. Walleyes and crappies have been hitting shiner minnows and fatheads in 18 to 20 feet of water on West Battle Lake. Look for sunfish to the right of the access on Buchanan Lake. On South Turtle Lake, walleyes, crappies and sunfish have been caught out from the access in 16 to 20 feet of water. Blanche Lake is worth noting for crappies and walleyes in 16 to 20 feet of water.

BLACKDUCK AREA

Look to the shallow weeds with sucker minnows for northern pike on Blackduck Lake. Blackduck also is producing walleyes and some good-sized perch in 12 to 20 feet of water. Rabideau Lake remains the area's best bet for crappies and bluegills in eight to 10 feet of water.

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA

Walleye fishing is still consistent with golden shiners or rainbow minnows in 17 to 22 feet of water on Round Lake, North Long Lake and Gull Lake. Big sucker and shiner minnows have produced northern pike in 10 to 15 feet of water on Gull and North Long.

CHISAGO AREA

The channel on South Lindstrom Lake is producing walleyes and crappies in 12 to 16 feet of water. Look to Kroon Lake for northern pike and crappies in 8 to 20 feet of water. Sunrise Lake started giving up a few more panfish and northern pike in 10 to 12 feet of water, while Nelsons Island on North Center Lake is worth noting for walleyes in 14 to 18 feet of water.

CROSS LAKE AREA

Lakes such as Pelican, Round and Edwards are giving up nice-sized walleyes in 14 to 20 feet of water. Large minnows have been the ticket for northern pike on Fox Lake and Pine Lake. Crappie and sunfish action has improved in 12 to 16 feet of water on Greer Lake and Ossawinamakee Lake. Small jigs tipped with crappie minnows or waxworms have worked best.

EAST-CENTRAL MINN

The north end of Fremont Lake is a safe bet for northern pike in four to six feet of water. Expect to find active walleyes during the evening hours on Green Lake in 12 to 15 feet and on Elk Lake in six to nine feet of water. Work the 12- to 16-foot breaks on lakes such as Blue, Baxter and Elk for numbers of sunfish and crappies.

GRAND RAPIDS AREA

Shiner minnows are producing walleyes during the evening hours in 15 to 18 feet of water on Lake Pokegama. Swan Lake is a safe bet for northern pike in 12 to 14 feet, as is Big Trout Lake in shallower depths. Big Trout and the Williams Narrows area of Big Cutfoot Sioux Lake are kicking out crappies in 18 to 20 feet of water. A few walleyes have been caught near the island on Big Cutfoot in 15 to 20 feet of water during the evening.

HUTCHINSON

One to five inches of ice is reported, so use caution and know where you're going. There's been decent evening walleye action on Lake Washington in eight to 12 feet of water. Numbers of 14- to 15-inch walleyes and nice perch have come from Peterson Lake in less than 12 feet of water. Look to Lake Washington with sucker minnows for northern pike in 10 to 12 feet of water.

LAKE MILLE LACS

EAST - The perch bite has been very good in several areas of the lake. These fish are being pulled from 14 feet of water and continue to hang tight to the bottom. Look to Cove Bay, Big Point, Isle Bay and Wahkon Bay for better numbers of jumbos. Walleye reports have been limited, although ATVs have started running to some of the flats.

WEST - St. Albans Bay is producing perch during the day in 18 to 24 feet of water and some walleyes toward evening in the same depths. The edge of Seguchies Flat kicked out walleyes in 26 feet of water over the past few days. Look for a combination of perch and walleyes off Seguchies Point in 22 feet of water. An occasional northern pike is pulled from St. Albans Bay, where nine inches of ice has taken shape.

LAKE MINNETONKA AREA

Anglers have begun walking out and catching a few walleyes on Lake Independence in 12 to 15 feet of water. Priest Bay on Lake Minnetonka is producing a few walleyes during the evening hours in 25 to 28 feet of water. Work the 12- to 15-foot weedlines on Medicine Lake for northern pike and some small walleyes.

LAKE OF THE WOODS

There's still a pretty decent evening and early morning walleye bite in the shallows of Four Mile Bay. Most anglers now have opted to fish the north side of Pine Island, starting at the Gap, in 16 to 22 feet of water. You'll find a mixture of saugers and walleyes in this area hitting setlines or red-glow jigging spoons tipped with shiner minnows. The best action last weekend took place during midday hours, despite strong winds that made it difficult to fish.

LAKE OSAKIS

Walleye activity has been pretty consistent during the evening hours out from the hill access on the north end. Jigs tipped with shiner minnows, fatheads or sucker minnows are producing fish in 18 to 23 feet of water. Crappie action is slow, but there are a few sunfish biting on the north end in 22 feet of water. Town Bay is the best option for northern pike in shallow water.

LAKE VERMILION

The walleye bite has been good on both ends of the lake. Look for the saddles, sharp breaks and humps to be holding the most fish in 16 to 28 feet of water. Bright yellow, dark green or glow jigs tipped with sucker minnows have worked best. Northern pike and panfish are biting well throughout the shallow, soft-bottomed bays.

LAKE WACONIA

Anglers have begun walking on the lake and finding some fishing success. The 10- to 14-foot milfoil edge in Waconia Bay is providing crappies and sunfish. The best walleye reports are coming off the weed edges located in 13 to 15 feet of water adjacent to Cemetery Reef and the north side of the bay.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH

Northern pike are being taken in shallow water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. This spot has been best because the water is much clearer here than the rest of the lake. You also can expect to catch good-sized perch in this area over seven to nine feet of water. There hasn't been much of a deep water perch bite, but there are walleyes being taken off Bena Bar during the evening hours in 22 to 26 feet of water. ATVs are being used as far out as two miles this week.

LEECH LAKE AREA

Work the 25- to 40-foot humps in Walker Bay during lowlight periods of the day for walleyes. The breaks off Cedar Point and Breezy Point are worth noting for walleyes on Leech Lake as well. Most of the fish are being taken on jigging spoons and minnow heads. You'll find perch off Sand Point and the south end of Walker Bay in six to 12 feet of water. There's been some nice sunfish pulled from Shingobee Bay in eight to 12 feet of water. There's also been some consistent walleye and panfish reports coming off Garfield Lake.

MANKATO AREA

Ice conditions remain iffy with two to six inches on most lakes. Mud Bay on Lake Washington has produced some sunfish during the morning and afternoon hours. Look to Loon Lake toward evening for walleyes. There's also some walleyes being caught just off the access on Crystal Lake.

McGREGOR AREA

A few walleyes are being caught on Lake Minnewawa in 12 to 15 feet of water. Bellhorn Bay on Big Sandy Lake remains the areas best option for crappies in 12 to 15 feet of water. Northern pike and sunfish have been tough to find.

PARK RAPIDS AREA

Fathead minnows have been the ticket for walleyes on Fish Hook Lake in 21 feet of water. On Big Mantrap Lake, sucker minnows have produced northern pike in 12 feet of water. Look for bluegills in 14 feet of water and suspended crappies over 25 feet of water on the Crow Wing Chain of Lakes. The best crappie action is after dark.

RAINY LAKE

The reef in Sand Bay is providing steady walleye action in 22 to 28 feet of water. Look to the Rainy Lake City area for walleyes as well in 22 feet of water. Both spots now can be reached by ATV, and the early morning and late afternoon hours have been most productive. Northern pike and crappie action has been slow.

RED LAKE

There's now a road open about 2.5 miles out. Crappie reports have been limited with two or three fish per group being reported. The few fish caught have been taken on red glow jigs and minnows during the evening hours. Although they all need to be released, most anglers have caught plenty of walleyes, especially close to shore.

ST. CLOUD AREA

Although you'll have to sort through some small fish, crappies are being caught in 14 to 18 feet of water on lakes such as Pearl, Horseshoe, Becker and Schneider. Rice Lake and Horseshoe Lake are the areas best walleye options in 20 feet of water during the evening hours. Northern pike continue to be caught in 12 to 16 feet of water at Grand Lake, Pleasant Lake and Pearl Lake.

STARBUCK AREA

There are two patterns taking shape for walleyes on Lake Minnewaska. The first is a good jig and minnow bite near the high school, after dark, in 25 to 30 feet of water. The other is a pre-sunset bite with setlines and shiner minnows in 14 to 18 feet of water on the Starbuck end of the lake. Panfish action has been slow.

STILLWATER AREA

Crappies are being pulled from the Bayport area of the St. Croix River in 15 to 20 feet of water. You'll find five to six inches of ice on this stretch of the river. Look to Big Carnelian Lake with minnows for crappies and largemouth bass in 15 feet of water. Lakes such as Big Marine and Carnelian are worth noting for northern pike.

TWIN CITIES METRO

NORTHEAST METRO - Sucker minnows have been the ticket for northern pike in eight to 12 feet of water at Battle Creek Lake, White Bear Lake and Big Marine Lake. There's some evening walleye action taking place on Lake Phalen and Bald Eagle Lake in 15 to 20 feet of water. Look for crappies on Phalen and the north end of Bald Eagle Lake in 10 to 12 feet of water.

WEST METRO - Northern pike and numbers of four-to-a-pound sunfish have been caught on Lake Auburn. The best spot has been just to the right of the access in 12 feet of water. Tip-ups have provided steady northern pike action left of the access on Pierson Lake in 15 feet of water. Look to Red Rock Lake for numbers of small sunfish in six feet of water. Three to five inches of ice is being reported on these lakes.

WILLMAR AREA

Ice depths range from two to five inches. Walleyes and good-sized panfish are coming from seven to 10 feet of water on Norway Lake. Diamond Lake is giving up walleyes and you'll hit some crappies and walleyes at Ringo Lake in eight feet of water. Panfish, northern pike and walleyes are biting on Solomon Lake in less than 10 feet of water.


----------



## Mud15 (Sep 24, 2004)

Thanks for the report :beer:


----------



## fargojohnson (Oct 17, 2005)

thank you. all good stuff. do you have anything on pelican in otter tail county? oke:


----------



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Here is a link to A bunch of MN fishing reports.

http://www.exploreminnesota.com/Fishing_Report.html

Must not be any fish in the Detroit Lakes region. They do not say anything about it :lol:

Enjoy!

Bob


----------

