Outdoors Weekly Minnesota Fishing Report

ANNANDALE 1-5-10
- B.J.'s Bait & Tackle - www.bjsbait.com
Bill, west side of Clearwater Lake, between the two public accesses (320-274-3730)
We have 12 to 16 inches of ice. Not much water on top of ice anymore, just a few spots, any good 4 wheel drive truck could go just about anywhere you want (always places on Clearwater Lake you never go, ei channels). I have plowed path to Cuppies, behind Bungalow Island, past the narrows (Third Island), and almost all the way to Hwy 24. The lake is in pretty good condition, it is rough from all the refrozen ruts. Cars, vans and 2 wheel trucks can get around on the plowed paths. Getting walleyes in about 18 to 25 feet of water, use a shiner with plain or colored hook, and or a jig with the head of the minnow. Some crappies, deep water, 30 to 50 feet, glow jigs with crappie minnows. Sunnies are 8 to 12 feet, guys seeing them but the bite is slow. Fair amount of northerns, angled and speared, can see bottom in 10 feet of water.

BATTLE LAKE 1-20-10
- Ben's Bait & Tackle
Josie, Junction of Hwy 78 and 210 (218-864-5596)

Walleye: Ottertail, West Battle Lake, and Eagle. Lot of reports out of the deeper water try from 30-35 feet or towards evening on Ottertail go up onto the flats. Most people are jigging with fatheads or using s/m suckers or shiners on set lines.

Northerns: Ottertail, West Battle Lake, S Turtle 17 feet in the weeds using large shiners or suckers

Sunfish: Rush (east Side), S turtle, W Battle Lake, Star, Dead, W Lost...... 10-20 feet with the bigger ones coming out of the deeper water. Best bait to use is waxies or spikes

Crappies: W Battle Lake, S Turtle, Rush (East Side), W Lost, Star Most of the crappies are coming out of 20 feet fishing suspended. Using crappie minnows

Tullebees: Star and Ottertail Lake, 33-38 feet using waxworms or crappie minnows.

BEMIDJI 12-16-09
- Bluewater Bait & Sports - www.bluewater-bait.com
Mark Cook, 136 Peaceful Meadows Ln., Hwy 197 South on the Hwy 2 Junction, (218-444-2248)
Anglers are fishing on Lake Urban, about a foot of ice, using fatheads, about 12-18 feet of water for walleyes, right off access. Lake Bemidji, try 15-20 feet out in front of Library Park. Pike are also a good choice for these lakes. Grace Lake good for bluegills.

BLACKDUCK 1-20-10
- Timberline Sport & Tackle
Carl Adams, Junction of Hwy 71 and Blackduck Lake Rd. (218-835-4636)
Weather has been nice for ice fishing. Anglers are driving out, plenty of ice, a little bit of slush. Anglers are working hard to catch nice perch on Blackduck Lake. It's a tough bite, but nice fish have been reported. You will also have to work for the crappies and sunfish. Try small jigs and waxies. A few walleyes being caught on Island, Gull and Blackduck. Try jigging spoons for the best results.

BRAINERD / NISSWA 1-20-10
- S&W Bait and Tackle - www.sandwbait.com
Home of Nisswa Guide League and the S&W Guide Service, Located on Hwy 371, 7 ½ miles north of Brainerd and 7 ½ south of Nisswa, exactly halfway (218-829-7010)
Decent fishing, nice weather! Fish for crappies 20-35 feet deep. Try a blue jig, rosie red minnow or waxworm. Gull, Hubert best lakes. Walleye action decent from 20-40 feet on jigging spoons tipped with a minnow or a red hook with a rainbow or a shiner. North Long or Pelican best lakes. Sunnies and pike are shallow, try nice size sucker minnows. For sunnies use a glow hook with eurolarvae or a waxworm. Panfish are shallow. For the Brainerd contest this weekend on Gull Lake , try glow jigs or a jigging spoon with a shiner or a rosie red minnow, in deeper water!

CHISAGO CITY 1-20-10
- Frankie's Live Bait and Marine - www.frankies.net
Brad, Corner of Hwy 8 and CR 77 (651-257-6334)
The bite's on! Fishing is better than average. We have golden shiners!!!!! Walleyes hitting on South Lindstrom from 18-20 feet of water, south side. Walleye biting on North Center on Nelson's Bar, 18-20 feet. South Center, try fishing off of Needle Point in deeper water, in the center of the lake, getting walleyes, 20-25 feet. Big pike hot on on Sunrise. Panfish best on the south end of Chisago, sunfish best out of Chisago, fishing off the A-frame early a.m, 8-12 mornings. Crappies going on the center of Chisago, get away from the crowd, 24-28 feet of water. South Center, around Pancake Island, try tip-up fishing for pike. Sunnies going there during the day.

CROSBY 2-1-10
- Oars-N-Mine Bait and Tackle - www.oarsnmine.com
Jesse Williams, 22640 Hwy 6 N (218-546-6912)
Walleye reports on serpent, Rabbit and Pelican have slowed a bit but some fish can be caught in the evenings in 25-28 FOW on these lakes. Downsizing has been key as Rainbow chubs or crappie minnows hanging on a small Forage Minnow or Frostee spoon has been the setup of choice. Nokay, Bay and Clearwater have been good bets for crappies and an occasional walleye mixed in fishing the deeper water, anywhere from 28-42’. Other lakes to look at for crappies would be Cedar, Crooked, Upper Dean, Mahnomen and Milford with all of them offering an all-day bite. There are some decent bluegills being pulled from Mahnomen in 8-12 FOW in the afternoons on waxies and eurolarvae. For pike action, try the road-bed on East Rabbit, the hump in front of the Lower Mission access or the weed edges in front of White Hawk on Bay Lake.

DULUTH 1-20-10
- Marine General - www.marinegeneral.com
1501 London Road, on the edge of Lake Superior (218-724-8833)
Boulder Lake is good for night action. Crappies hitting on small bright colored jigs there (1/8-1/16). Anglers are going out to the bay on Superior for walleyes, try 8-10 feet using rattle spoons in bright colors, glow in the dark should work great. Fish Lake is slushy, so not many anglers getting out there.

ELY 2-8-10
- Babe's Bait and Tackle - www.babesbait.com
451 W. Sheridan St., Ely, MN, first business on the left as you are entering town of Ely from the west on Hwy 169 (218-365-6930)

GLENWOOD 2-1-10
- Fish On Bait & Sport www.habitatnow.com
Kyle, 201 S Franklin St, 2 blocks south of stoplights in Glenwood (320-634-3667) GREAT ICE CONDITIONS ON MINNEWASKA...FRESHWATER SHRIMP NOW IN!!! Lake and ice conditions are some of the best in the state and here is an update. Glenwood Beach...access is in great shape but fewer people fishing out from the beach now. "The Beach" is usually a good spot to start with early ice and also a great spot to go near the end for walleyes. Lakeside...access is in really great shape. Pretty smooth and easy slope to bring fish houses out on. There are still several houses out from "Lakeside" and on "The Old Road Grade"...still have reports of walleyes being caught there. Several roads go out from it. DNR Landing...both sides of the DNR Landing are in great shape with the west side being smooth and with a low incline for getting houses on. Several roads go out from it to Crappie Town, Old Road Grade, etc. Sac's Landing (pay access)...looks good with several roads going out from it into Bottle Bay. Sherriff's Landing (free access just a mile west of Sac's Landing)...really good access and I have been using this one regular to get out to Bottle Bay, School Bars and School Point. Several roads go out from this access. The roads are hard packed, a little rough but not too bad, but very hard. There was 16 to 18 inches of ice last time I drilled some holes. Many many small vehicles, half ton trucks and suburbans on the lake and pulling houses around. No one should have any problem with getting houses out and getting around. I was out of town late last week and thru the weekend at a sport show in Rochester. It was a good show however and I gave daily seminars on "Small Property Management for Whitetails". It is a really good seminar and will get you thinking about your property or where you hunt...I will be giving this seminar at the Deer Classic in March as well if you want to stop by. I will also be at the NW Sport Show in March but not giving seminars at that event...just a booth. Updates...I am just getting back into the swing of things but from what I have heard so far is that if you work around you will get your sunfish...and nice sized. There is a good sunfish bite out from Lakeside now and one fella reported back that he had his limit of nice fish by 1 pm on Sat. in 14 to 16 fow. As with all lakes in the area, and maybe the state, the late algae and zooplankton has provided a lot of late season food sources for the panfish in deeper water...probably the same thing going on with Reno. We are hoping this food source will be eaten down soon and the fish will get more active and even more into the weedlines searching for new food. Time will tell. I will have to check with more people on the walleye bite. The core group that I fish with said they "seen" a lot of walleyes but could not get them to bite. Like I have mentioned before, the walleyes that we catch have a lot of "bait" in the bellies and often bait that was dead and most likely scavenged off the bottom. For example, my last walleye had 8 fathead "heads" and two tails in it. That could only mean it was picking thrown away heads and tails from people jigging. Kinda like Noonan's Park in Alexandria...the ducks there don't need to fly out to feed in the fields or ponds when they can just wait around and get full when people throw them food. Stop in or contact us for current updates and fishing reports. We also have the "Habitat Outlet Store" well stocked with some of the most diverse and high quality food plot and native prairie seeds. Also visit the Habitat Outlet on line at www.HabitatNOW.com for all your fall and spring habitat needs as well as our fish house rentals (view houses on-line in the Habitat Outlet Store). There is a "Ice Fishing Get Together" February 6th with some cash prizes, etc. Call me for details.

GREY EAGLE 1-20-10
- Nancy's Bait & Tackle
Rex, 4 miles east of the Rock Tavern on Big Birch Lake, 4 miles west of Upsala (320-285-2405)
People are driving on the lakes now. Catching walleyes on Cedar Lake and Mound Lake. Walleyes and crappies hitting on Big Birch Lake, deep water. Good crappie bite on Moose Lake, crappie minnows and waxworms. Cedar Lake (a different Cedar by St. Rose) catching sunfish. Big Swan reports a good sunfish and crappie bite. Limits reported there. North end of Two Rivers Lake has a good crappie bite. Sporadic sunfish and crappie bite on Lady Lake. Some crappies biting on Bass Lake by Grey Eagle, big fish but not limits. Other lakes, if you are willing to drive, have good darn bites, stop in and ask Rex! We have a good supply for the Brainerd Contest this weekend - stop by on the way - shiners, suckers, rosie reds, rainbows, big fatheads - everything you need!

HACKENSACK 2-2-10
- Swanson's Bait & Tackle - www.swansonsbait.com
Jim Tuller, Hwy 371 on the north end of Hackensack (218-675-6176)
The walleye report has slowed from what it was but the perch actions has started to show some signs of improvement. 9-13 feet of water is still the best bet for perch. Use the head of a fathead on a jigging spoon and stay mobile, the anglers that are doing the best are the ones that keep moving spots. When the action slows move to a new location and try again. It does not have to be far, sometimes 20 feet makes a difference. Both the Northland Buck Shot Spoon and the Lindy Rattling Flyer Spoon have been good choices. The extra sound that the rattles create help to attract the perch. Also, getting away from the crowds makes a big difference. It is a big lake with a lot of similar structure and with just a little effort you can find your own spot where the fish will bite better than they would in the spot with all of the fish houses and all of the noise. Walker Bay is a busy place but there are still plenty of spots to get to an area without neighbors. Pine Point is another good area to try, again, a lot of good structure so you can find quiet spots to fish. As for the smaller local lakes not too much to report, The walleye and crappie action on most of them has trailed off to a few fish a night. It will not be long and the panfish activity will increase. Warmer and longer days make all of the difference for the panfish. If you want to start looking for panfish now, target the 18-24 feet of water range close to shallower weed beds. Small jigs and waxworms are the best presentation. Staying mobile is critical here also.

KABETOGAMA-NAMAKAN 2-1-10
- Gateway Store kabfishingreport.com
Phil & Ellen Hart, US Hwy 53 & Co Rd 122, 30 miles south of Int'l Falls-Canadian border (218-875-2121)
A very pleasant typical weather week was host to many anglers this past week. Both pike anglers and walleye hunters found conditions to be ripe, but very little cooperation from the fish. Walleye anglers have had the best success in the early evening houses, and just after dark, minnows and glow jigs, or a light ball head jig with a minnow head may suffice. Pike fishermen still spearing with some success or a good option is tip-ups with small sucker minnows. Crappies still on leave waiting for warmer weather before they show up. Historically March seems to favor them. Now is a good time to experiment with ice fishing at some of your favorite late summer reefs, depths in the 30-38' range may produce. Many of the lake trails are groomed for great access to various areas of the lakes. Land trails are in excellent condition.

LAKE OF THE WOODS 2-8-10
- Lake of the Woods Area Tourism Bureau - www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com
near Junction of Hwy 11 and Hwy 172 in Baudette, (1-800-382-FISH)
Fishing remains excellent in the waters of Lake of the Woods. Anglers have seen nice limits of keeper walleyes at the Northwest Angle and Islands. This includes some larger sized fish between 20-23 inches.
The best tackle has been gold, pink and white, and chartreuse jigs tipped with a chub minnow. There is currently 30 inches of ice. At the south shore actions is still taking place, west of Pine Island and north of Gracton/Zippel in 32-36 feet of water. Again, anything that glows is the tackle to use tipped with a minnow. Nice eating size fish plus a few trophy walleyes are coming through. One angler experienced a 29.5 inch walleye last week. There’s another group of houses that have gone fishing in deeper water and farther out to the north. It’s February and fishing starts to heat up at the reefs at Three Sisters and Knight Island…21 miles north. Again, many trophies are coming through the ice. Snowmobile trails are groomed and ready for a great ride. Snowmobile hotline is 218-634-3042. For more information, contact our website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com or give us a call at 1-800-382-FISH (3474)

LEECH LAKE 2-2-10
- Anderson's Resorts - www.andersonsleech-lake.com
Tim, (1-800-516-0077) (1-800-516-0077)
Leech Lake has been great , I have had great luck with walleyes as of late. The last hour of sunlight is when you want to be out there. Pine and Ottertail points are very active. Sand Point and Boy Bay are working great for perch. We have been using Swedish pimples with glow with minnow heads . I have heard that Shingobee Bay is still producing panfish with mixed size reports. Overall ice conditions are great with lots of roads to get around. Eelpout is right around the corner so keep that in mind! Come enjoy Leech lake with us!

METRO AREA EAST 1-6-10
- Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle - www.blueribbonbait.com
Oakdale, Josh, (651-777-2421)
People are catching good fish on the St. Croix river in Bayport. The action is not always the best but the average crappies caught are big, and trophy slabs are not uncommon. Many of the crappies are being caught in the deeper holes using crappie minnows and small teardrops. The river has been giving up walleyes and saugers as well. Jigging rapalas and darters are a productive way of locating and catching the active walleyes. White Bear Lake has been producing nice crappies for many anglers, most of the people doing well have been searching the shallow weeds at twilight and after dark, using a minnows and euro larva with small glow jigs. Lake Jane and Lake Demontreville as of late have been a great place to catch panfish and or set up tip-ups, there always seems to be something biting out there.

MILLE LACS 2-1-10
- Kuduk's Guide Service - www.kuduksguideservice.com (320-630-1761)
Walleye bite still going strong on Mille Lacs. Try jigging spoons, minnow heads, waxworms. Sherman's Flats, Busters Flats have been good. Also 7 mile, 8 mile and 9 mile, and the cut on Sherman's flat. 7 mile to 8 mile flats "fish off the edge" with jiggin spoons. Tip with minnow heads and wax worms. Also try shermans flat. Roads outta North Star Resort at Wigmam Bay anglers are getting perch in the middle of the bay. Lots of big jumbos. Off of Brown's Point, anglers catching perch. Smaller lakes around Ham Lake producing panfish. Shakopee and Platte also producing panfish, this is an evening bite.

LAKE MINNETONKA 1-20-10
- Wayzata Bait & Tackle
Tim or Bob, half mile west off I-494 on Hwy 12 (952-473-2227)
Walleyes are in deeper water, from 24-45 feet. Try using rainbows right off the bottom. Pike are up in the weed edge, 22-24 feet. Crappies in the deep holes, suspended, 4 feet off the bottom. Some nice sunnies in the weeds. Try eurolarvae with small jigs and light line. The ice is good in all bays, about 15-18 feet.

RAINY LAKE 2-1-10
- Rainy Lake Tourism - www.rainylake.org
(1-800-FALLS-MN)
Rainy Lake ice anglers are hitting areas to the east now and having pretty good luck. Walleye are being caught near Steamboat Island and the mouth of Cranberry Bay in about 30 feet of water. Walleye are still hitting in Sand Bay as well. There are more roads opened now and that has led to people trying some different structure. The bite is best near the end of daylight and a jig and minnow seems to be working best. Some big northern are being pulled through the ice near Rainy Lake City. Big minnows work best for the big northern. Reports on the crappie bite have been sporadic, but when you find the crappie, you stand a good chance of getting some very nice sized fish. Snowmobile trails are in pretty good shape and the groomers are operating on a regular schedule. There may be some thin patches where trails meet logging operations, but they are short. The Rainy Lake trails in Voyageurs National Park are all open and staked and area cross country ski and snowshoe trails are open and tracked. For the most up-to-date information you can call the International Falls, Ranier and Rainy Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1 800 325 5766.

UPPER RED LAKE 1-20-10
- White Birch Resort - vacation@whitebirchresort.net
Monte Sharbono (218-835-4552)
Red Lake has been decent, good to so-so depending on the day. It's either really good or it varies. For walleyes, try jigging spoons. People are driving out, plenty of ice, little bit of slush. Weather has been nice for ice fishing. Call us for an update!

WACONIA 2-2-10
- Mase's In Towne Marine - www.intownemarina.com
Cindy, corner of Lake and Elm (952-442-2096)

Temperatures have dropped significantly since our last posting and the lake has firmed right back up. The roads are pretty bumpy in spots, but thanks to Jim and his V-plow, getting around is still just as doable. You will find that off-roading isn't bad on the main lake, as long as you stay out of an old abandoned road or path. The snow has really depleted out there, but a little fresh stuff from earlier in the week sure prettied things up giving us some needed banking snow.

WATERVILLE AREA 2-3-10
- Axel's Tackle Box - www.axelstacklebox.blogspot.com
Axel, 101 North Hwy 13, next to Casey's (507-362-4444)
Perch and gills are being caught on Tetonka in 10-15 feet of water. Use spikes of either mixed color or red. Northerns still are being caught using smaller suckers on the south side of the lake. Walleye bite is slow. Lake Elysian also giving up a few northerns using smaller suckers.

Mobility seems to be the key right now on Big Winnie and moving from area to area weekly seems to be working for anglers chasing a variety of different fish. Getting into February begins the quest for yellow perch and there's no better place to fish them than Lake Winnibigoshish. The north humps. especially the ones located 1-2 miles south of Stony Point are definitely worth looking at. As the schools of perch start moving from deep mud flats, locating them can be a problem until they settle into humps, bars, and extended points like Sugar, Raven, Stony and the structure located off the north shore. There are perch located on the shallower flats, but they tend to be smaller and you may have to catch quite a few and sort some to keep. Small Forage Minnow Spoons, Macho Minnows, and Buck Shot Rattle Spoons are all good choices. Either bait then with a chub or shiner head, or 4-6 euro larvae are hard for the perch to reject. Keep moving and drill lots of holes to finds hungry schools of great tasting perch. The walleye action has slowed somewhat and early and late in the day are your best options. Crappie and bluegill fishing has been hit and miss in Big and Little Cutfoot, but there are still fish available and think small when chasing them. Two pound test line and the new Ice Hunter Series of rods and reels from Frabill are excellent choices when fishing these late winter fish. Depths of 24-30 feet are best and be mobile to find hungry fish. Tiny baits and either euro larvae or waxies seem to work best. There's still a lot of ice fishing left so get out and enjoy the last few weeks of hard water fishing.