Bass action remains excellent throughout the state, and many anglers continue to take nice numbers of walleye.
Water temperatures have cooled slightly so watch for changes over the next few weeks. For now, stay on the move until you locate fish. Anglers have found that they are more successful when using an aggressive approach.
BAUDETTE/WARROAD – LAKE OF THE WOODS & THE RAINY RIVER
Summer walleye fishing remains excellent with limits of walleye and sauger being taken from Lake of the Woods. Nice pods of eating-size walleye can be found in 12-20 feet of water in front of Pine Island, and near the Lighthouse and Morris Point gaps. Successful anglers are using spinnerbaits or crankbaits. The deep mud in 28-34 feet of water is also holding good numbers of walleye. For the most action at the mud, jig a frozen shiner or fathead minnow, drift a spinner and crawler, or troll a crankbait.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting good numbers of fish on the Rainy River. A 4-ounce weight combined with a sturgeon rig loaded with crawlers has been the best presentation. Large northern pike are feeding in the bays and feeder rivers. Smallmouth bass are active at the rocks, current breaks, bays and bridges.
Walleye fishing has been great at the Northwest Angle, especially at the reefs, points and neck-down areas with moving water. Jigging and pulling spinners have worked best. Good numbers of walleye can also be found on the mud flats. Muskie anglers continue to have success when casting at the shoreline structure.
Plan ahead for the 31st Annual North American Sturgeon Championship(opens in new window) held at Nelson’s Park in Birchdale on Saturday, Aug. 20! Be sure to bring the kids along for the 8th Annual North American Youth Sturgeon Championship.
Contact Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau for more information.
MOORHEAD – RED RIVER
All ramps on the Red River are now open and usable. Fishing has shifted to a full-on summer pattern as catfish spread out. Most catfish are coming from the holes; weather and other conditions will determine if the fish are in holes near fast or slow waters. The best baits can change a couple times each day. Frogs have been productive during morning hours with cut suckers most effective during afternoon hours most recently. Goldeyes will also produce some days. Remember that most spots will only produce a fish or two so don’t spend too much time in one location, especially if you have caught a couple of fish.
Contact the Fargo-Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau for more information.
BEMIDJI AREA LAKES
The bass bite has been phenomenal in Bemidji area lakes! Slinging plastic frogs into the lily pads and shallow weeds offers lots of fast action; during the day, plastic worms, tube jigs, and jig worms have been best. Walleye anglers continue to take some fish when using live bait rigs or spinner rigs with leeches or crawlers. Look to Bemidji, Blackduck, and the Cass Lake chain for the most fish. Crappies and bluegills continue to bite at the deep weed edges. The best presentations are small jigs and plastics, and crappie minnows or small leeches under a slip bobber.
Learn more at the Bemidji Area Lakes fishing video(opens in new window)!
Contact Visit Bemidji for more information.
PARK RAPIDS AREA LAKES
Water temperatures are declining slightly, with current water temperatures at roughly 73-degrees. Walleye action has been good but anglers will want to move a bit faster to catch fish. Try trolling crankbaits and spinner rigs in depths of 22-28 feet for the most action. The jig and rap bite has also been good. Crappie anglers are having success at the deeper weedlines in 15-23 feet of water. Sunfish are also biting well at the weed edges in depths of 12-25 feet. Bass anglers using topwater lures report a great smallmouth bass bite. Muskie and northern pike anglers are taking some very nice fish when trolling crankbaits over deep drop-offs.
Contact the Park Rapids Lakes Area for more information.
DETROIT LAKES AREA LAKES
Water temperatures in the Detroit Lakes area remain in the mid to high 70s. Young of the year perch and sunfish are moving shallow, and many of the predator fish are following right behind. For walleye, continue to work the deeper weed edges in depths of 18-30 feet, but also check the weeds in 9-16 feet of water where most of the young fish are holding. Minnows, leeches and crawlers are all turning fish. Pulling spinners and crankbaits are helpful to cover water and locate scattered fish. Largemouth bass are relating to the weed beds and shallow targets such as docks. Smallmouth bass are active at the transition areas from rock or gravel to hard sand bottom. Some crappies can be found at the cabbage beds or suspended over deep water. Sunfish are very active at the weeds. Northern pike are aggressive, chasing baits along the deeper weed edges.
OTTER TAIL LAKE COUNTRY AREA LAKES
Bass are active at the shallow cover and deep weedlines. Anglers are having the most success using jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Walleye are responding to crankbaits, jigs and bottom bouncers. Stay on the move until you locate fish. Crappie anglers are pulling fish from the weed beds small jigs and plastics. Muskie are being caught but anglers are asked to leave them alone since they are very vulnerable when temperatures are above 75 degrees.
Contact Otter Tail Lakes Country Association for more information.
ALEXANDRIA AREA LAKES
Many walleye anglers continue to pull fish from the edges of the underwater humps and sunken islands in deeper water. At dusk, anglers can find fish on the shallower tops of the humps and islands. Glide baits and live bait rigs with heavier sinkers work well. Anglers fishing the shallower cabbage and coontail weeds along the edge of the flats are taking fish when using jigs with plastics and slip bobber rigs with leeches.
Crappies, bluegills and bass are roaming the weedlines so it is best to cover water to locate schools of active fish. Bass anglers are doing well when tossing crankbaits to locate fish then switching to ned rigs to catch them. Panfish continue to be caught when using jigs and small plastics along the weedlines.
Contact Explore Alexandria Tourism for more information.
BRAINERD AREA LAKES
Anglers are taking walleye at the weeds on sandy flats, steep weedlines, and the tops or edges of the mid-lake humps. Slip bobbers with leeches and jigs with minnows have been the most productive. At the hard or sandy bottom areas, try rigs with live or plastic nightcrawlers, jigging raps or shiver minnows to trigger bites. During the day, depths of 26-30 feet of water are best; during low light, windy and overcast periods, work depths of 18-24 feet. Some anglers are taking fish after dark when long-lining or trolling shallow-running crankbaits through 5-12 feet of water.
Panfish continue to roam the shallows, with most coming from weed flats and weedlines. Multiple species are reacting to spinner rigs with soft plastics and jigs with soft plastics, leeches, minnows or worms worked in 6-15 feet of water. Casting and jigging small jigs tipped with the tail half of a mister twister have turned crappies and rainbow trout. Largemouth bass have been active at the weedy flats and weedlines in 6-15 feet of water, and at the deep weeds in 16-plus feet of water. For the most action, use ned rigs, drop-shots and top topwater frogs at the thick weeds. Rainbow trout and tullibees have been active in the mine pit lakes near Crosby and Ironton. Successful anglers are trolling depths of 20-40 feet during the day, and working depths of 10-15 feet on overcast days. The most effective presentations have been slip bobbers and crawlers, tungsten jigs and soft plastics, and jigged rap-style lures.
Contact Visit Brainerd for more information.
ISLE/ONAMIA – LAKE MILLE LACS
On Lake Mille Lacs, anglers are doing well when targeting fish at the transition areas where hard bottom and soft bottom meet in 22-28 feet of water. The edges of the mud flats are also producing walleye. A slip bobber and leech will turn the most walleye. For smallmouth bass, slide on top of the rock reefs in 8-16 feet of water or work the edges in 16-22 feet of water.
The Lake Mille Lacs Take a Vet Fishing Weekend(opens in new window) is Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14. If you own a fishing boat and would like to take a veteran fishing, visit takeavetfishing.org/event(opens in new window)s and sign up as a guide!
The DNR reminds Lake Mille Lacs anglers that the walleye season is catch-and-release through the end of summer. The one-fish walleye limit is scheduled to resume Thursday, Sept. 1, running through Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Contact the Mille Lacs Area Tourism Council for more information.
WILLMAR AREA LAKES
Green Lake is giving up walleye in 20-35 feet of water during early morning and evening hours, with sunfish active throughout the day in depths of 4-10 feet. Depths of 6-15 feet of water on Eagle and Diamond lakes have been good for walleye and bass.Walleye anglers are finding the most fish when using spinner rigs and live bait rigs with leeches or crawlers, although a few are coming in on jigs and minnows. Jigs and plastics are working well for crappies. For the most fish, hit the weedlines in 6-15 feet of water, especially on Florida and Calhoun lakes. Northern pike anglers are doing well when using crankbaits on Long, Florida, Eagle and Big Kandiyohi lakes.
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