Minnesota Fishing Reports - 2017

[Ranger518vx]

Planning on fishing Chisago or South Center this weekend. Anyone been fishing out there lately? 

[gim]

 

4 hours ago, Ranger518vx said:

With the wind and waves it was a challenge to stay on top of the boulders. Biggest fish was 3 lbs so I can only assume the really big fish are in 15 to 18 ft. 

 

They could be even deeper than that.  Once July shows up, they're like roaming schools of nomads and its such a big friggin' lake that finding them can be difficult unless you got a really big, fast boat.  Then there's always the wind problem which is magnified on a large bowl exposed to the wind.

[rascalP]

Ranger,   I fished S. Center on the 4th - started early. It was brutal. Fished pads to deep rocks.  One thing that I would try different is spending some time fishing real slow in shallow weeds - 4-6 fow with a black 6" trick worm or other finesse worm. I fished some of those spots, but with heavier stuff and faster (swimjig, heavy t-rig pitboss).  I think they're there, just need a little coaxing. The water is getting pretty colored, not much clarity.       Chisago on the other hand is a little clearer, and a bunch of flooded shoreline brush, if you like pitchin that stuff.  Should be better for action and numbers. Pondweed is in the process of dying off.   Let us know how you do.

[punch]

Went out last night and did well with a dropshot + Power Team lures Hammer Shad (been my go-to this year) right IN the weeds in about 8-12'. Also got a nice fish on a chug bug at sunset. Dropshot and popper have been my confidence baits this year. 

 

Also, I've been catching some smallies down on the Mississippi river bank in the Coon Rapids dam park lately on swimbaits. Kind of a fun thing to do and I don't have to take my boat anywhere. I'm putting together a little river bank fishing video that I'll edit soon. I used to do a lot of river bank fishing when I was a broke teenager.. so it's kind of fun to revist it. 

 

You never know what you're gonna get river fishing. The other night I got a smallmouth, walleye, crappie and a pike (in that order) in one spot. 

[Ranger518vx]

19 hours ago, rascalP said:

Ranger,   I fished S. Center on the 4th - started early. It was brutal. Fished pads to deep rocks.  One thing that I would try different is spending some time fishing real slow in shallow weeds - 4-6 fow with a black 6" trick worm or other finesse worm. I fished some of those spots, but with heavier stuff and faster (swimjig, heavy t-rig pitboss).  I think they're there, just need a little coaxing. The water is getting pretty colored, not much clarity.       Chisago on the other hand is a little clearer, and a bunch of flooded shoreline brush, if you like pitchin that stuff.  Should be better for action and numbers. Pondweed is in the process of dying off.   Let us know how you do.

Thanks Rascal. I will let you know how it goes. I hit Chisago about 3 weeks ago and caught about 20 on a red eye shad burning it above the weeds. Biggest bass i had all day was about 2.5 lbs, did manage a 5 lb walleye and 4 lb pike. 

 

I've been fishing smallies so much this year which has been a blast but I am really dying to catch  some good largemouths in the 4+ range. 

[FryDog62]

My daughter "The Wacky Woman" is in town til the end of this month - so we got out in the West metro this morning.  Holy Hanna!  She caught a PB 5.91 lb largemouth - just an ounce shy of 6 pounds.  Dad was just honored to net it for her

[NathanDLTH]

6 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

My daughter "The Wacky Woman" is in town til the end of this month - so we got out in the West metro this morning.  Holy Hanna!  She caught a PB 5.91 lb largemouth - just an ounce shy of 6 pounds.  Dad was just honored to net it for her

Heck of way to start the day and time home! Good job! 

[Jeff H]

On 7/8/2017 at 4:59 PM, FryDog62 said:

My daughter "The Wacky Woman" is in town til the end of this month - so we got out in the West metro this morning.  Holy Hanna!  She caught a PB 5.91 lb largemouth - just an ounce shy of 6 pounds.  Dad was just honored to net it for her

That's a nice one!!

I went to Chisago today. Fished 7 1/2 hrs, most of it in the rain.  Caught 10 and lost/missed that many more.  Worst day I've had this year for numbers but it was still a good time.  All that beautiful flooded brush ain't worth a d**n though....yet.  All my fish come from 8-11 fow on Producto worms...except one jig fish up shallow.  Lots of light biters, really had to pay attention!

[Ranger518vx]

On 7/6/2017 at 9:16 PM, rascalP said:

Ranger,   I fished S. Center on the 4th - started early. It was brutal. Fished pads to deep rocks.  One thing that I would try different is spending some time fishing real slow in shallow weeds - 4-6 fow with a black 6" trick worm or other finesse worm. I fished some of those spots, but with heavier stuff and faster (swimjig, heavy t-rig pitboss).  I think they're there, just need a little coaxing. The water is getting pretty colored, not much clarity.       Chisago on the other hand is a little clearer, and a bunch of flooded shoreline brush, if you like pitchin that stuff.  Should be better for action and numbers. Pondweed is in the process of dying off.   Let us know how you do.

Well fished Chisago on Saturday and it was slow for me. Fished for 5 hours and only had 6 bass and a pike. Caught 2 on a frog and missed several others. 3 on a rage craw and 1 on a drop shot. Most of my bites minus the frog came in about 8 ft of water. 

[NathanDLTH]

Fished Silver Lake in St. Another, caught 5 all on the smaller end for size. One on the wacky, four on the Pop-R. 

[Tlauz]

I have been out several times since I last posted.  Early July was fair.  My son and I caught 19 inch smallmouths one weekend, but overall the bite was so-so.  Nothing seemed steady. This past weekend the bite picked up.  A lot of little fish mixed in with 12-15 inchers.  Fish were on weed edges and it seemed like summer patterns are here.  Caught several nice fish on weightless wacky worm including a couple 18's , a 19 and a 20.  On my lake, it seems when I start catching  rock bass mixed in with large and smallmouth the bite gets good.  Even caught a few on KVD 1.5 for the first time this year.  Hopefully things will only get better. 

[jmcarriere]

Ok everyone i will be on east and west rush on July 29th roght now my only set up is a 7' mh fast spinning rod woth a 2500 series reel any suggestions on some baits and techniques to use there

[geneoh]

Went out for 3 hours this morning, wasn't sure what to expect with the all the lighting that was happening in my area last night. Tried topwater, flipping, slow rolling a keitech but the only thing I could get bites on was finesse. weightless senkos and a dropshot. two biggest fish came off a dropshot fishing docks. The interesting thing about it is I just had to fish really slow. I would flip to a dock at least 10 times. It was a different style of fishing docks for me but it was really effective.

 

Right before I had to go I landed a 4.5lber. It was quite the experience. Saw my line running so "set the hook" dropshot style and the fish didn’t budge haha. it stayed on the bottom and just swam out deep then back to the dock and got tangled. I just kept pressure on the line and she untangled herself. I thought for sure it was a bowfin or something. 8lb line around docks probably isn’t the best idea but I'd rather get the hookup and try to get the fish in than never getting the bite.

 

[BassThumb]

After an excellent May and June, I've really been struggling in July as the waters rapidly warm up. For example, in the last two weeks, one of my favorite small lakes went from 68-82 degrees and shut everything down. Even Mille Lacs is a tough bite now with all of the pressure it's getting. Rarely are people finding those roaming schools of bass, from what I'm hearing at the dock. Now it's just a fish here and a fish there, lucky if it's a fish an hour, with lots of walleyes hitting the bass lures like a nuisance fish.

[NathanDLTH]

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 5:06 PM, jmcarriere said:

Ok everyone i will be on east and west rush on July 29th roght now my only set up is a 7' mh fast spinning rod woth a 2500 series reel any suggestions on some baits and techniques to use there

What line are you using? You can do a lot with a MH 7' rod and 2500. I'd like weightless senkos, spinner baits and chatter baits, maybe shallow cranks dt4s and squarebills, jigs (blk n blue, green pumpkin), flukes. I would not throw a frog on that, but pitch to cover and around docks.

[jmcarriere]

Just now, NathanDLTH said:

What line are you using? You can do a lot with a MH 7' rod and 2500. I'd like weightless senkos, spinner baits and chatter baits, maybe shallow cranks dt4s and squarebills, jigs (blk n blue, green pumpkin), flukes. I would not throw a frog on that, but pitch to cover and around docks.

Im using 10lb pline

[NathanDLTH]

2 minutes ago, jmcarriere said:

Im using 10lb pline

I would go heavier if you can-either 12-15 lb or 30lb braid with a leader. Not sure what the lakes out there hold for vegetation or cover, but 10lb is more for finesse. 

[jmcarriere]

Just now, NathanDLTH said:

I would go heavier if you can-either 12-15 lb or 30lb braid with a leader. Not sure what the lakes out there hold for vegetation or cover, but 10lb is more for finesse. 

The guy i am going witj already said he will be fishing the weed line as he doesnt fish the docks

[dsidle61]

Took a trip up to bemidji last weekend.  Absolutely hammered bass, had 20 fish from 6am-10am then another 10 in the evening.  My go to's were topwater spooks, ribbit frogs and bouncing a wacky senko off the bottom anywhere from 10-17ft of water.  Going to try to head up to Mille Lacs tomorrow evening despite what ive been reading about the slow going!  Supposed to be a nice calm day (if there is such a thing there) so hopefully I can find some rock piles and sit on them.  Was up there 2 weekends ago and only managed one in 4 hours.  

[gim]

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 5:30 PM, BassThumb said:

After an excellent May and June, I've really been struggling in July as the waters rapidly warm up. For example, in the last two weeks, one of my favorite small lakes went from 68-82 degrees and shut everything down. Even Mille Lacs is a tough bite now with all of the pressure it's getting. Rarely are people finding those roaming schools of bass, from what I'm hearing at the dock. Now it's just a fish here and a fish there, lucky if it's a fish an hour, with lots of walleyes hitting the bass lures like a nuisance fish.

 

I experienced this on Mille Lacs too.  Did well catching bigger fish earlier in June and then I went around the 4th of July and it was all smaller fish.  For being ranked #1 in the country, I think most people just automatically assume that its easy to catch bass out there.

River fishing for smallmouth is really good right now.  I caught 26 smallmouth and 3 pike in about 4 hours today.  Slowly drifting along with the current in a canoe, throwing mostly shallow running crank baits to the shore line produced some great fishing.

[OperationEagle]

Bass were slow and lethargic last night. Tried topwater and got a few slams on the ribbit frog but no hookups.  First time to try these and need to learn how to hook em!

 

did manage to catch a 20 in 5lb hog using a senko late in the evening.  She was a fun fight. 

 

My only hypothesis for a slow night is the high pressure conditions...anyone else out in the metro last night?

[Tlauz]

On 7/13/2017 at 7:28 PM, dsidle61 said:

Took a trip up to bemidji last weekend.  Absolutely hammered bass, had 20 fish from 6am-10am then another 10 in the evening.  

Shhhhh. There are no bass in the Bemidji area .

[BassThumb]

On 7/14/2017 at 8:13 PM, gimruis said:

 

I experienced this on Mille Lacs too.  Did well catching bigger fish earlier in June and then I went around the 4th of July and it was all smaller fish.  For being ranked #1 in the country, I think most people just automatically assume that its easy to catch bass out there.

River fishing for smallmouth is really good right now.  I caught 26 smallmouth and 3 pike in about 4 hours today.  Slowly drifting along with the current in a canoe, throwing mostly shallow running crank baits to the shore line produced some great fishing.

I should have joined you on the river. I went back up to Mille Lacs today. Again, couldn't keep the d**n walleyes off. Caught only two bass in five hours, a 6.25 and 3.25 pound fish, both on 3/4oz football jigs fished agonizingly slow while trying to battle waves. The day before, I caught 14 largemouth bass on a frog on a different local lake, averaging 2.5 pounds, and didn't have to drive an hour and battle 3-foot rollers. Mille Lacs is a very frustrating lake, but where else am I going catch 6.25 pound smallies?

[NathanDLTH]

Looking for recommendations for a 7ft MH rod ideally for jigs, flipping, frogs, flukes, and senkos. Price range is $1-200

[Ranger518vx]

On 7/16/2017 at 0:02 AM, BassThumb said:

I should have joined you on the river. I went back up to Mille Lacs today. Again, couldn't keep the d**n walleyes off. Caught only two bass in five hours, a 6.25 and 3.25 pound fish, both on 3/4oz football jigs fished agonizingly slow while trying to battle waves. The day before, I caught 14 largemouth bass on a frog on a different local lake, averaging 2.5 pounds, and didn't have to drive an hour and battle 3-foot rollers. Mille Lacs is a very frustrating lake, but where else am I going catch 6.25 pound smallies?

Got a pic of the 6.25? That's a beast.