Brainerd Fishing Report: January 24, 2023

January 24, 2023: Brainerd Fishing Report

Brainerd Lakes Area ice fishing and upcoming Ice Fishing Extravaganza!! “The Brainerd Jaycees is a non-profit organization made up of members between the ages of 18 to 40. The mission of the organization is to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. The organization hosts many events throughout the year and all proceeds raised get donated back to local charities and organizations. One of the primary events is the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza. The first contest was held in January of 1991.” On January 28, 2023 around 10,000 anglers compete on Gull Lake for $150,000 in cash and prizes! (For tickets and information: https://icefishing.org/ )

Ice fishing has remained consistent for multiple species in the Brainerd Lakes Area! We’ve noticed about 12-18 inches of ice in the area, and varying levels of snow due to wind/drifting; drifting as deep as 2-3 feet so gave plans to get out of a stuck situation. Also, there has been increasing levels of slush on most lakes so travel is increasingly difficult, but still fishable. Foot travel, plowed roads, ATVs with tracks or chains and snowmobiles recommended. Please ensure you’re checking ice conditions frequently (follow the MN DNR Ice Guidelines).

(Safety First: The MN DNR has many great resources online to help determine ice safety, immersion survival, etc. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html)

-Catch crappies and bluegills in basins/holes of 22-38ft (finding fish suspended in the water column). If fish are near bottom beyond 28-30ft, they will not survive the catch due to barotrauma, so plan to keep all sizes of fish within your legal possession limit if fishing those depths. Jig crappies with 1/16oz or 1/32oz jig tipped with a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum or wax worms, 1/16oz Frostee Spoon or glide-bait style lure, such as a Crystal Reaper or Jigging Rap (I’ve had a lot of success with a small tungsten jig with a soft plastic or wax worm too). Aggressive jigging will bring schools in, although it’s a good idea to drill several holes and jig 10 minutes in each hole before moving to the next hole or spot. Schools are roaming slowly now, and moving to varying spots is a good idea until you mark fish; unless you plan to sit out the wait for a school to circle through your location. Jig higher in the water column, a good rule of thumb is splitting the depth in half and jigging at that location in the water column as well as jigging within 2-3ft from the bottom.

Pluck fish from the top of schools to avoiding scattering the school. Bluegills continue hitting tungsten jigs tipped with the tail end of a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum or wax worm on weed flats or soft bottom areas in those similar locations. Northern pike are hitting sucker minnows and spoons tipped with a minnow head. Try suspending a sucker minnow or shiner under a tip up/IFishPro in 10-18ft, especially around weeds. Walleyes are still active at low light periods and hitting minnows/livebait presentations or spoons tipped with a minnow head jigged near bottom in 22-28ft of water. (Fishing Videos: https://youtube.com/@Hawg_Hunterz )

-On Mille Lacs, main lake areas are accessible by ATV or Snowmobile, though first shoreline break offers many opportunities for quality fish too and patience in these areas is important as fish size could be worth the time! We are finding big drifts and slush pockets here too, and be careful crossing pressure ridges. Target walleyes and northern pike in 6-18ft, or 22-27ft. Target them with sucker minnows or shiners on set lines or Deadsticks, or jigging a spoon tipped the head of a fathead (Lindy Quiver Spoon in metallic colors 1/8oz or 1/4oz). We’ve been catching many year classes of walleyes on secondary and main lake structures! (Make sure you read the Mille Lacs Special Regulations: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/millelacs.html)

This is a great time to get out and relax on the ice! Practice safety first on all early ice bodies of water, especially when slush is present! Good luck to everyone fishing the Ice Fishing Extravaganza!!