Brainerd Fishing Report: March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023: Brainerd Fishing Report

Snow, snow, snow! The Brainerd Lakes Area has some mixed emotions surrounding our recent snow storms, but fishing has remained consistent, despite the lake travel difficulties. Late ice fishing is upon us and fish are feeding! We’ve noticed about 20-25 inches of ice in the area, and softer snow on the surface ranging from 8-15 inches, with drifting in some areas. Snow can make travel difficult, have backup plans for traveling on and off the lakes. Foot travel, plowed roads, ATVs with tracks or chains, and snowmobiles are recommended.

(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 20-30ft (finding fish suspended in the water column); also near/in bays around weeds in 7-12ft. If fish are near the bottom beyond 26-30ft, 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 5mm or 7mm (size 10) Tungsten jigs 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). The same tactics are working for tullibees/ciscoes though jigging in the top 10ft will usually be sufficient for jigging depth over deep basins. 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. At times, try still fishing without jigging to see if fish are being deterred by the vibrations from jigging. 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 avoid 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. Other great options to target include tullibees or inland trout. Target trout in designated inland trout lakes in a similar fashion to tullibees or fish 10-15ft on edges of deep holes jigging a spoon or jigging rap aggressively. (Trout stamp required with a license to target trout and fish designated trout lakes).

(Fishing Videos: https://youtube.com/@Hawg_Hunterz )

-On Mille Lacs, main lake areas are accessible by ATV (with tracks or chains) or Snowmobile, and there are several resorts with plowed roads to rock reefs or mud flats. We are finding big drifts and slush pockets as well; also take caution crossing pressure ridges. Mille Lacs has a special regulation for northern pike, of which the season ends on March 31, 2023. Target northern pike in 6-18ft of water on points, expansive flats or bays. 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, War Eagle Super Spoon 1/2oz). Perch are hitting tungsten jigs with wax worms or small spoons/small minnow heads in bays, mudflats, or rock edges in various depths, jig aggressively on or near the bottom to bring fish in and raise your lure slowly to catch them. (Make sure you read the Mille Lacs Special Regulations: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/millelacs.html)