Brainerd Fishing Report: May 29, 2024

We are targeting walleyes in 10-24ft of water on large sand or gravel flats, weed flats and first wind-blown structure. We found schools of walleyes near developing weeds. We caught most fish by casting a jig/minnow combo (1/8oz or 1/4oz) or pitching a slip bobber/leech to fish. Also worth mentioning is pitching a jigging rap (Rapala)/Moonshine Shiver Minnow or Vexan Crystal Reaper. Also effective has been jerking a Smithwick Rogue Perfect 10 near weeds or over flats. Try longline trolling Smithwick Lures Floating Rattlin Rogues after sunset into dark on clear bodies of water for walleyes in 4-10ft of water.

Panfish (crappies/sunfish) continue roaming shallow weed flats, channels, bays and areas near pencil reeds in 6-15ft. Fish are either holding tight to weeds or roaming the edges (sometimes roaming the tops). Target panfish with three main approaches: (1) jig/plastic under a bobber, (2) bobber/minnow or (3) bobber/hair jig presentations. We opt for using Lindy Fatboy Tungsten Jigs and Mister Twister Sassy Stingum plastics or Lindy Hair Jigs to catch our fish on most outings. We found crappies near the warmest water in the bodies of water we fished near wood/sunken tree branches or pencil reeds and sunfish weren’t far away. Move the bobber slightly to elicit bites! If they are present, but finicky, try using a small tungsten jig tipped with wax worms.

Northern Pike have been on weedlines and weedflats in 10-17ft of water. We’ve been catching a ton of northern pike on the jig/miinnow combo or ripping the Smithwick Rogue Perfect 10 lure.

You can fish for catfish (channel catfish) from shore, boat or fishing piers. Some common locations for targeting channel catfish in the Brainerd Lakes Area on the Mississippi River include: below the “Brainerd Dam/Potlatch,” Kiwanis Park, French Rapids, Green Point or Sylvan Dam (Crow Wing River). If I’m shore fishing, I will often use a medium-heavy spinning rod with a medium-large spinning reel (size 30) spooled with 30-50lb braided line. There are several rigs (20lb mono) and ways to catch catfish with a weight (1oz) about 1-2ft above the hook, and some common baits include worms/nightcrawlers, cutbait/deadbait, sucker minnows or chicken liver on about a 1/0 octopus hook. Cast to areas where slack water meets current, eddys or in current where it slows down/breaks. In a boat, you can often jig for them vertically in holes and behind slack-water breaks in current. I’ll usually let the current determine my jig weight but ½oz is a good start. Practice safe handling as they have sharp spines on their pectoral fins and dorsal fin; I hold them by the tail and under the belly.

Inland trout offers both family fun fishing and a challenge for novice anglers to find larger rainbow trout or lake trout. We opted for pitching Lindy Little Nippers to elicit bites or jigging a spoon tipped with a piece of soft plastic or wax worm for deeper roaming fish. We found trout from the top of the water column down to about 40ft of water, with the most common depth 2-15ft.