We’re finishing up the open water season from the boat, but fishing opportunities continue in the Brainerd Lakes Area of Minnesota!
Brainerd, MN— Whether you continue to target fish from a boat or shore, they are moving and feeding: here’s how to catch them!
Walleyes have been roaming in depths of 4-18ft, which opens up more shore fishing opportunities. Check for walleyes on large sand or remaining green weed flats, shoreline breaks and wind-blown structure (rocks, weed lines, etc). We are seeing schools of walleyes near shoreline breaks on electronics, and in schools on the flats (often in weed pockets/gaps in weeds). Catch walleyes by pitching a 1/8oz jig/sucker minnow and slowly retrieved(with sporadic pauses and light jigging), occasionally contacting bottom. On sand or gravel flats in the same depth, pitch a jigging rap (Rapala)/Moonshine Shiver Minnow or Vexan Crystal Reaper to elicit reaction bites. Use fatheads, creek chubs and sucker minnows up to 5-7″). Try longline trolling Smithwick Lures Floating Rattlin Rogues after sunset into dark on clear bodies of water for walleyes in 7-12ft of water; best if you’re not seeing a bunch of floating weeds on the surface trolling 1.2-1.7mph. *Bonus tip: rigging a creek chub or redtail near breaks and weeds is effective when seeing large fish on electronics.
Panfish (crappies/sunfish) are roaming weed flats, bays and mid-lake weedy humps in 12-20ft. Large schools of fish are showing up on electronics in basin areas near weed flats/soft bottom areas out from weed flats. Fish are either holding tight to weeds or roaming the edges/tops, suspended in large schools out from weed lines or scattered along shallow basins (20-28ft). Target panfish with three main approaches: (1) jig/plastic under a bobber, (2) jig/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. Move the bobber slightly to elicit bites! If they are present, but finicky, try using a small tungsten jig tipped with wax worms. Vertically jigging a Tungsten jig tipped with a piece of nightcrawler or angling worm also works well for the sunfish.
Northern Pike have been on weed lines and weed flats in 8-16ft of water, weed line depth varies by lake so use your electronics to follow the edges or over the tops of weeds. We’ve been catching northern pike on the jig/minnow combo, ripping the Smithwick Rogue Perfect 10 lure or reeling a spinnerbait over/through weeds. Also very effective is a Big Fish Thill Slip Float and large sucker minnow in those same depths/ areas!
If you’re wondering where and how to fish the Brainerd Lakes Area or Mille Lacs Lake, tune in to Visit Brainerd for weekly fishing reports by Hawg Hunterz Guide Service LLC. Check Hawg Hunterz Guide Service LLC out on YouTube too. As always, have fun, stay safe and Happy Hawg Hunting!!
