Brainerd Fishing Report: October 4, 2022

Fishing To End Hunger Tournament

Brainerd, MN—Leaves are changing colors, there’s a slight chill to the air, and fish are in Fall feeding patterns! We had the pleasure of fishing the Fishing to End Hunger event on Gull Lake this past Saturday and I wanted to give a shoutout to the great cause; they are making a difference for those in needs of meals. Thank you to those who made that possible! Walleyes have made a split to two main locations: scattered weeds and flats (under 12ft) or deep around mid-lake humps (22-30ft). Catch them using a jig/minnow combo, rigging 4-7″ minnows, such as “redtails” or creek chubs (sucker minnows can work too), or using a reaction style bait such as snap jigging a jig/soft plastic or glide bait (jigging rap, shiver minnow, crystal reaper). After dark, longline troll shallow-running crankbaits (such as a Smithwick Rattlin’ Floating Rogue) in 5-12ft, slow down the troll under 2mph; if targeting fish in 10-13ft, slow-troll a Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue. Find panfish on remaining green weed flats/weedlines in 6-15ft or over basin areas near bays in large schools. Catch multiple species trolling (.8-1.2mph) weedlines and big weed flats with spinner rigs tipped with a nightcrawler, minnow or soft-plastic imitation. Casting and jigging a 1/16oz or 1/32oz jig tipped with a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum will catch Crappies and Rainbow Trout in inland lakes. Catch Northern Pike trolling crankbaits along weedlines and over basin areas with a large forage base of tullibees if you want to specifically target big fish!