Fishing for Panfish in the Brainerd Lakes Area

Minnesota's lakes are filled with many varieties of fish, and with so many options, most people fish for the popular walleye.   Panfish can be just as fun to catch, and even better tasting than walleye.  Most people think of catching sunfish as a child's activity, but when the walleye bite slows down, it can be a lot of fun to target sunfish and crappies.

An evening's catch of sunfish

perfect setting for sunfish

The only gear needed for catching panfish is a lightweight rod and reel, bobbers, and a hook with a crawler. Most of the panfish we have been catching lately are up in the lily pads in 4-6 ft. of water.  The best part of catching these fish is they are usually more abundant than walleye, and fight a great deal even if they are not as large as most targeted species of fish.

I like to dip them in Cajun Fry Magic and fry them in hot oil.  I make a homemade tarter sauce and put some butter on the hot fillets. They go well with a cold beverage and some deep fried home fries.   The enjoyment of catching and cleaning panfish has me hooked!