Brainerd, Minnesota Fishing Report July 28, 2017

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA 

Walleye action continues to be limited to a few fish being plucked from the weeds with slip bobbers and leeches on North Long Lake and Whitefish Lake. Crappies are being caught in 8 to 12 feet on Gull Lake, Lake Margaret, and North Long, while sunfish are being found in the 6- to 8-foot weeds of Cullen Lake and Highway 371 Bay on North Long. Bass fishing continues to be good in the shallow and deep weeds of most lakes.

S & W Bait & Guide Service/Nisswa Guide League  (218) 829-7010

CROSBY AREA

Hit Serpent Lake for crappies in 14 feet and walleyes in 18 to 22 feet. Smallmouth and largemouth reports have been strong on Clearwater Lake and Rabbit Lake. There’s some evening crappie action on the weedlines of Greer Lake and Black Lake, while the rice bed edges on the Mississippi River are producing sunfish. Shore anglers at the Huntington and Manuel pits are catching trout with Power Bait.

Oars ‘n Mine Bait and Tackle (218) 546-6912

EMILY AREA 

Sunfish have started hitting on Lake Esquagamah in 15 to 20 feet ,and there’s an evening bite for pike in 8 to 10 feet at Eagle Lake with suckers. A few walleyes are being caught at night by long-lining crankbaits over the deep water areas of Roosevelt Lake – these fish are suspended near the surface after dark. Look to Ruth Lake with topwater baits for largemouth bass. Lawrence Lake continues to produce crappies in 14 feet.

Redding Sports and Spirits (218) 763-2191

Brainerd, Minnesota Fishing Report: July 23, 2017

via outdoornews.com

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA

A few walleyes are being taken with slip bobbers and leeches from the weeds on North Long Lake, Whitefish Lake, and Lake Edwards. Look for sunfish in the 6- to 8-foot weeds of Cullen Lake, Upper Gull Lake, and in the Highway 371 Bay on North Long. Look for crappies on the 7- to 12-foot weeds and bass on the deep weedlines of Gull Lake, Lake Margaret, North Long, and Whitefish.

S & W Bait & Guide Service/Nisswa Guide League (218) 829-7010

CROSBY AREA

Anglers using PowerBait are catching trout over 40 to 50 feet on Section 6 Pit and Huntington Pit. A few walleyes can be had during the evening hours with live-bait rigs on Nokay Lake in 20 feet or more. Largemouth bass are an easy catch on most lakes and smallmouth are hitting on Serpent Lake and Clearwater Lake. The Mississippi River is producing channel catfish, smallmouth bass, and a few walleyes. Look to the weedlines of Big Mahnomen Lake, Little Rabbit Lake, and Black Hoof Lake for bluegills during the day and crappies each evening.

LAKE MILLE LACS

East — Boat traffic continues to be minimal due to the walleye closure. Even bass anglers have been scarce this past week. Northern pike are hitting sucker minnows or crankbaits along the weedlines in most bays and some muskies and big pike are being caught via trolling on the mud flats or off the flats in 30 feet or more. You'll find bigger smallmouth bass on the 18- to 20-foot rocks and smaller bass closer to shore.

EMILY AREA

Walleyes are hitting crawlers after dark in 12 to 14 feet on West Fox Lake. Look to Lake Emily with topwater baits for largemouth bass. Pike are hitting spoons in 10 to 12 feet on Lake Washburn. Lawrence Lake started giving up crappies in 10 to 12 feet. Work the weedlines on most lakes for sunfish.

HACKENSACK AREA

Spinners and crawlers have been producing a few walleyes in 20 to 25 feet of water on Ten Mile Lake and Little Boy Lake. Largemouth bass continue to be caught close to shore with frogs on most lakes and smallmouth are being found in 5 to 10 feet at Baby Lake and Stoney Lake. Sunfish have been ambushing baits in the cabbage and lilly pads of Birch Lake or bays on Woman Lake. Throw bucktails for muskies on the weed edges of Little Boy and Baby.

LONGVILLE AREA

Sunfish and crappies are being found on the 12-foot weedlines in Bungee Bay on Woman Lake, Lake Inguadona, Blackwater Lake, and Mule Lake. Largemouth bass have been hitting frogs in the slop on Girl Lake and Big Boy Lake, while smallmouth bass were hitting topwater baits in shallow water on Woman. Work the rock piles and weeds with bucktails on Baby Lake for muskies. A few walleyes are being taken with crawlers in 18 to 22 feet of water on Woman.

LEECH LAKE

The past week's heat seems to have driven walleyes deeper. Work 16 to 22 feet on the main lake rocks and breaks. Some walleyes can be had on the points and shoreline breaks in less than 12 feet during low-light periods. Muskie action has slightly improved with the rocks and weeds now showing signs of life early and late each day. Look to the cabbage in Boy Bay for bluegills and for northern pike in the weeds throughout the lake.

GREY EAGLE AREA

Look for sunfish on the 12- foot weedlines of Cedar Lake or in 15 to 25 feet of water on Big Birch Lake. Walleye reports have been limited to a few fish being caught with slip bobbers and leeches in 20 to 30 feet at night on Big Birch. Largemouth and smallmouth bass reports have been good off most lakes, while the weedlines of Big Swan Lake are producing northern pike and panfish.

Brainerd, Minnesota Fishing Report July 16, 2017

From outdoornews:

Brainerd/Nisswa area

Bass, northern pike and panfish are being found along the shallow weedlines on the north end of Gull Lake, North Long Lake, Lake Edward and Hubert Lake. Walleyes are scattered, but Gull, North Long and Whitefish lakes are giving up some fish in 12 to 32 feet—most live bait options have been working.

Crosby area

Crappies and bluegills are being caught in 12-15 feet on Big Mahnomen Lake, Serpent Lake and rice bed edges on the downstream portion of the Mississippi River. Clearwater Lake and Serpent are giving up largemouth along the weedlines and smallmouth bass on the rocks. Upper and Lower Mission lakes are producing northern pike on sucker minnows in 10 to 20 feet, while Portsmouth Pit is producing trout—look for fish 30-40 feet down over deeper water.

Mille Lacs Lake

With the walleye season now closed, fishing pressure has been light. Smallmouth bass are hitting plastics or crankbaits on the 16- to 20-foot rocks. Trolling crankbaits on the weedlines in St. Alban's Bay, Garrison Bay, Vineland Bay and Wigwam Bay has produced northern pike, while a few muskies are being found suspended on the flats.

Leech Lake

Walleyes are being caught on a variety of live-bait and artificial presentations. The shoreline breaks in Walker Bay, Goose Island Flats, and main lake rocks continue to produce fish in 12 to 16 feet. If the wind blows, the 6- to 10-foot weeds and points also will kick out walleyes. At night, slip bobbers and leeches or crankbaits will turn walleyes off Sand Point in 8-12 feet. Muskie action has been spotty with some fish being caught in the weeds of Portage Bay.

Staples/Little Falls area

The Mississippi River continues to provide numbers of channel catfish and smallmouth bass. Lake Alexander started producing walleyes during low-light periods, while the weedlines on Green Prairie Lake and Beauty Lake are producing sunfish.

Emily area

Crappies have started hitting on Eagle Lake in 8-10 feet, while Greer Lake is producing northern pike on spoons in 6-8 feet. A few walleyes are being taken in 10-12 feet with leeches on Washburn Lake during the morning hours. Look to the shorelines and lily pads with topwater baits for bass on Lake Emily.

Hackensack area

Nightcrawlers and spinners are producing walleyes on Woman Lake in 15-20 feet, Ten Mile Lake in 20-25 feet and Webb Lake in 14-18 feet. Largemouth are being found in the weeds on most lakes, and smallmouth bass are hitting in shallow water during low-light periods. A few muskies have been caught on Little Boy Lake and panfish reports have been best on the weedlines of Birch Lake and Moccasin Lake.

Longville area

Lindy Rigs and leeches are the ticket for walleyes in the 9- to 11-foot weeds of Lake Inguadona. The Government Point and Stoney Point areas on Woman Lake are giving up walleyes in 16-22 feet. Muskies are hitting small bucktails on Baby Lake, and hit the weedlines on Big Boy Lake for bluegills. Bass action is strong on most lakes.

Brainerd, Minnesota Fishing Report July 7, 2017

I just returned from Nevada yesterday, and haven't had a chance to wet a line yet. I plan on hitting some of the lakes by Nisswa this week and Cross Lake this weekend.  The panfish are in the weed lines according to the report, and I hope to catch enough for a shore lunch.  Good luck fishing!

via http://www.outdoornews.com/minnesota/fishing-reports/

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA 

Work the 8- to 12-foot weedlines for panfish on Cullen Lake, North Long Lake, Nisswa Lake, and Gull Lake. Walleyes are hitting leeches and nightcrawlers in 14 to 26 feet on Whitefish Lake and North Long. Bass and northern pike continue to hit on the 12- to 16-foot weedlines of most lakes.

S & W Bait & Guide Service/Nisswa Guide League  (218) 829-7010

Brainerd, Minnesota Fishing Report July, 2, 2017

I have been catching panfish consistently in the Brainerd Lakes area in the past week.  I use a small yellow crappie jig with a piece of night crawler and pick up crappies and bluegill with this setup. Warm weather is finally showing up, and it is a great time to head out to the lake with a cold drink and catch some shore lunch.  Good luck fishing!

From outdoornews.com

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA


Largemouth bass action is strong on the weedlines with spinnerbaits or plastics at Gull Lake, North Long Lake, and Cullen Lake. A few walleyes are being taken on the 8- to 28-foot weedlines with leeches or nightcrawlers at Lake Edwards, North Long, and Whitefish Lake. Look for northern pike on the weedlines of Cullen, North Long, and Whitefish, while panfish reports have been best at Cullen, North Long, Hubert Lake, and the channels on Gull.


CROSBY AREA

Look for crappies in 12 to 14 feet and sunfish in 8 to 10 feet on Big Mahnomen Lake and Little Rabbit Lake. The Deerwood end of Serpent Lake is giving up crappies during the evening hours in 12 to 15 feet. Trolling stickbaits on the weedlines of East Rabbit Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and Lower Mission Lake has produced pike. Walleye reports were limited, but largemouth and smallmouth bass are hitting plastics on most lakes. Trout were found about 30 feet down on Huntington Pit and Portsmouth Pit.