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Walleye/Bass in Mille Lacs
Hi, I'm looking for any and all advice for catching walleye, bass, or
anything on Mille Lacs in late July.3 other novice fishermen and I are renting a pontoon boat and we'd
really like to catch a ton of fish. I realize we're talking July
which isn't the best time of the season, but any help you can give us
would be greatly appreciated. We're looking for hot spots to fish on the lake, lure suggestions,
anything. Thanks! |
majakdavis
Jun 17
2004
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| Have you fished it before? For those who don't know, 132,000 surface
acres or aboug 200 sq miles. It is a shallow body of water running 20 -
35 or so with the "deep" water being 40 feet. During a wind, the lake
can kick up some big waves -- so use caution in open water. The south end has gravel and rocks --- deep. The shore lines have lots
of opportunity for smallmouth as well as the deep area.
If I remember, the weed line runs near 10 feet. I'd sugggest hiring a guide -- and at a minimum get the Fishing Hot
Spots map and a GPS. Check out:
http://www.millelacs.com/maps/lake.htm Mille Lacs is a good C&R fishery but not one to take home fish. Smallmouth Bass~ 1 fish limit. Release immediately all fish less than
21" long. Walleye: (Pay attention to the slot -- lots of catchable wallyes. not
as many "keepable" ones)
All fish 17" through 28" in length must be immediately released. One
fish over 28" may be kept. No one may possess walleye fillets on the
lake. Good luck |
zenbasser1
Jun 18
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| Thanks for the info! Yes, fished it a couple years ago with a friend from the area. We
caught a few walleyes using Lindy rigs with leeches and a few bass
with just bobbers & hooks. Problem with a guide is there are 4 of us, and that's usually too many
for a guide's boat. Plus, guides are expensive. We do plan on having
a GPS and buying a hotspots map. We'll probably be on the South end of the lake. Any suggestions on lures? Techniques? Thanks! |
majakdavis
Jun 18
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| I might be a little bit biased here, but if you're looking to "catch tons of
fish", a guide would be the most cost effective method of finding locations
and techniques. These guys make their living (or a good portion of it) by
knowing where the fish are and what is going to get them. On a lake the size of Mille Lacs, you could spend days figuring out the
pattern. It could be pulling planer boards and crankbaits over the mud
flats, or drifting bottom bouncers/Lindy Rigs, or jigging the rocks, or any
number of things. With that much area, wouldn't it make sense to find
someone that is knowledgable about current conditions? Hire one, if even
for a half day, two of you go out with him and pick his brain, memorize the
techniques and not necessarily the exact locations, but the locational
elements that are producing. While you are going with the guide, the other
two can be out fishing as well. When done, get together and compare
results. THEN, you and your three other buddies can attempt to duplicate the
successful methods, saving a lot of time, effort and frustration. If
fishing is your goal, then go on up there and have a ball. But if catching
"tons of fish" is what you're looking to do, a good guide can make all the
difference. When you consider the amount of money spent on the average fishing trip of
this nature, isn't the cost of a guide, split 2 or 4 ways pretty cheap
insurance of fillets in the cooler? |
Steve
Jun 19
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| Steve, thanks for your advice. You're right, we probably dismissed
hiring a guide too quickly. Mostly just because there are 4 of us,
but we could possibly split up or work something out. I definitely
like the thought of using the guides advice the following days. Thanks for posting a reply! |
majakdavis
Jun 19
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