fish your
heart out

Report from the Dock

With the panfish and bass spawn complete or just about wrapping up (depends on the area), it’s time to start working weeds for most fish species.

Established weedlines or weed flats will be primary targets for crappies, bluegills, and largemouth bass moving forward, with plenty of reports this week indicating that the 8- to 15-foot weeds have been productive. Walleyes also have moved off shoreline structure in most areas, although there is still some shallow water walleye action during low-light periods of the day, especially with crankbaits or a slip bobber and leech.

Actually, the slip-bobber-and-leech combination has produced plenty of daytime walleyes as well, especially along weedlines and on clear water lakes where walleyes tend to spook. A jig and minnow is still producing in some areas where fish are bunched up, as is a spinner rig and crawler or leech as anglers are covering water where walleyes are more spread out.

Leech Lake Report

A spinner and crawler or slip bobber and leech is producing walleyes on both sides of Stoney Point in 16 to 24 feet. Walleyes are also being caught in Sucker Bay, Trader’s Bay, and north end of Walker Bay in 8 to 14 feet. At night, trolling crankbaits or pitching slip bobbers are turning walleyes between Sand Point and Cedar Point in 9 to 12 feet. There have been a few muskies caught in Walker Bay by trolling in less than 15 feet and looking for bluegills in the bulrushes, while crappies are now in the deeper cabbage of most bays.

Sponsored By:

• Reed’s Sporting Goods (218) 547-1505
• Shriver’s Bait Company (218) 547-2250

Report from the Dock Panfish anglers are starting to get out, and crappie action has improved a lot since last week. Generally, reports have been best from central Minnesota and points south – where the ice has been gone the longest. Those traditional spring spots such as shallow bays, harbors, channels, and shorelines have started […]

Report from the Dock The recent summer-like weather took its toll on ice throughout the state and really sped up the ice-out process across the southern half of Minnesota. Most lakes from the Twin Cities and points south are wide open or were very close to being ice-free early last week. There hasn’t been much […]

Report from the Dock There really is no way to sugercoat it: Lakes in the northern half of the state are a mess. Depending on the area, 8 to 14 inches of snow fell last weekend, accompanied by strong winds. Deep snow, drifts, and slush are again an issue on the majority of lakes, so […]

Report from the Dock Warmer weather has returned, and anglers have been taking advantage of it. Bait shops and lakes have been busy this week as people once again have the ability to get out and move around. This has meant better fishing reports as well. There seems to be much more panfish activity than last week, […]