Mille Lacs

[Mille Lacs]

I've never ice fished this body of water but would really like to. I'm just wondering what the general movement of walleyes are on this lake through the stages of winter. Not prying for specific spots, just wondering if they are shallow early, deep late, mid lake humps, ,etc... Also, are there any good mille lacs ice fishing specific web sites? Thanks!

[CI_Guy]

fishingminnesota.com has a Mille Lacs forum.

[Koldfront Kraig]

December, early January are best.

I do best away from the crowds.

Shallow rocks (around 10 ft) WAY away from any noise in the evening. Get set up before dark.

Turn the lights out in the fish house, buckshot spoon with a minnow head, jig it hard.

The best fishing is during the week. Fewer people around making noise.

If you can get out to the mud flats, find a steep edge. Start deep 50-100 feet off the flat. Watch the flasher, walleyes will come in 5-10 feet off the bottom. The will usually hit anything in front of them. Perch will be closer to the bottom.

If that doesnt work, try the bottom edge of the flat or the top edge then work your way to the top of the flat.

We do better moving around and switching jigs up.

We start the day fishing the mud then go to shallow rocks in the evening.


Good luck.


We sites:

http://www.in-depthangling.com/forum/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/ftlMille


http://anglerinsider.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=71




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I work hard at underachieving….. but not too hard


Koldfront Kraig

[Brad H]

Kraig has given you some good advise, staying away from crowds is key, once the resorts start plowing roads and pulling out houses to the main flats and reefs fishing can get tough.
As far as website go, you will find some good lake specific info on

http://www.lakestatefishing.com/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=33

[Brad H]

Kraig has given you some good advise, staying away from crowds is key, once the resorts start plowing roads and pulling out houses to the main flats and reefs fishing can get tough.
As far as website go, you will find some good lake specific info on

http://www.lakestatefishing.com/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=33

[Koldfront Kraig]

Sorry, I forgot about Lakestatefishing.com... good guys over there.




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I work hard at underachieving….. but not too hard


Koldfront Kraig

[Koldfront Kraig]

Sorry, I forgot about Lakestatefishing.com... good guys over there.




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I work hard at underachieving….. but not too hard


Koldfront Kraig

[arrow_head_guide_service]

Well I am thinking of heading over there for some eye fishing also but thinking about going with a resort that has sleeper shacks. Any advice on what resort to go with? There will be about 4 of us and the girlfriend!!! Shhhhhh It has to be decent or I will never hear the end of it.

[Burntside lake Guy]

Whatever you do, don't fish during the weekend. You will be drilling holes are day, watch out for the pressure ridges. Mille Lacs usually takes a few lives every year, In my opinion, Mille Lacs ice is never really safe.
"fish the rocks, sand and flats, then back again"

[wrong]

Mille Lacs usually takes a few lives every year"

That's a VERY false statement.

[Burntside lake Guy]

Ok, Let's say one ever other year in the last 20 years. I personally know several past resort owners who went through the ice early in the season on their sleds. If you are a resort owner, the insurance liability premiums are very expensive. Beyond one mile out, they wont insure anyone. I want this guy to understand that mille lacs has pressure ridges, cracks which develop when the wind picks up. Why are there so many portable bridges over those cracks? The lake is a huge pond, no trees, two maybe three little islands. A little wind and it's white out in the dark. I stand firm on mille lacs is a risky lake for a new commer. It really doesn't matter to me, I'm up on the boarder anyways, we do things a little differently up here. Have you ever fallen in winter water? This is my last comment on the issue.

"fish the rocks, sand and flats, then back again"

[EJ]

I really don't understand this "Burntside Lake" guys comments, other than he may have an interest in sending prospective fisherman elsewhere.

Mille Lacs is a great place for you to go and also one of the most safe places because of all the trails or roads from the resorts. They only keep the roads open if they are safe.

As far as the pressure ridges are concerned, they form up early in the usual spots. If you need a bridge over one, than it is marked and no big deal. Once we get into winter the only ridge problems are generally near shore.

Don't get me wrong, you always need to be aware of changing conditions on any lake, but this "info" from the "Burntside Lake" guy is curious and quite misleading.

As far as fishing is concerned, you will do awesome early ice on most inshore structure and continue to do well as the ice conditions allow you to move out to deeper structure. The resorts all have their areas that are fine, but once they get a lot of traffic you are best off fishing your own spots that are easy to search for with a good GPS and map.

EJ

[I agree with Burnside guy]

people get so emotional about Mille Lacs, everbodys a expert on that lake!

[Koldfront Kraig]

>
>Mille Lacs usually takes a few lives every year, In my
>opinion, Mille Lacs ice is never really safe.


I'd like to see some facts about this statement.

People go through every year but I can't remeber the last time anyone has died.

Last year it was people going across the lake in vehicles that went through. Mostly next to pressure ridges.

Stick to driving on the roads and you should be ok.




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I work hard at underachieving….. but not too hard


Koldfront Kraig

[rmrakt]

Actually a 28 year old gentleman from Onamia went thru on the south end last January and lost his life. Went off the road and his doors were pinned closed in shallow water (but deep enough to drown).

Use common sense out there guys!

[Koldfront Kraig]

My mistake.

I forgot about that. It was by Cove bay if I remember...


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I work hard at underachieving….. but not too hard


Koldfront Kraig

[rmrakt]

Yup....

http://wcco.com/local/Lake.Mille.Lacs.2.364519.html


But it has been a long time since!

[panfish]

Burrrrrrrr what a cold weekend!!!

Well made my first ever trip to Mille Lacs with eight buddies this past week and weekend. Stayed with Hunters Point very nice place to stay highly reccomend it!!

The fishing was poor at best. We fished 3 Mile on Weds night with no keeper fish caught in 4 hrs fishing time. Thursday he had some of the group fish 3 Mile again the caught one 18 inch eye in six hrs. The remainder of us went out to the Boot Flat and turned it into swiss cheese with no keepers caught in 6+ hrs.

Friday and Sat. we were in a sleeper out on Banana only managed 1/2 dozen keeper perch from 9-11 inches. We had 12 rattle reels out each night with no hits.

The camera's really told the story of why the bite is off. Their are 1000's and 1000's of 3-4 inch perch everywhere so the eyes must be to full to eat what we had to offer.

It was a fun trip just to bad the fish were to busy to cooperate.