Heading to Mille Lacs...insight?

[AquaMan]

OK, guys and gals. I am looking for some of your wisdom. I am caught up on my deck building for a couple af days and will be heading to Mille Lacs for a day on Sunday.

Any suggestions on where to go? What has been working for you all and where? I will have the 16 footer with a 40HP so I am not looking to run and gun accross the lake.

Thanks.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just add water

[Eyecrosser]

I would try to get on the mud, maybe go from the Wealthwood access on the north side. From what I've seem in the past week or so it seems that the plain lindy rig isn't as hot as it has been. I would recommend a hammered gold spinner with a crawler to start with. I'm sure you have heard all the reports on the hot bite this year. I don't think you can go wrong anywhere!! Good luck and let us know how it shakes out.

[Schnauzer]

I'll second that advice. Unless the wind is out of the south, the Wealthwood access would be a good place to launch. It will put you very close to the flats. I also agree things seem to be gravitating to faster presentations. A spinner with a crawler harness will do the trick but don't totally give up on the rigging. I was still catching fish on rigs this past weekend but they were slamming it more. I only set the hook once - the rest just nailed it and ran. The percentage of spinner fish went up since my last visit a week earlier and the two biggest fish came on spinners.

I won't recommend a particular flat because they can change in "hotness" from day to day. Just start on any 'ole flat and be ready to move if you don't start nailing them right away. One other thing: be willing to work no man's land - even as far as a couple hundred yards off the flat on the windward side. If you are drifting, start your run well out from the flat itself. We've pulled a lot of fish out of the 30-37' range.

[Dave in Mpls]

As the others have said, head to the mud! From what I have heard, the deeper water off the edges has been producing more fish, particularily the windward sides. I haven't been up in a couple weeks (was at Sakakawea last weekend) but will know more Saturday!

Regards

[fireballer]

Was up Monday afternoon (after the 5-9" of rain Sunday night) and fished two mile reef out from Lakeside. Lots of fish still being caught there. Slip bobbering, pulling spinners with crawlers and rigging were all productive. Better check your route before going, highways 27 and 18 had spots that were under water. 27 was closed Monday night.

[AquaMan]

Thanks for the road close data and the location pointers. I was hoping to depart from Cove on the south side, but it sounds like I need to leave a little earlier and get up to the Red Door area.

Does not sound like anyone is working shinners anymore. Ottertail produced last week on shinners only. My 10 year old daughter smacked her biggest yet on a jig and a shinner. 3.95 pounds. She was thrilled...I was proud.

No leaches either?


AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just add water

[Dave in Mpls]

You can certainly fish the south end if you prefer. The gravel has been producing good numbers of fish - again, don't be afraid to work the deeper water. Absolutely bring leeches! Crawlers, too. I don't use minnows in the summer, particularily shinners, because they tend to go belly up too quick.

Regards

[AquaMan]

Yeah, talked with my buddy, Rob, who is going with (The same guy that went to the WC winter fish on Mille Lacs) and we are going to try the south side first. I have a few "spots." If it is slow, we'll pull and run to the north end.

Leeches and crawlers will be for sure. I have a bucket of shiners in the basement that I might bring for a goof. They all seem pretty harty, but we'll see what happenes in the sun and heat.

Looks like mild weather...fingers crossed...

Again, thanks for the pointers!

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just add water

[Jbob]

Fished the gravel the other day and did great. You better hope for little or no wind(LOL). We did better with a 10 to 12 ft snell. I was using plastic so that the fish didn't inhale and get deep hooked.