Need help on Mille Lacs

[mark1775]

My 12 yr old and son and I are heading to Mille Lacs next Tuesday. Fished the rocks up there many years ago and had great success. Any insight into what areas are hot and on what would be appreciated. Thanks. Mark

[troller1]

Just find water.They are biting everywhere. We were in the northeast corner by 2 mile reef. You can see boats in pods all over the lake. I don't have a picture tho!
Troller1

[fishman]

Fished Mille Lacs Thursday the 20th. Launched at Eddy's and fished Indian Point. Caught fish in 17-19 ft on jig and crawler and leech on a 4 - 5 ft lindy. Did not seem to make much diffence what we used as we got fish. Did not seem to find schools but just kept drifting and moving and could find them. Going back on the 24th or 25th. Also got a 6 lb Smallmouth!

[mark1775]

Thanks for the feed back. It has sounded like about anything is working there. Mark

[DRH]

Was there the 20th also. You are in luck. Finding water is the key. Everyone is catching fish and lots of them!! Good luck on finding the keepers. We caught 85 fish yesterday and only 4 that were in the slot. But definitly lots of big fish with an over 20 inch average. Our biggest a 27 incher. All and all the catching is second to no where. Any presentation in pretty much anywhere on the lake is catching.

We accessed near Garrison went out to the first Bar and never left the rest of the day. No need to travel very far.

Good luck and most of all. Have fun!

Dave

[Tracker 18]

We fished sat. and sunday, june 22, 23 had the same thing happen, caught oddells of fish but could not get our limit of keepers, caught 80 sat and 1 keeper, thought I was in a florida catch and release lake. We saw dead walleyes belly upfrom being so hungry they inhale the bait and you have to let them go even if gut and gill hooked. The forege base of tollibees and perch is gone,these fish are starving. 2 years ago you could catch perch up the wassu, now none.Something needs to be done and NOW. How about a few semi loads of a new stable bait fish, smelt, ciscos something with a good fatty content to help these poor walleyes. Im sure the MDR is doing its best, but this lake needs serious help!Catching these fish and releasing them over and ovar does them no good. espesially from deep water. That my 2 cents worth, lets save this great fishery.

[mark1775]

Thanks for the feed back. It has been close to 6 years since I have been on Mille Lacs. It is hard to believe that this fishery is in such perils. Mark

[Tahoe]

Launch out of Garrison and stay in that area- fish are all over the place and hitting everything you put in the water. As the saying goes, look for the other boats, and you'll catch fish. I don't like to do that, but I was with about 75 other boats in the same area and we all were catching fish.

One boat caught 225 in 16 hrs...Get this though - 3 were legal size, most of the other were over the size limit.

[Fish Tails]

That is because most of the 14-16 inchers have been already taken. There is going to be many fish left in the slot by years end. Next year, the only fish available will be 14 inchers that were 13 inchers this year. Eventually, if the slot size doesn't vary from year to year there will be no more healthy 20 inchers to reproduce. We will be left with a bunch of starved, skinny 25-28 inchers, if they survive the winter. How did this lake ever survive thousands of years prior to DNR/treaty management? This whole lake has become too dependent on fisheries management. Supply and demand seemed to work quite well prior to fisheries management.
Anyone know how much baitfish a 50 inch muskie consumes?

Off the soapbox and into the water.....

[JVfishkiller]

Night Fishing - Garrison Reef - look for the Headquarters Launch boat
18 to 21 ft of water fairly close to shore with a bobber and a leech
the bite starts at about 7:00 goes good to about 10:30. Thats where Ive been taking the kids. We are averaging about 25 - 35 fish with 4 people in the boat. Lauch at the public access in Garrison or lauch at Terrys boat Harbour just before Garrison on 169. Another spot on the west side is just out in front of Terry boat Harbour Go striaght out in about 20 -25 ft of water with A crawler rig (all day long) We averaged about 15 - 20 fish an hour. Just Drift or back troll.

Luck Luck and Great Fishing

JVfishkiller

[mark1775]

Thanks again for all everyone's insight into Mille Lacs. The boat is hooked up and the kid's are ready to go. Mark