Fishing on the St. Louis River near Duluth

This is the Explore Minnesota Fishing Report as of Thursday, June 11, with information provided courtesy of community organizations throughout Minnesota.

Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing DNR License Sales.

While cool temperatures earlier this week lead to a slowdown in fishing action, anglers are looking forward to more seasonable temperatures forecasted for this weekend which should cause the bite to really heat up!

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Northeastern Minnesota

International Falls

Rainy Lake walleye have started to gather on the submerged reefs. Charts and electronics have been helpful to locate humps in depths of 15-30 feet of water. For the most fish, try trolling these areas using a spinner rig and minnow, or try anchoring and jigging. There are good reports coming from Cranberry and Lost bays, from the west side of Brule Narrows, and from the area around Big Island and Saginaw Bay on the east. Crappies remain very active. Smallmouth bass are hitting lures at the rocky shorelines. For an easy trip on the Rainy River launch your boat at the Pat Roche access above the dam and fish for walleye just below the Ranier Rapids. Good numbers of walleye are also being caught in the swifter waters below the dam. Launch at the Ron Hall access on Shorewood Drive and enjoy fishing just below the dam or drifting downstream a mile or so. For more information, dial 1-800-325-5766, or visit www.rainylake.org

Kabetogama

On Lake Kabetogama, cool weather and spring-like conditions have caused fishing to be inconsistent. The water temperature early this week was a mere 54-degrees on the surface. And yet, fishing remains very good. Some anglers report taking too many larger fish, and not enough of the smaller, keeper-size fish. The smaller fish have yet to settle in at a predictable level. For the most success with the eating-size walleye try depths of 18-35 feet using a jig and minnow combination. Leeches, however, are beginning to also turn fish. On the west end of Lake Kabetogama, good numbers of large walleye continue to be pulled from less than 8 feet of water. Anglers report that the best basic structure is now the reef edges and drop-offs from the sand bars and shoreline points. Northern pike remain elusive, with only a few fish in the 30- to 40-inch range being reported. Action should heat up soon once the water temperature rises. Crappie action has been inconsistent. The best approach is to hit the shallows at the shorelines on bright, sunny days. An occasional smallmouth bass can be found at the rip-rap shorelines, especially on warmer days. For further information, dial 1-800-524-9085, or check out www.kabetogama.com

Crane Lake

Walleye are ending their post-spawn phase. The smaller walleye are plentiful and can be found in 25-30 feet of water. The larger fish remain in the shallows, roughly 8-12 feet deep. The best approach is to jig at the weedlines and windblown rocky shorelines using a minnow. It is still a little cool to use leeches. Crappie anglers are doing extremely well in depths of 14-22 feet of water. Browns Bay on Sandpoint Lake has been a hot spot for crappies. Smallmouth bass fishing has been exceptional - try casting and retrieving off the shoreline at the wood. These bass are not yet up on their beds, with the males roaming nearby. To learn more, dial 1-800-362-7405, or visit www.visitcranelake.com

Cook/Tower - Lake Vermilion

On Lake Vermilion, walleye anglers report lots of hungry fish, with most of the forage being last year’s leftovers. Leeches are now producing more than minnows, roughly 3:1. For the most fish, use a lindy rig with a bead in 22-28 feet of water near shore. During evening hours, these fish are moving shallow and will hit nearly any live bait or crankbait - perch-tone, silver and gold colors have been best. Lots of smaller walleye have started to show up on the west end of the lake. Crappie anglers are taking fish on sunny days when spending the time necessary to locate them. Bass are scattered due to the cold lake temperatures. While some anglers have done well with the largemouth in Wolf Bay, the smallies remain tough to find. To find out more, dial 1-800-648-5897, or visit www.lakevermilionresorts.com

Ely

Fishing has been incredible, with most species of fish being taken in large numbers! Lots of large walleyes, some measuring up to 32 1/2-inches long, are being reported. For the most fish, use a minnow or leech in 8-20 feet of water. Northern pike are very aggressive, and hitting everything from suckers under a bobber to trolled spoons and spinners. Look for them around the emerging weeds and at the rocky points. Some anglers are taking lake trout by trolling large-lipped crankbaits that dive down to 15 feet. Planers and downriggers are handy this time of year when trying to keep your bait in the strike zone. Smallmouth bass are attacking crankbaits near the shorelines, and can be found fanning beds for the upcoming spawn. The best approach has been a tube or other soft bait. For more information, dial 1-800-777-7281, or visit www.ely.org

Duluth/Lake Superior & inland lakes

The south shore of Lake Superior continues to produce lots of lake trout, good numbers of salmon, and a few large walleye. Minnows and leeches remain the bait of choice for walleye, especially in 10-12 feet of water on Island, Boulder, and Fish Lakes. Walleye anglers are doing well on the St. Louis River, with eight walleye weighing just shy of 40-pounds winning the recent Grand Slam fishing tournament! Look to the shallows on Fish Lake for lots of bluegills. Sucker minnows are triggering for northern pike when worked in depths of 4 feet on Rice Lake. To learn more, dial 1-800-4-duluth, or check out www.visitduluth.com

Northwest Minnesota

Baudette/Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River

The walleye bite remains strong on Lake of the Woods. Anglers are taking good numbers of walleye and sauger when anchored and jigging in 17-28 feet of water around the Lighthouse Gap and Morris Point Gap. Frozen shiners and leeches are both working well, with gold jigs producing best. Some success is being reported by anglers drifting with spinners, but this is dependant on the wind. Several huge northern pike were recently taken out of Bostic and Zippel bays. While the bite in the Rainy River remains a bit slow for the larger walleyes, the smaller fish can still be found. The Northwest Angle and Islands area has been very productive. The hot spots remain around Oak and Flag islands, with limits being taken when jigging in depths of 19-24 feet of water. To learn more, dial 1-800-382-FISH, or visit www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Bemidji

Surface water temperatures dropped several degrees last weekend and were less than 60 degrees on most lakes in the Bemidji vicinity. The cold temperatures kept many anglers off of the lakes this past week, but this should soon change when more seasonal temperatures return. Walleye have been scattered in a wide range of depths, making it more difficult to locate fish. Most of the larger lakes have been producing a few walleye, but anglers have had to put in the time. Start shallow and work your way into deeper water until you locate fish. While fish continue to respond to jig and minnow combinations, more anglers are switching to live bait rigs tipped with leeches, nightcrawlers or large minnows. Artificial baits such as plastics and crankbaits have started to produce fish as well. A few muskies have been reported, however most of these fish have been hooked by anglers using smaller baits intended for other species. Muskie action should also improve as water temperatures warm into the 60s. Most of the bass, crappies and sunfish are still waiting for warmer waters to begin spawning. Fishing will improve significantly for all species once the weather becomes more stable and sun begins to shine. For more information, dial 1-800-458-2223, or check out www.visitbemidji.com

Cass Lake

Water temperatures remain roughly 58-degrees which is cold for this time of the year. Round Lake has had a decent walleye bite in 8-10 feet of water on windy days, and in depths of 11-13 feet on calm, sunny days. The best approach has been a northland fireball or gumball tipped with a shiner or chub. On Lake Winnibigoshish, fishing has been good at the Tamarack Flats and on up to the north shore depending on the wind direction. These fish are coming from depths of 10-13 feet. Sand Lake walleye can be found in depths of 9-16 feet when using jig and minnow combinations. Overall, fishing has been pretty good despite the cold and windy days. Towards the city of Deer River, walleye fishing also remains good, with gumball jigs and minnows working best. On Cass Lake, fishing continues to improve. Walleyes are coming from 12-20 feet on water at Turtle Bar on jig and shiner combinations. Pike Hole has also been good for walleye. Leeches and nightcrawlers will begin to produce fish as water temperatures rise. Crappie fishing has been exceptional. Pike Bay Lake continues to give up large walleye, and the north end has been productive since the opener. For the most fish, find the weedline and fish depths of 12-13 feet. Just like Cass Lake, Pike Bay has lots of structure and offers a variety of ways to catch walleye. This lake is also good for large 50-plus inch muskie. On Lake Andrusia, a lot of walleye are coming from the mouth of the outlet during evening hours. The inlet mouth has also been good. Northern pike fishing is picking up. For further information, dial 1-800-356-8615, or visit www.casslake.com

Walker/Leech Lake

Despite the wind, cold and rain, Leech Lake continues to produce excellent numbers of walleye, largemouth bass, and muskie. Largemouth bass have kept anglers very busy! Muskie fishing has been great on the east side of Leech Lake at areas such as Portage Bay, Five Mile Point, Sugar Point, and Bear and Pelican islands. Fishing was also good at the south end shoreline from Partridge Point to Northland Reef. Walleye and perch anglers continue to have success on the west side of Leech Lake at Star Point, the Goose Island Flats, and Second Duck Point, especially when there is a north or south wind. The best presentation this past week has been a jig tipped with a shiner minnow. Chartreuse and John Deer green have been the best colors. To learn more, dial 1-800-833-1118, or visit www.leech-lake.com

Park Rapids

Fishing has been somewhat unpredictable due to unstable weather. Anglers that have ventured out, however, have done very well. Walleye anglers continue to catch fish in depths of 8-15 feet of water when using leeches - the larger the leech the better. While eating-sized fish have been the most prevalent, the larger females have also been active, with some nice trophies being reported. Muskie anglers enjoyed lots of action during last Saturday’s opener. A number of anglers landed large fish, including a 50 1/2-inch muskie! Some fish are holding at the shallow sand flats, and other more active fish can be found cruising the weedlines. The largemouth bass are finishing up their spawn, and the smallmouth bass are just getting started. Largemouth bass anglers are doing well in both the very shallow waters and at the medium-depth weedlines. The best approach has been a soft plastic such as a northland slurpy dipstick worm. A few northern pike are being taken, and the size has been better than average. As the water warms and the weather stabilizes, expect pike activity to increase. At present, most fish are found in the shallows searching for spawning sunfish. Some of the bluegill have even temporarily abandoned theirs nests and moved to the weeds found in 6-10 feet of water due to cool water temperatures. They will likely return to the shallows in the next few days. Larger female crappies have started to move to the weedlines, and the smaller male fish continue to wander in the shallow reeds, cattails and lilypads. For crappies, use a 1/16th-ounce magic jig, and expect to take a few bass, bluegill, and northern pike as well! For information on where to fish and which presentations are working best, dial 1-800-247-0054, or check out www.parkrapids.com

Central Minnesota

Miltona

Fishing on Lake Miltona has been great, with most anglers having success in 12-14 feet of water when using a lindy rig or jig. Crankbaits are working well after dark. The most productive colors have been orange and charteruse. While shiner minnows remain the preferred bait, some anglers are doing well using crawlers and leeches. Crappies have moved out of the shallows and can be found in depths of 9-12 feet at the cabbage and coontail weeds when using white twister tails. To learn more, dial 1-877-833-2350, or visit www.VisitLakeMiltona.com

Pine River Area Lakes

Water temperatures are still below 60 degrees in most of the larger area lakes, which has lead to a somewhat inconsistent walleye bite.
Jig and minnow combinations remain best since the cool spring temperatures have retarded weed growth in depths of 10-20 feet. Some anglers, however, are beginning to have success using leeches and nightcrawlers on a floating or slip-sinker rig. At night, anglers are having the most success trolling shallow-running plugs along the sandbars adjacent to deeper water. Northern pike and largemouth bass remain active on Whitefish, Pelican, and most other Pine River area lakes, with most of the fish being taken from 5-15 feet of water. The sunfish bite is excellent in areas where the water temperature exceeds 60-degrees, such as in the shallow, sheltered bays. Crappie action remains great, with fish beginning to move off their shallow beds and relocate to the first weedline. Temperatures will increase with the present, more moderate temperatures, and there should be a subsequent improvement in fishing action! To find out more, dial 1-800-728-6926, or check out www.pinerivermn.com

Brainerd/Nisswa Area Lakes

To find out where the fish are biting and what techniques to use, dial 1-800-450-2838, or visit www.explorebrainerdlakes.com

Isle/Onamia/Lake Mille Lacs

Anglers are happy now that the night ban is off, and looking forward to the more seasonable temperatures this weekend! Walleye continue to bite, despite cool water temperatures that have finally reached the 60-degree mark. During evening hours, walleye anglers are doing well when trolling crankbaits or slip-float fishing at the shallow rocks. Daytime action has been best in the deeper water on cloudy days. The mud and gravel areas are producing the majority of fish. Look for schools of baitfish or groups of bugs and you will likely find walleye nearby. Muskie remain sluggish due to the cool water temperatures, and no reports are available. Once the water turns warmer, expect the bite to really take off for all species of fish! For more information, dial 1-888-350-2692, or check out www.millelacs.com

Willmar Lakes Area

Over the weekend, walleye were pulled from Diamond, Willmar, Foot, and Green lakes. The windy, rainy weather put a damper on fishing over the past few days, however the recent more seasonable temperatures and stable weather patterns will lead to an increase in fishing action. Panfish action is currently heating up on most area lakes. For further information, dial 1-800-845-8747, or visit www.seeyouinwillmar.com

Twin Cities vicinity

White Bear Lake

To obtain information on where the fish are biting and which techniques are currently working best, visit www.ExploreWhiteBear.org, or dial 651/653-5122

Southern Minnesota

Lake City

The walleye/sauger bite on Lake Pepin has been exceptional, with lots of nice-sized fish being taken throughout the lake. Fishing has been so good that 50- to 80-fish days are the norm! A variety of techniques are working well, especially when the fish are this aggressive. Reward yourself with a day of fishing on Lake Pepin! To find out more, dial 1-877-525-3248, or check out www.lakecitymn.org

Albert Lea

Walleye action has been great on Albert Lea Lake! For the most fish, use a small jig tipped with a leech or minnow, especially during late afternoon hours. The Fountain Lake dam and the channel are giving up walleye to anglers using pig-headed jigs with white twister tails from noontime until evening. And, catfish are hitting worms at the Brookside channel near Edgewater and Blackamer. For sunfish, check out Edgewater Bay on Hwy 13. For more information, visit www.albertleatourism.org, or dial 507/373-2316

Fairmont Area Chain Of Lakes

Cool water temperatures have kept the crappies from spawning and fish are still hanging in the shallows. On Wednesday, anglers were taking some nice fish under the railroad tracks off the Hobo Trail which runs between Lake Sisseston and Lake George. In general, the crappie bite remains good throughout the chain of lakes, with lots of good-sized fish being reported. Crappie anglers are having success behind the filtration plant on Budd Lake, on Sisseston Lake off the public docks, at the George Lake public docks, and the area along the Hobo Trail. Amber Lake is also producing crappies. Most anglers are using crappie minnows and flu-flus - for bluegills, switch to a waxworm. Walleye anglers are taking some nice fish from Hall Lake. The best approach has been a shiner minnow and spinner. Expect fishing to be best on cloudy days, and at night. Outside of town, Fox, Imogene, and Okamanpedon lakes are also giving up walleye. Largemouth and smallmouth bass have been very active on Budd and Sisseston lakes. Muskie anglers are doing well on Fox Lake. And don’t forget the 7th Annual Fairmont Lakes Foundation Fishing Tournament which will be held Saturday, June 20, at the Budd Lake launch site. For more information on where to locate fish and which techniques to use, dial 1-800-657-3280, or visit www.visitfairmontmn.com

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