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Minnesota Fishing Report ArchiveMore Info In Discussion Forums
| Author |
Messages |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/06/2005 8:24 PM |
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The recent warm weather has turned the ice dark on most of the lakes in the Brainerd Lakes area. Foot traffic is the only advised method of travel at this time. The ice has pulled back from the shore 2 to 3 feet on many of the smaller lakes in the area. If the current weather patterns hold, we should see some open water in a week.
Brainerd Guide Service, John Blong (218-825-8965)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly |
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/06/2005 8:25 PM |
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NISSWA
The end of the ice season is drawing closer by the day. A few anglers were still out chasing panfish over the weekend but angler numbers have been limited. Most are now awaiting open water. Please use caution, if you venture out. There is a little water on the edges of area lakes. Most lakes are still accessible, but it varies. The sunfish bite has been decent on waxworms. The crappies have been more elusive. Time to get the boat ready for the season, it shouldn’t be much longer.
Dave’s Sportland Bait & Tackle, Jason, 2 miles south of Nisswa at the Intersection of Hwy 371 and Cty Rd 77, next to Schaefer’s Foods (218-963-2401)
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As the ice fishing comes to a rapid end in the Nisswa-Brainerd Lakes area, the start of the spring boat season is almost upon us. On most of the lakes, ice has pulled from the shorelines, so with the rain and wind, the life of the ice is coming quickly to an end. There are still some ice fishermen heading out, using wheelers and planks to get to the ice and walk out to the prime panfish areas. Lakes that had a lot of ice will still have center areas with good ice, BUT BE CAREFUL! We figure that the ice in some of the small channels will be open by next week. The rest of the lakes should be open about regular time (mid-April) but if the rain and wind come on strong we will have early ice-out and more fun in April. Keep an eye on the weather and call for up-to-date reports on the ice and open water conditions. Get the rods and reels ready to go.
Koep’s Sport Shop, Bill, 3/4 mile south of Nisswa, right on Hwy 371, koeps@arvig.net (218-963-2547)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly |
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/09/2005 6:46 AM |
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The ice is going fast and only a few anglers continue to trust it. Look for sunfish and crappies on the shallow weed flats of most lakes in six to eight feet of water. Look for open water anglers to start fishing from shore by the weekend.
S & W Bait & Tackle (218) 829-7010
Courtesy of Outdoor News |
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/14/2005 4:24 PM |
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The ice is gone on many of the smaller lakes in the Brainerd Lakes area. The ice on the bigger lakes is very dark and should be start disappearing in the next week or so. Any travel on the ice is not advised at this time. Most anglers have turned their attention to the “open water” season and are in the process of getting ready for the spring crappie bite.
Brainerd Guide Service, John Blong (218-825-8965)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly |
|
A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/14/2005 4:25 PM |
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CROSSLAKE
Ice is off the smaller lakes such as Horseshoe, Bass and Pine. Edwards and Rush are half way there and should be open by the weekend. Crosslake, Pelican and Whitefish have open water at the shoreline and out 70-80 feet. Trout Lake is open around the edges and is broken into chunks. Weather conditions will determine how fast the Chain will open up.
Holiday of Cross Lake, Lee (218-692-2708)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly |
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/14/2005 4:27 PM |
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NISSWA
The Brainerd area lakes are starting to open on a daily basis. Most lakes will be open within a week. Look for crappies and sunfish to move into the small canals and channels very soon. To start the season, go with small hair jigs tipped with crappie minnows. Another good option is a small jig head tipped with a two-inch puddle jumper. Hang either of these two options below a float and you will be in for some great fish catching action. Remember, warm water is the key to catching early spring crappies.
Dave’s Sportland Bait & Tackle, Jason, 2 miles south of Nisswa at the Intersection of Hwy 371 and Cty Rd 77, next to Schaefer’s Foods (218-963-2401)
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NISSWA
Bill reports some great news: Area ice is – for the most part – gone! As of Tuesday, the north and the south ends of Gull Lake were open to boat traffic. All of the Gull Chain is open, most of North Long, Pelican and Round are wide open and ready to fish! Look for the shallow water in bays with dark muddy bottoms, they will be the warmest for panfish to feed and congregate together. With the warmth of this year’s April, this should be one of the best springs in recent years. Small jigs, plastics (like PowerBaits, Puddle Jumpers and Lindy Techni-Glo Tails) will work great in either a slip bobber rig or by just pitching them into the shallows. So give us a call for up-to-date reports or just head to the area and stop in and we can set you up for a great spring trip to area lakes. Hope to see or hear from a lot of you looking to catch some nice panfish this spring!
Koep’s Sport Shop, Bill, 3/4 mile south of Nisswa, right on Hwy 371, koeps@arvig.net (218-963-2547)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/18/2005 7:21 PM |
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Open water crappie action has picked up on the Highway 371 side of North Long Lake. The pier by Bar Harbor and the ditch on Gull Lake also have produced crappies this week. On Round Lake, anglers have been fishing the shallow shorelines and catching crappies on small jigs tipped with minnows or waxworms.
S & W Bait & Tackle (218) 829-7010
CROSS LAKE AREA
The ice is off most small lakes such as Horseshoe, Bass, and Pine. Lake Edwards and Rush Lake should be open by this weekend, while bigger lakes such as Pelican and Whitefish have open water around the edges. Look for the crappies to be biting in shallow water soon.
Crosslake Holiday Sports (218) 692-2708
Courtesy of Outdoor News |
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/21/2005 10:32 AM |
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The open water season has finally returned to the Brainerd Lakes area. The recent warm weather has really kicked the crappie bite into high gear. The key is to search out the smaller, backwater locations on the lakes. These areas will warm the quickest and this is where you’re sure to find some hungry crappies right now. Small jigs tipped with a minnow, and then suspended below a float, have been the ticket. Good lake choices have been Gull, North Long and Pelican lakes. It’s time to put that yard rake down and go enjoy some of this beautiful spring weather.
Brainerd Guide Service, John Blong (218-825-8965)
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CROSSLAKE
The ice was off all area lakes as of Saturday, April 16. Fishermen are finding crappies in the shallow bays during the early evening hours. Crosslake and Rush lakes are giving up some nice crappies.
Holiday of Cross Lake, Lee (218-692-2708)
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NISSWA
Lots of crappies are being caught in the lakes surrounding the Brainerd/Nisswa area. There is a pretty good morning bite at the Bar Harbor Docks, Margaret Lake, Merrifield Bay on North Long and Wilson Bay on Gull. Most fish are hitting Puddle Jumpers or crappie minnows. The nice weather has seemed to spur the recent activity. Over the weekend Sportland weighed in their first 2-pounder of the season, what a brute. Overall, quite a few crappies caught in the 12- to 14-inch range. The sunfish have yet to really turn on but that could change any day now. Waxworms on little hair jigs will work best on the sunnies.
Dave’s Sportland Bait & Tackle, Jason, 2 miles south of Nisswa at the Intersection of Hwy 371 and Cty Rd 77, next to Schaefer’s Foods (218-963-2401)
If you want a great time fishing, NOW is the time to head to the Nisswa Lakes area! With all the lakes ice-free and warmer than normal temps, fishing has been the best in years. The panfish are going crazy in the shallows and the water hasn’t even hit the spawning temp. Fish are feeding now and have been hitting most everything thrown at them. Shorefishermen in the Bar Harbor channel area have done well. You must weed through for bigger fish, but what a ball for spring action! Sunnies have been in as shallow as 1 foot with crappies anywhere from 3-12 feet. Try slip bobber rigs with smaller puddle jumpers (1-1/2-inch) or any small feather type jigs (1/32- to 1/16-ounce). There hasn’t been any real pattern as to which is the best colors to use, but traditionally white, pink, smoke black or any combo colored rigs have done well. Pretty much all the lakes have had good action this week and should continue. On the large lakes, look for the shallow bays for best action. Areas that are weedy in the summer can be good, there is still some type of cover for the crappies and sunnies as well as feed there for them.
Koep’s Sport Shop, Bill, 3/4 mile south of Nisswa, right on Hwy 371, koeps@arvig.net (218-963-2547)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly |
|
A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
|
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/25/2005 8:52 AM |
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North Long Lake is providing consistent crappie action in 10 feet of water. Flu-Flu's tipped with minnows or small leeches have worked best this week. Pelican Lake and Lake Hubert are producing crappies in shallower water as well. Look to Upper Gull, the channel by Bar Harbor, and Wilson Bay on Gull for crappies in two to four feet of water. Expect to find sunfish mixed in with the crappies on the shallow locations.
S & W Bait & Tackle (218) 829-7010
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CROSBY AREA
The spring panfish bite is just getting started with a handful of shallow bays and shorelines producing crappies and an occasional good-sized sunfish. Look to lakes such as Blind, Perry, Black Hoof, and Serpent for better numbers of fish in three to six feet of water.
Oars ‘n Mine Bait and Tackle (218) 546-6912
Courtesy of Outdoor News |
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A service of
JustNorth Outdoors LLC
www.justnorth.com
Outdoors Learning Center
Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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justnorth
Posts:3733
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| 4/28/2005 8:52 AM |
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BRAINERD LAKES AREA
The channels and backwater areas are the key locations for finding the crappies in the Brainerd Lakes area at the present time. Good crappie options have included Gull, Margaret and Pelican lakes. The warmest water is where you’ll find most of the crappies right now. If you can find 50+degree water temperatures, then you’ve found the crappies. The best baits have been small jigs tipped with minnows, or puddle jumpers. If you’re fishing at dusk, then search for a lighted dock or bridge. These locations are crappie magnets during this time of year. Spring is here, so go out and wet a line.
Brainerd Guide Service, John Blong (218-825-8965)
CROSSLAKE
Crosslake and Rush lakes were giving up some nice crappies last week. Your best bet to locate crappies is to fish the shallow bays during the early evening hours.
Holiday of Cross Lake, Lee (218-692-2708)
NISSWA
The weather has had its ups and downs but anglers are still catching a few fish. The fishing isn’t as good as last week but anglers are still catching crappies. Most crappies are swimming in the shallows. Puddle Jumpers are still the top lure for crappies, but crappie minnows are another great choice. A pink jighead tipped with a pearl white Puddle Jumper is the best color combo. The best lakes have been the Gull Chain, North Long, Hubert and many of the small lakes in the area. Jason’s advice is just choose a lake and go. Anglers have been catching them in all of the lakes in the Nisswa area. One bright spot has been the great bluegill fishing that has taken place. Small hair jigs like a flu-flu tipped with a waxworm is providing good results. Sunfish are cruising the shallows along with the crappies. Small muddy bays are what to look for. Most area lakes have water in the 50-degree range, perfect for crappie fishing. It’s a good chance to get the kids out to enjoy the outdoors, or get the boat ready for walleye opener, which is in a few short weeks.
Dave’s Sportland Bait & Tackle, Jason, 2 miles south of Nisswa at the Intersection of Hwy 371 and Cty Rd 77, next to Schaefer’s Foods (218-963-2401)
This week’s report is from Lenny Hodgson, a 30+year member of the Nisswa Guides League. Crappie and sunfish action has slowed somewhat with the colder weather moving in. A good time of day to get out is mid-afternoon when the day is at its warmest. Once we get back to more seasonal temps, the bite should improve considerably. This past Thursday, we did very well on the south end of Gull Lake using Kukoo feathered jigs tipped with minnows for the crappies and either waxworms or Gulp maggots for the sunnies. The backwaters and smaller bays of Pelican Lake and Whitefish are also putting out some nice crappies and should continue to get even better as the water warms even more. Get out there and enjoy some great early-season open water fishing.
Koep’s Sport Shop, Bill, 3/4 mile south of Nisswa, right on Hwy 371, koeps@arvig.net (218-963-2547)
Courtesy of Outdoors Weekly
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Connecting Families with the Great Outdoors ™ |
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