Wondering if anyone has been hitting Vineland for muskies this year? If so, is anyone seeing fish in there. I fished it for 10 hours last week and never saw a fish. Few pikes. Fished it hard last year and it seemed like there werent many fish in there compared to years ago. Anyone have any comments or have similar experiences there? Tips? Maybe i am fishing it wrong!
How was the cabbage?
Starting to come in. Not even close to the mess of weeds in there last yr. Couldnt even throw a topwater last July because the cabbage was coming out of the water. 
The fishing in general has been pretty slow up there so far. Hopefully things will change in the next week or so as I’ll be putting in a good 3 or 4 days at the end of next week. 
Whats the game plan those 3 days? Good question isnt it? Get in line on the North End. They are selling tickets to get into Vineland for $25/boat and the North end is near a sell out. 
Good Luck 
The plan is to avoid those spots for the most part.I will however put in a late night or two on the Northwest corner. Other than that I will be fishing some small weedlines off some small sand areas that don’t get much pressure and hold nice fish this time o’ year….and a few other areas that most folks don’t bother with. Like I said it’s been slow so far but I’m looking forward to the change that is just around the corner.
I answered my own question this weekend. Fished Vineland for 18 hours straight. Started at 8pm Friday and left at 2pm on Saturday. Thats right, i didnt sleep, just kept casting n trolling, casting n trolling, etc, etc. What a waste of time. In 18 hours i pretty much covered from 5 fow to the outside the break. I NEVER had a follow!!! Good Luck, I am done w/ Vineland Bay forever. Well, atleast for a month!! That Bay has been a complete waste of time for the last 2 years now. Anyone else share there experiences in Vineland Bay in the last few years???? 
it is definitly going to be a “QUITE” summer for info on mille lacs, no one wants to say anything. it sucks!
I was up yesterday and finally saw some up sunning in the north end. saw 2 fish between sunrise and 2pm 
then saw another 15 or so from 2 till 6 but nothing would go. They rarely do when they are sunning themselves. did get a couple nice follows of some rock cabbage mix though.
There isn’t much of a 3′ weedline this year due to the shallow water. but that 6-9 is just lush! lots of thick green cabbage.
I think the key this year is going to be working some of the smaller patches of cabbage that are on some of the bigger rock reefs. Gonna try lots of trolling in the basin’ too.
Its funny people are secretive regarding Mille Lacs. There is nothing that is a secret out there. There are tons of people fishing it. They get in a line and cast over the same areas over and over. Just have to wait until one decides to eat and hope your the lucky one there. The only secret lies within a trolling pattern out there. I cant figure it out, but i am sure someone will. 
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Its funny people are secretive regarding Mille Lacs. There is nothing that is a secret out there. There are tons of people fishing it. They get in a line and cast over the same areas over and over. Just have to wait until one decides to eat and hope your the lucky one there. The only secret lies within a trolling pattern out there. I cant figure it out, but i am sure someone will.
I don’t think that people are keeping secrets or tight lipped, it is just that we are all having the same kinds of days on the water up there so far. I was up friday and fished till dark, and I have about the same kind of report as Bucky12- Until hooks meet flesh, I don’t have anything different to tell ya then what you already know 
I cant understand why everyone fishes in a line and casts the same areas as 5 boats in front of them just did. There are no secrets out there. What, cast a cowgirl at night, wow what a secret. I am sick of that lake, i boated 7 fish this weekend, biggest was a heavy 47″, i would have went to ML to fish w/ the masses and caught nothing, oh, maybe a lazy follow on the South end, that has seen every lure out there. It just doesnt make sense to me unless your dedicated to fishing it at night. But, watch the masses at night coming up as well, bumper boats dodging each other all night long????? Have fun!
The state record fish is in Mille Lacs and everybody knows it. Until it’s caught just hop in line or else hit another lake. Complaining about Mille Lacs won’t change the pressure at all.
Good luck.
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I cant understand why everyone fishes in a line and casts the same areas as 5 boats in front of them just did. There are no secrets out there. What, cast a cowgirl at night, wow what a secret. I am sick of that lake, i boated 7 fish this weekend, biggest was a heavy 47″, i would have went to ML to fish w/ the masses and caught nothing, oh, maybe a lazy follow on the South end, that has seen every lure out there. It just doesnt make sense to me unless your dedicated to fishing it at night. But, watch the masses at night coming up as well, bumper boats dodging each other all night long????? Have fun!
So……… what you’re really saying is……????…….that you only know the same spots everyone does? If you’re running into that kind of traffic, it’s time to become innovative and/or take a few risks……… spread the wings and see if you can fly. If fishing in the dark is you’re alternative answer, I’m afraid that is all you’re doing…… fishing in the dark.
When a lake has true trophy potential, why wouldn’t you go there and fish it? Because everyone else is??? With all the expanses that Mille Lacs offers, this just sounds like violins to me. If you want competition, try Bald Eagle or Deer. They’re much smaller fisheries and get WAY more pressure per acre of water than Mille Lacs does, yet you can go to these waters and catch your quarry on the presentation of your chosing by simply getting really good at the “tricks”. No one teaches “secrets” on their prize waters so you’ve got to break out and discover your own.
I wouldn’t encourage you to figure out how to get spots to yourself, but to rather get by yourself……..and find spots. Do this well enough and you’ll ALWAYS have somewhere to go and fish……….. away from the casting lines.
Any chance you had a camera with you this weekend?? 
I really enjoy looking at pictures of muskies… since I can’t seem to catch any of them myself this year. 
I will be the first to wave this 
Bob,
I’d be happy to second that one. 
Well dang it all!…I was going to fish MilleLacs tonight,tomorrow,and Thursday. Looks like a change of plans is in order.
Stillakid,How much time do you spend on Mille Lacs each year fishing muskies approx.? How many fish do you boat a year on Mille Lacs? Trust me, i have alot of exploring and off beat spot seaching. In my experience, it just doesnt payoff. The fish are on the pressure areas and all you can do is camp on those spots and pray a fish is ready to eat and it sees your lure out of 50 other lures. I trolled the crap out of it last year (open water, 3ft, breaklines, whatever). Casted almost entirely around the whole lake, just to prove a point.
Try Tonka I hear it’s almost deserted.
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Try Tonka I hear it’s almost deserted.
Ahahahahahah!!! Too much man, it hurts!!
yeah i crush Tonka during the week. No one is out there. I spoke w/ a few muskie crushers at the landing. Few guys have caught a few low to mid 30s fish in the past few weeks. Overall, not much going.
Stillakid, you offer alot of good info, however i question how many fish you really catch and how much time you really spend on the water????
I caught 5 this weekend with the smallest being 47″……Ah nevermind Bob go ahead and give the flag another wave for me please
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Stillakid, you offer alot of good info, however i question how many fish you really catch and how much time you really spend on the water????
What do you want? A bio? I don’t care if you’re on the water 365 days a year……. you’ll have bad days. There’ll be those times where you have to humble yourself and simply know that a) There’s something left to be learned or b) There’s something to still be learned.
I don’t need to prove anything to anybody because I’m not proclaiming to be anybody’s musky spanker. BUT, I’m mature enough to know that whining publicly about fishing competition is about attitude and perception. It’s not about BEING on Mille Lacs. It’s about knowing how it is, or could be, anywhere you go and what you can do about it. Whining is an option but what do you or anyone else gain by that? Suck it up and take your licks. If you do your homework, continue your persistance, and form positive relationships……. your day in the spotlight will come! It doesn’t matter how many others visit the spot before you. If you’ve got it going on, you’re still gonna be the one that pulls the fish.
So, with all this said, I don’t get a lot of time on the water. I’m raising 5 kids, chasing a career change, and developing a future inside of a new marriage. Doesn’t make me a lesser fisherman…….. or you a lesser person. We’ve just got different priorities at this point of our lives.
With that said, know that I readily admit, I don’t know everything. I can’t and I never will. But, I’m not stupid either. I face the same challenges you do. Some days I score, some days I lose. I’ve got plenty to learn…….. as does everyone, and that’s what I come to this forum for. I would much rather learn something from you than hear complaints that other people share the same passion and pursuit on the same water as you. The truth is……….. if they’re better than you, you’ll watch them net a fish. If the others proceed to catch nothing, who cares? Go see how well you stack up against the competition. According to “the experts”, the magic in catching muskies is in having the best presentation to TRIGGER strikes. That’s what we ALL have to deal with, whether you’re on the water 24/7 or only once a year.
My time/chance to spend 100+ days on the water will come again and when it does, don’t get mad if you see me on your spot. If there’s anything I can do to HELP you catch fish, THAT’S what I’m here for. And if I do help you, maybe you’ll return the favor some day. If every fish is released unharmed, there’s no need for me to feel possessive about it. It will be there again, looking to feed another day, and perhaps give me the battle I’ve been yearning for.
Good luck!
There are fish in Vineland, always. You may have to dig them out. Crank ’em / dawg’em out of those weeds but they are there and worth the effort. Make sure you working the edges not just massive basin of weeds.
Good Luck.
Hey Bob, wanted to let you know i boated a 54 and 45 yesterday. Go ahead waive your flag, but its all true. Again fishing alone, so pics arent good. Water is heating up and these fish were not hooked deep or anything. Had a hard time getting them revived after the battle. Had to sit w/ the 54 for about 30 minutes to get it revived and the hooks came out at the boat but just laid there, so it was definetly not mishandled.
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Hey Bob, wanted to let you know i boated a 54 and 45 yesterday. Go ahead waive your flag, but its all true. Again fishing alone, so pics arent good. Water is heating up and these fish were not hooked deep or anything. Had a hard time getting them revived after the battle. Had to sit w/ the 54 for about 30 minutes to get it revived and the hooks came out at the boat but just laid there, so it was definetly not mishandled.
Any idea what she is singing
I did vennture up to MilleLacs over the last few days and I too was skunked!! I didn’t get a chance to hit any spots I planned on due to family and other things more important than fishing in some unfavorable hot weather/bluebird skies conditions. I did, however manage one follow from a massive fish( mid 50’s by my best guesstimate) on thee rocks around Hennepin Island. I also caught my biggest Walleye this year in four feet of water in the middle of the day on a Muskie Treat.
I am heading up to Mille Lacs for the first time this year this evening. Planning on trying Wahkon Bay area and do some experimenting…My question is which access should I use. I know that the water is down. I have put in at Cove Bay before and is where I will plan on putting in unless someone steers me somewhere else. I will let you know how I do. Thanks
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