Looking at going somewhere in July/August for walleyes. Willing to travel to the great lakes, lake of the woods, dakota, minnesota just wondering what everyone would reccomend. This spring been working a lot so missed out on a lot of the bite and want to catch a bunch of fish and know the summer can be tough but they have to be biting somewhere. Suggestions??
Ya know, I wouldn’t have a clue where to tell you to go, but it had me thinking. Since Ido can answer every question that’s worth thinking about, I looked at the fishing reports forum.
Entered July 2011 and walleye. Clicked on search and came up with 13 fishing reports from NE, to Alex MN to LOTW’s with Winni and Mille Lacs to boot.
I’m not sure this link will work for a search, but either way it’s easy to start from scratch. I would check July ’10 and ’09 too.
That’s a pretty wide open question. Here’s another way to think about it. Is it only the hot bite you’re after or is there more to a trip?
I grew up out in Bismarck. My dad’s good friend that used to take me fishing has been after me for years come home for some walleye. Here’s the rub. Seven hours and I can either be on the Missouri river or in NW Ontario. For my vote there are few places that are more beautiful than the borderland so you can find me up on Rainy or in a canoe on a smaller lake. That’s the criteria that swings my vote most years.
Good fishin’
with the bite that is happening on Mille Lacs this year, there is nothing better, period.
now…you won’t catch a ton of eaters, but if you like catching 20+ inch fish all day, then that is where you need to go.
get your leadcore rods rigged up and ready for open basin trolling, and the bobber bite on the mud at night.
Your post begs another question:
What style of walleye fishing would you want to do?
Do you like pulling plugs in the open basin, drifting with a bottom bouncer and spinner rig, jigging with live bait, pitching jigs into weeds, slip bobbering, night fishing, etc….?
I am pretty sure there are places you can do any or all of these things in July with decent success. I have been an many occasions that one dufuss pulling plugs when the bite was on a jig, or drifting when I shoulda been pitching. I got looks like I was trying to speak English to a Frenchman, a look of “get with the program”. Don’t be that guy.
My suggestion coincides with an earlier post. Choose the area that you’d like to go to for whatever reason, proximity, landscapes, natural beauty, hot chicks, then be willing to fish whichever way the bite dictates.
You bet I purposely left it wide opened and thanks for the replys. Looking at Mille Lac based on the bite but never been up there in July but love to troll and from what I read July is a trolling bite for the most part. Never been up to rainy before but seems like that is more of a spring fall bite but could be way off on that. Thanks for the replies again and tight lines just curious what others thought.
Lots of good ideas – but if you do not mind driving a little…. LOTW is my choice hands-down. IMHO, day in and day out, there is not a better walleye fishery around. ML is hotter than heck this year, but I still prefer LOTW(less crowds…and I just can’t bring myself to drive south to fish walleyes…..lol)
July on LOTW is a usually a trolling bite. Leadcore, riggers, or even bouncers/blades….. I have had many 75-100 fish days up there with 2 guys in the boat. PLus, I think the chance of a true hawg is a lot better up there, not to mention it is pretty easy to bring home a limit of nice eaters.
These guys are throwing out some big names, but you make that trip to NE sodak in the glacial lakes and you can get on awesome numbers of fish in july trolling crank,s spinners, pitching plastic whatever you want. Not uncommon to put together 50-70 fish outings and sleep for 20 bucks a night. – Quintin
Shhhhh…..
Keep it down about SD. Nobody knows about that area yet. It’s better that way. I tell people to keep driving right past this area and go to Oahe or Sharpe knowing full well that the glacial lakes are reserved just for me.
And that is just fine.
Hate to blow your bubble but when its in infisherman a few times already and just was listed as places to go this month the word is out. The chamber is pushing to have more more and more representation. Lakes are managed amazingly well by the SDGF&P, more $$ more stocking efforts more fish. It all comes out in wash have been fishing it since 99 they keep up well. Still overlooked and average size of fish is still down somewhat compared to the averages I have seen come out of other bigger lakes and the MO river, but still a great drive to destination that is at my fingertips constantly.
Yes sir…
Heading up there Sunday ….. can’t wait.
If you decide on going to Mille Lacs and you want to troll crankbaits in the open basin – you may want to read my open water trolling reports.
Mille Lacs Open Water Trolling, June 16-17, 2012
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