Needless to say, I am getting very excited to get up here and smallmouth fish. I am planning on heading up on Tuesday for some after-memorial day bass fishing. Any reports would be appreciated, especially water temps.
It feels great to be fishing for these fish again!!!
I’ll be looking around some this weekend. I’ll post my findings!
Good to hear. All I am asking of you to report is just the place, time, color, temp, and sun position when you catch fish. 
If years past dictate anything, then the next couple of weeks should be some great fishing.
Bobber or anyone- do you usually fish plastics durning this time of the year or more hard baits (Cranks, spinnerbaits, etc…)?
Thanks-
A
I’m no expert on Mille Lacs fish but my big water experience in the spring in other bodies of water all point to plastics being just as good of an offering as cranks, spinners, or live bait.
All the bays should be hot this time of year, the Bronzies should be looking for the warmest water. Don’t rule out the dark bottom bays either. Babe Winkleman had a show a couple weeks ago, fishing with the Rattle-Trap rep from some backwards southern state, they were way back in Vineland along 169 (you could see the casino sign up the road), reeling and pausing supenders in 3′ feet of water with light line, had few numbers but awesome average size. Also saw a Linder re-run where they were dragging 1/4 oz. Football jigs tipped with leeches in the same bay. Vineland/Indian Pt./Shermans is an amazing stretch of water, and in my opinion way overlooked. If the weather pattern holds and the wind stays out of the south I will be there Saturday A.M., (Grey Alumacraft Competitor, 60 Yami, Huge Dude in the Front) swing by if you see me.
Attatched is a picture of my fishin partner bob with a 22′ NFL football, caught on a rock hump in the middle of Vineland last fall.
Dan
Hawg Hunters Guide Service
I’m thinking one evening I might venture out for these fishies without teeth too. 
Last weekend I graphed schools of what turned out to be these creatures while trolling for walleyes. 
I’m pumped to get back after the killer top water bite I experienced up there last year. Plastics are awesome and cranks are killers but anything top water is the bomb! I do realize it is a bit early for a strong top water bite but some of those images of 4 & 5 Lb smallies busting up from under a chugger at sunrise may never leave my memory!
OoooohH YEAH! 
Signed,
A Potential Mille Lacs Lake Smallie Convert in the Making 
James-I hear you about the top water fishing out there. There is nothig like it.
In the spring I have had the majority of my success on plastics. I usuually have the best luck with senkos, tubes, and finesse worms. Nothing fancy but they seem to take the fish and some absolute hogs.
This year though, I am thinking about trying some cranks to get me going.
A
About 8 years ago when I use to exclusively chase smallies on Mille Lacs, I had my best luck in the early season either pitching ultra-light texas rigged tubes or dead sticking plastic stickbaits! Stovepipe weeds were the most consistent areas for holding numbers of good fish for me day in and day out. Most of these stovepipe weeds had gravel/sand bottom content that held spawning/post spawn fish nearby. Throw in a few boulders in these areas and you got potentional to score good. Have any of you tried the new YUM Dingers? I wish I would have had those a few years back! Nice thing is when you do find a couple fish, there is usually a pile of them not to far away in the area.
All this talk is getting me excited!
I have about a dozen guide trips already booked for August and September Mille Lacs smallies. I cannot wait!
James, I hear ya there is nothing cooler than seeing a giant bronzback hovering just below your chug bait ready to explode on it!
Yep, yep, & yep.
There is nothing quite like watching a ‘walleye guy’ grining from ear to ear after boating huge smallies on topwater.
Hopefully that ‘walleye guy’ will have room for me again this year. 
Count on it Fleck! Maybe we’ll even make JC come fishing with us?!
James!!!!!What are you doing mixing company with these dock rats???? 
I can’t wait to try some of this smallie fishing this fall after watching your eyes light up describing the bites last year.
Hanging out with dock rats is a good way to get some GREAT walleye info… particularly on the river. They keep accidentally catching them on spinnerbaits and texas rigged whatchamadingers and they don’t hesitate for one second to tell me where to find them. This I like!
One thing about us “dock rats” is we always know where to find numbers of walleyes when the bite gets tough. It’s a great trade for me. My walleye friends are always telling me about the smallies they find I am always pumping them full of info on where to find a hot walleye bite. It’s one big happy family.
Did anyone get out over the weekend? Just wondering about the fishing and the water temps prior to heading up there.
Thanks,
My son and I got out sunday morning for smallmouth, I’ll be posting a report this afternoon. We managed a couple but the rain and wind made for really poor conditions and was no place to be using a digital camera. I did manage to snap one photo off before it was raining to hard to waste my time taking anymore.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
