New to Mille Lacs Lake and Need Help!

Hello IDOFISHING! I have been a long time lurker of this cite and i have to say “it is AWESOME!”, Let me tell ya i have spent many of hours drooling all over my keyboard reading these reports!

Now on to my questions, I have never been on Mille Lacs Lake and I have never caught a walleye through the ice before but that is all about to hopefully change in the last week of January. I have been invited to go with a few co-workers on a two day fishing trip to the big pond. We will be staying at the Fisherman’s Warf Resort in one of their Ice Cabins and be sleeping out on the ice.

The only ice fishing I have done is backwater fishing on the Mighty Mississippi and on the lakes around Rocherster for panfish and tip ups for pike. I own a FL8 that works well for me when chasing crappies and gills.

My questions for the IDOFISHING community is what do I need to do battle on the Big Pond…things like how heavy of line, what types of lures for that time of the winter (i have some jigging raps that i have never used, and some jigging spoons that I chase crappies with), what are some proven colors to make sure i have with me, what dept of water and bottoms should I search for if the spot where our fishhouse is isn’t producing, is it worth setting some rattle reels up at night (is a rattle reel set up like a dead stick set up), what the hell is a eel pout and are they good to eat :confused:, and lastly is there going to be anyone else on the lake during the 28 and 29 of this month that likes to drink some beers !?!?!?!?!?!?

This is all I can think of now but I’m sure I’ll have more soon….

Welcom to IDO Jech84. I have never been on the POND as they call it either, but you will get lots of help from this sight.

Welcome! Although I have a cabin right by the Wharf, it has been awhile since I have been on the ice there. I’m sure someone will jump in soon.
DT

Welcome jech84 Congrats on your first virgin trip to the pond I use an 8lb test line on my reels. Ice line or really anything in a shack will work, vanish is nice. I find the best colors for me are chartruese, yellow, orange and even purple. I mainly fish eyes over rocks, they can also be found along the edge of the many flats. A jigging spoon, tipped with a minnow or chub head works good. Definitely do the rattle reels, I have caught ALOT of fish, while sleeping…For a tip-up & rattle reels at night, you can’t beat a lively shiner An eelpout is a slimy pre-historic looking mud puppy. There are people who eat them… they boil the tails and then dip em in butter and call em poor mans lobster… this I have never had. I did have it one time deep fried, with some walleye and quite honestly couldn’t tell you which was which… had a few The main thing is to have fun !!! Don’t forget about maybe doing a little perch hunting. Take lots of pictures, and when your done, post up a big report here Looking forward to a report from a 1st timer on the big pond

big G

Welcome aboard jech84.
I’m sure you’ll get more answers after the wknd. Alot of people are on the pond. Hope your trip is a good one. Doug

A few jigging spoons with perch type colors (green,gold,orange,red etc,)and some plain or colored hooks or small jigs for a dead stick or rattle reel and your pretty much set.Pout are basically a fresh water cod.They are one ugly fish but pretty tasty white meat either boiled or deep fried.The Wharf will have their houses in pretty good spots however they seldom move them.I wouldnt expect fast action at the end of January but you should still catch some fish.They fish the rocks over there so mornings and evenings and night will most likely be the best bite times unless there is a perch bite during the day.You can always move around during the day however with the snow you wont be able to get far off the roads unless you have a snowmobile.

big G…You haver never ate pout? Man that is some good stuff boiled in beer & dipped in butter! You catchem,will get BK to clean them,& I will cook them!

Welcome aboard. Good luck on your first trip.

It’s in the best interest of the resort to have you catch fish! They will try and put the house on good spots prior to you getting there. Once you arrive I don’t think they will move the house around. If you work out of portables or if it is nice on the ice you will see the crowds………follow the crowds to the fish. Trust me if the weather is good it will look like a city out there!!

6 – 8 lb mono on a medium light 28″ rod should work well for walleyes, perch and the pout you’re destined to catch if you leave lines in the water after dark. Your flasher will be a huge aid to you fishing from the portables or in the permanent.

On your first day up I would concentrate my jigging efforts in the permanent house around the last hour and a half of the day and the first hour or so in the AM. If the big house is sitting in a good spot there’s no reason to run around in the portables until midday. If after the first day the permanent isn’t producing during the prime time periods then I would make plans to get out in the portables and set up on some prime piece of structure for the dusk and dawn bite.

Middle of the day can be tough for walleyes so I would suggest targeting deep gravel or mud where your chances of running into the perch will be higher… and an occasional midday walleye from the deep gravel or mud is far from unheard of.

At night the rattle reels can really come into play. Particularly once your attentions turn from watching the flasher to a hand of cards. Set your baits well off the bottom (3′ – 4′) and don’t hesitate to use some larger shiners or even sucker minnows if you can find them.

Have fun and let us know how you do!

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slimy pre-historic looking mud puppy.

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…and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…

Dean, I have never had em bolied… one time a few were slipped in with the eyes at a fish fry, I didn’t know the difference… That’s a deal if we can get BK to clean em..

big G

oh the advice is coming out now

an ele pout in my book is listed as a “Smilie” because they always have a smile on there face as they come through the ice hole looking at you with your hook buried clear down to there bottom end — best advice after you get the wrapped critter off your arm, rod, the depth finder cord, the beer knocked over on the floor, every man, woman and child all running to the door at the same time screaming to get it away from them (after distroying half the house on the way out) and leaving you alone with the critter, is to simply toss or kick it out on the ice –rod and all;;
wait till it almost freezes then cut it open to retrive your hook and untangle your line from it

also listen to the guys on shore- or you could be the next guy that didnt and drove were he wasnt suppose to and ended up stuck in 20 inches of snow with about half of it slush and lost 1 boot in the slush trying to get back out

Funny thing about the pout! My last trip up I caught 4 of them from 3-5 pounds. They were smoking a 1/16 orange buckshot just after dark and they were fat and sassy! I don’t even take them out of the hole, I think it is easier to unhook them that way. Take the pliers and pop them off and off they go. There not as bad as most people think they are and I don’t have a problem releasing them. I really hate it when people leave fish on the ice, whether it is an eelpout or catfish or any other specie.

Oh yeah the walleyes were biting good too! Lots of nice healthy fish. Probably be out there all day tomorrow.

I havnt tried it yet but my neighbor says to boil them in 7up.Says they taste even better.Even does Halibut that way.Im going to try it that way next time.Maybe on LOW next week.

Chunk the backstraps into tater-tot size pieces and boil in real salty water. Little spritz of fresh lemon and a dredge through melted butter. Poor mans lobster at its finest.

-J.

Thanks for all the advise, looks like a need to make a Gander Mountain or Cabela’s run ( which is fine my me ). If we do end up getting into a couple eel pout I think I’ll keep em and try them out. Thanks Again and hopefully I’ll be able to drop the hammer on a couple and be able to post a decent fishing report!

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slimy pre-historic looking mud puppy.

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…and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…

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That’s the way your Mom described you when we had a few beers at the Bungalow a few years back!

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slimy pre-historic looking mud puppy.

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…and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…

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That’s the way your Mom described you when we had a few beers at the Bungalow a few years back!

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Tuck,

you need to do a “how to clean an eelpout” video this winter.

CAN DO!

Save your eelpout for me!

Let them freeze to the point where you can just about play lawn darts with them. The hit ’em with the electric. It makes it easy to get the skin off that way. I use a sunbeam steamer, a little aspragus…and it’s chow time!
Don’t forget the garlic butter!

Welcome to IDO jech84 and let us know how you do!