Yesterday I had a errand to do down on the north side of the lake. Really like to fish that lake, been awhile. Drove by 3 access, that were basically empty, very few boats visable from the road, Sad to see, on a typical opening week you would be hard pressed to find a close by spot to park. Fishing is still fantastic, but with all the politics going on, it has pushed people away
On my drive around the north end this morning, I seen 1 rig in Malmo access, 1 in Wealthwood and 4 in N. Garrison access. I seen quite a few boats running and fishing too, as I assume there is some pre-fishing going on before the MTT Tourney this weekend. 
I went out of Liberty Beach yesterday. When we got there, I was the first person there at 7am and when I left there was only 5 other rigs.
The weather may be playing a role. It rained yesterday and today it was like 40 degrees with a stiff NW wind.
Cove Bay access had a fair amount. Sun is popping out now, should be a nice to watch a bobber! Go Down
As a whole, is the lake seeing less angling traffic so far this year than average (tough to quantify, but best guess)?
They’re all going to winnie or red
I am not a smallie fisherman but my nephews boy loves to fish them, he got 1 yesterday 20 inch and I guess the young man could not keep it because of no way to keep 1 over 17 inch. Wow a small mouth? What is the mille lacs regs thinking
The dnr was out checking boats on the south end yesterday mid-day. They overall where not too friendly and wanted to see everything in the boat. Had 20 minutes of fishing time pissed to the wind until I proved them that myself, my boy, and the boat where compliant with everything.
Guilty until proven innocent is how they want to roll now I guess?? Surprisingly I didn’t see a tip jar on his Crestliner boat.
The dnr was out checking boats on the south end yesterday mid-day. They overall where not too friendly and wanted to see everything in the boat. Had 20 minutes of fishing time pissed to the wind until I proved them that myself, my boy, and the boat where compliant with everything.
Guilty until proven innocent is how they want to roll now I guess?? Surprisingly I didn’t see a tip jar on his Crestliner boat.
I got checked Friday on north end. I didn’t have any problems and they were very friendly. I for one am glad to see them out there. I’m not sure what you expect them to do, I’ve never minded that they check all your safety equipment and licenses
I am not a smallie fisherman but my nephews boy loves to fish them, he got 1 yesterday 20 inch and I guess the young man could not keep it because of no way to keep 1 over 17 inch. Wow a small mouth? What is the mille lacs regs thinking
They is thinking about protecting a trophy bass fishery and tourist destination.
I personally haven’t had a good bite in two ML trips this year. As of Tuesday, I couldn’t spot a single smallie bed and the walleyes were tight lipped, hence the empty accesses. This warm weather will likely help.
I am not a smallie fisherman but my nephews boy loves to fish them, he got 1 yesterday 20 inch and I guess the young man could not keep it because of no way to keep 1 over 17 inch. Wow a small mouth? What is the mille lacs regs thinking
Not sure what the reason would be to keep a 20 inch smallmouth. Trophy mount? But you might as well get a replica instead. Certainly you aren’t intending to eat a 10 year old fish that’s full of bones and tastes like mud. For years the bag limit was 1 fish over 21 inches. That regulation helped grow a sizable reproducing population of smallmouth in the lake.
Really no different than a 27 inch walleye that you can’t keep, and nor should you.
Most people have a cell phone to quickly check the regulations. Season is currently closed state wide to keep a bass. If your nephew does not know the regs he probably shouldn’t be fishing and definitely not contemplaing keeping. A 21″ smallmouth in Mille Lacs is estimated to be 14 years old.
I’ve always enjoyed fishing Mille Lacs… Great Lake…..
Right now if I was going somewhere for the weekend or week I’d pick Winni or Red…..
If I had a free day…..I’m picking the Miss.
I can catch just as many if not more fish at those other lakes and if I’m in the mood I can keep a couple dinner fish….
I’m sure I’ll fish it at some point this year but it’s easy to avoid given other choices.
1st off they were walleye fishing and I asked if it was going on the wall and he told me no bass can be kept over 17 inches. I really don’t give 2 craps about bass so I don’t follow regs on them and he did say they are out of season! But as far as a replica it is double the cost for a mount i believe if you buy a license you can do whatever you want with the fish you catch, so hears 1 for you gimruis if You see a trophy buck you should take his picture and get a replica? Give me a break these older fish really don’t contribute to the spawn!!!!! Hea like they say watch your own bobber!
Really no different than a 27 inch walleye that you can’t keep, and nor should you.
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I was taught from the old timers from Steve’s lucky bait is the 25s and bigger were some of the best eating walleyes once bled and mud lines cut out are absolutely delicious. I would eat a 27 in a heart beat from the right waters.
Amen bearcat
Those 21″ to 23″ slot fish last fall were mighty tasty.
I have been too busy around the place to wet a line yet this year.
Really no different than a 27 inch walleye that you can’t keep, and nor should you.
I was taught from the old timers from Steve’s lucky bait is the 25s and bigger were some of the best eating <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes once bled and mud lines cut out are absolutely delicious. I would eat a 27 in a heart beat from the right waters.
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Kept a 26″er one winter years ago on 2lb line deep. Couldn’t get the thing revived enough to feel confident it’d live. Kept it and felt guilty as heck. Thing tasted absolutely amazing. Lake is better now than ever and it didn’t ruin the fishing on the lake at all. All for catch and release but damnation it gets a fundamentalist religious cult like following that isn’t as righteous as believed to be in all circumstances. If someone wants to keep stuff and it’s legal, not mine to judge one way or the other what people do or don’t do.
To clarify for all the interweb green jeaners, it wasn’t on mille lacs.
I really don’t give 2 craps about bass so I don’t follow regs on them and he did say they are out of season! But as far as a replica it is double the cost for a mount i believe if you buy a license you can do whatever you want with the fish you catch
Not knowing is not good enough. Even if you don’t know the regs, that doesn’t give you a free pass. Bass season is currently closed for any harvest until May 27, and there are special regulations on Mille Lacs for pretty much every species. If I had caught a 20 inch walleye and wanted to keep it without knowing what the harvest slot was, I don’t think anyone would give me a free pass either. Nor would I expect one, or complain about it.
As far as the replica, yes, they cost more. But they look much better and they last much longer. I have both a skin mount and a replica hanging on my wall and I can say with 100% positivity that the graphite replica blows the skin mount away in terms of quality and appearance. The only reason I have a skin mount is because the fish died and at the time it was a PB, otherwise I would never do a skin mount again.
Lake was plenty busy last night while watching bobbers go down. Mosquitoes are worse I have seen up there in a while.
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