Mille Lacs

Hey Guys- Im taking my old man up to the big pond Thursday and Friday for walleyes. It will be my first time there this year. Just curious what has been working for others? Im curious with this fast warm up if they are already out on the mud flats in number or if they are still on sand/rock (more traditional spring areas) Minnows still working or leeches/crawler bite started. Not looking for spots just curious about overall trends. Thanks in advance.

Was up last weekend, was a grind with no wind, high sky’s and a midge hatch. Smallies were on beds, typical bobber bite. Not many fish on flats yet. Good luck

It is really crazy how many days have been flat calm on Mille Lacs this year, and full sun.

Thursday and Friday look like more of the same but at least not so sweltering hot.

I would be looking to use leeches or crawlers. Mud could turn on soon I did mark some out there last weekend and caught one in a short time.

Fished a small tournament Saturday. Caught 25 walleyes on rock reef bobber fishing. Many guys said they couldn’t believe how many fish they marked on the mud, but couldn’t get them to bite. Deep gravel seemed to produce. All said the north sand was devoid of any life.

Craig Sery wrote:

midge hatch

The first of many, I’m sure.

The fish are not nearly as hungry as past years. There is forage in the system. We were mainly swimming and beaching due to the heat last weekend and there were huge schools of shiners in the shallows haven’t really seen that in a number of years. I know perch are making a comeback too. Also lots of different sizes of walleye have been caught including the small variety

I was up last saturday and caught 12 walleyes and 3 bass in 6 hours of fishing. Mid depth rocks (14-18ft) was best but I caught fish in shallower and deeper also. Went to the gravel/ mud transition on the east side and marked a lot of fish in 27-30ft but very few bites, managed 1 on a crawler harnesses and a couple short bites. Caught fish on leeches and crawlers neither seemed better than the other. Biggest was 24.5″ all the rest were 18-22″. I thought it was a pretty good day with how flat calm and sunny it was.

Last Saturday evening I pulled a dozen off of the north break sand in an hour. Granted a full moon was rising but they were still in the sand then. Sunday was brutal as stated above, no wind, hot, and blue bird skies.

Thanks Guys! Very Much appreciate the input. I’ll report back what I find.

Evening sand usually produces well into the summer. Daytime is a different story.

I know myself this weekend will be focusing on mid to deep rocks and probably the mud again depending on the wind.

Yes please do report back. Good luck

Fished last night, 6-9:30. Did well with smaller fish early and larger fish moving in as the evening progressed. I’ve been having good luck in 28′ since Memorial weekend. Lots of HS grad stuff going on so outings will be sporadic through June.

I used to go to Mille Lacs the first time each year the weekend after Memorial Day and fish the flats. They were always fish and fishermen there.
I hope it’s not another year like last year with the very slow/no bite. Might get up there for the first time this week.

Fished the gravel on the south side, Thursday afternoon/eve. Very little wind and full sun. Found a few but it was slow. They picked up closer to sunset and we ended up catching a decent number but most were small (like 6-12″) only 4 fish were over 16. Friday am moved out to the mud. we had a little breeze and bit of haze so pretty good conditions. Fishing was tough! only managed 2 in about 4 hours, but the one was 26″. the few fish I did see caught were all guys fishing off their live scope. Made me a bit jealous as I haven’t bit that bullet yet…. It was great to get out and the bugs were not bad (I was a little nervous from what id been hearing) the fish were there but tough to get to bite. On the way in I stopped and casted around some eastside rocks for about an hour with plastics and a slab rap for smallies- caught several-nothing huge, and a couple small eyes.