Mille Lacs first timer

Hi all,

I’m going to head up to Mille Lacs in a couple weeks and I’m a complete Mille Lacs virgin.

I’ll be targeting walleyes primarily. I’ve read the north shore sand is good in the spring but will it still hold fish in mid-June? Would I be better off fishing a mud flat or rocks?

It seems live bait rigging is popular on the lake, but I much prefer to move quicker by pulling cranks or spinners. Should I even try that or stick to live bait rigs? I also like to cast swim baits and jigging raps. Is this even a tactic to employ on the mud flats?

I’m not looking for secret spots, just some guidance. Thanks in advance.

WV

By mid June the north end sand will be less productive. There will still be fish there no doubt, but the majority of the fish will have moved out.

The mud flats and deep gravel bars would probably be your better option. Pulling cranks on lead line, and spinner rigs is a great option that time of year. I really like pulling spinners on the deep gravel and mud that time of year. Might be a touch early for lead core and cranks, but it all depends on water temp.

Swim baits and jigging raps are also a great option. Normally I target the shallower rocks 6-12′ of water with swim baits in morning and evening. Jigging raps might be good during the day in the deeper water.

Good luck on your first time to Mille Lacs, rest up, your arms are going to get really tired pulling in all those walleyes.

Sticker is Spot on. I was out on Saturday and everything we tried worked! Trolling Spinners, Jigging with plastics, Lindy rigging leeches, Power Corkin, it didn’t matter, the fish are there and active! Only advice I have is, if you’re not catching anything or seeing any activity, MOVE! Plenty of fish in the Big Pond and plenty of places to fish. Good Luck & Tight Lines!!

Thanks guys!

I’ve never fished a mud flat, would jigging on the bottom create too much of a cloud of much to be productive?

Looking at a map, I see there are a fair amount of flats in the North end. Does it really matter which one I pick to fish? Any to avoid?

Lastly, any boat ramp recommendations or ones too shy away from?

WV

you can jig on the mud, just don’t drag the jig along the bottom. A little bit of stirred up mud will attract fish, dragging will deter fish in my opinion.

I don’t think there is a bad mud flat on ML, but like said, if you don’t see fish or catch, move on. Look for fish on the edge of the flat, near the break. They may be on the bottom of the break, top of the break or all up and down the break. Find the fish then fish them, don’t fish where you want them to be, fish where they are.

I can’t help on the launch. I have a place on the east side and launch out of there all the time.

sticker wrote:

Look for fish on the edge of the flat, near the break. They may be on the bottom of the break, top of the break or all up and down the break

This is critical when fishing the flats. Stay in 26-33′. Fish are on the edges 90% of the time.

Occasionally in the morning and late evening you’ll find some on top. But usually only for short periods.

Very few people use jigs in the flats but personally I prefer them. Depending on wind and drift speed, you’ll need 3/8 up to 5/8 and maybe even 3/4 oz. Use leeches and just hold the jig 6″-1′ off the bottom and wait for a very light tick. Give them a 2-3 count and set the hook. Don’t wait longer than that to set the hook.

Color didn’t seem to matter. Often times I use an unpainted jig.

For whatever reason leeches seem to yield bigger fish than crawlers.

walleyevision wrote:

Lastly, any boat ramp recommendations or ones too shy away from?

The north end public access are on the shallow side for bigger boats. All of the resorts have deep harbors and dredged channels out to the first break. Worth the $$ to access lake via a resort. Especially for a first timer. Fishers, Castaways, Red Door, Barnicals all good to go.

-J.

I’m headed up to Mille Lacs the week of June 17th through the 24th. We’re staying at Fisher’s. I have never fished this lake so thank you Walleyevision for posting this thread.

Has fishing really been as easy as these threads have indicated?

Also I read in one of them the fly hatch happens in mid June. Not what I wanted to hear. Typically when does the fly hatch happen? Has it happened?

My wife is extremely new to fishing so I want to get her on the bite quick with the easiest method of catching them. Bobbers would be her best speed.

Trolling would be next. Bottom bouncers on a lindy rig with leeches, worms or minnows? That would be her next best speed.

I’m hoping to get her hooked and more pliable when it comes to discussing a Terrova TM…

Any additional help would be greatly appreciated guys.

Thanks.

Have had some of my best fishing during the bug hatches.. so dont let that deter you. Your wife might not ever come out again after the swarm of bugs, but fishing is good. Skip the minnows and grab crawlers and leeches and let the fish tell you what one they like best that day. Literally if you wanted to get someone “hooked” on fishing.. I cant think of better time or lake to do it on than Mille Lacs on those dates you have listed. Good luck. Would love to see a first timer with a big ol’ 27″ walleye!

That’s encouraging Sktrwx… Thanks for the support. I would love so much to get her into a 27″ Walleye. If she lands into one I’ll get some pix.

I had read a launch caught over 300 fish over a 3 hour period in another thread. If I could get her into a bite like that I’m positive she’d be hooked.

I hope Walleyevision chimes in after his trip and provides some guidance and pix as well.

Agreed w/ the previous statements, and would add I don’t think it is as easy as drop a line and start pulling in fish. Stay on the move and fish where you see fish. Bottom bouncers and lindy’s are a great technique. Bobbers are great too, during the day you will want to power cork by driving until you mark them and dropping on them, in the evening anchoring up on a rock reef is straight out of “Successful Mille Lacs Tactics 101”. Look forward to seeing some first timer reports!

I have not heard of Power Cork. What is that?

So try either technique when I mark fish? Check the drop offs of the mud flats? Plus if I don’t have much action in 15 to 20 minutes move on?

BigWerm wrote:

Agreed w/ the previous statements, and would add I don’t think it is as easy as drop a line and start pulling in fish. Stay on the move and fish where you see fish. Bottom bouncers and lindy’s are a great technique. Bobbers are great too, during the day you will want to power cork by driving until you mark them and dropping on them, in the evening anchoring up on a rock reef is straight out of “Successful Mille Lacs Tactics 101”. Look forward to seeing some first timer reports!

Its Not? I’m out then.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
Agreed w/ the previous statements, and would add I don’t think it is as easy as drop a line and start pulling in fish. Stay on the move and fish where you see fish. Bottom bouncers and lindy’s are a great technique. Bobbers are great too, during the day you will want to power cork by driving until you mark them and dropping on them, in the evening anchoring up on a rock reef is straight out of “Successful Mille Lacs Tactics 101”. Look forward to seeing some first timer reports!

Its Not? I’m out then.

Here’s the honest truth. If dropped 1 to 1.5 oz sinker, 6′ leader with a #6 octopus hook with a leech down to the bottom of the lake on the upwind side of the lake and drifted to the down wind side of the lake, I would bet on no less than a dozen walleyes if you maintained within 1′ of bottom.

No lie. Eelpoutguy might even snag one.

Are the mud flats going first thing in the morning, or should a guy find shallow rocks to target first? I wouldn’t mind mixing in some smallies too, so the rocks have some appeal.

Dillon Sanders wrote:

I’m headed up to Mille Lacs the week of June 17th through the 24th. We’re staying at Fisher’s.

You’re staying at Fisher’s, they run a launch boat…jump on one and you’ll learn how and where to go right away, or just follow it out if you’re in your own boat.
If you want to do your own thing entirely, then stay away from all other boats.
As other’s have suggested though, you can keep it pretty simple. Biggills suggestion to just drift around with a jig and leech works better than you might think, but careful not to get caught up in all the hype of 50-100 fish days. Sure, perhaps some have but for every one of those there’s probably 10 others that just get a few. You just don’t hear about those as much.

Big fish fly (midge) hatch a couple weeks ago, mostly done now but could be another? Mayflys (different) could happen too. Mostly just a messy annoyance but doesn’t seem to shut the fishing down.

biggill wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eelpoutguy wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
Agreed w/ the previous statements, and would add I don’t think it is as easy as drop a line and start pulling in fish. Stay on the move and fish where you see fish. Bottom bouncers and lindy’s are a great technique. Bobbers are great too, during the day you will want to power cork by driving until you mark them and dropping on them, in the evening anchoring up on a rock reef is straight out of “Successful Mille Lacs Tactics 101”. Look forward to seeing some first timer reports!

Its Not? I’m out then.

Here’s the honest truth. If dropped 1 to 1.5 oz sinker, 6′ leader with a #6 octopus hook with a leech down to the bottom of the lake on the upwind side of the lake and drifted to the down wind side of the lake, I would bet on no less than a dozen <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes if you maintained within 1′ of bottom.

No lie. Eelpoutguy might even snag one.

Thanks Gil, I think I just peed myself.

Dillon Sanders wrote:

I have not heard of Power Cork. What is that? So try either technique when I mark fish? Check the drop offs of the mud flats? Plus if I don’t have much action in 15 to 20 minutes move on?

Set a slip bobber to a depth where you are marking a lot of fish, drive until you mark fish at or very near that depth and cast on top of them, watch your bobber keep going down.

And yes to all of the 2nd part. Check the top edges, bottom edges etc. and usually you will see them more concentrated in one place, then go back to the power corking instructions or lindy thru them.

I am getting sooooo stocked at this point. I have my contour maps, way points and homework done. Just got my Terrova wired and I’m ready to rock this lake.

If I can get the wife into a few good bites I’ll be happy. I don’t need a 100 fish day.

Thanks for all the guidance though. We leave Saturday and I’ll report back on Monday the 26th.

I’ll definitely be checking back here as the week progresses so if the lake changes any please post it here!!!

This last weekend(6/9-6/11) I am still finding lots of fish up shallow. 6-10 feet of water on the rocks. Both smallies and walleyes. low light seems best(sunrise and sunset). I am still having my best luck pulling crank baits, small ones with red or orange color. Saturday during mid day with that strong wind we had a blast from 1pm to 4pm. The overcast sky and strong winds had them feeding right up on the rocks in 6-7. Walleyes mostly, but also some smallies. A fish every pass and sometimes doubles. Super fun fishing right now!!

Music to my ears Sticker!!! thanks a ton!!!

If you haven’t tried power corking … do it. I am still learning but having a blast. The key for me is to trust your electronics. We cruise a structure with the big motor, once we find fish then I deploy the bow mount motor and cruise into the wind. Once we mark fish, we drop the line on them … and I hit spot lock. A LOT of times the bobber never stops. The kids watch the graph and usually have their lines out before I call fish!! It is like hunting them!!! No reason to fish dead water, fish the fish.
We will sit in a spot for 5 minutes or so … and then move on. You can cover a lot of ground and be very productive.

Just checking in. Any changes or adjustments I should know about before we leave on Saturday?

I wish Walleyevision would check in. I’m guessing he’s still out on the lake.

I am heading up this afternoon. I will try to post something tomorrow around noon, but I won’t quit fishing to do it

Don’t blame you Sticker… A man’s gotta have limits…

Dillon Sanders wrote:

Just checking in. Any changes or adjustments I should know about before we leave on Saturday?

I wish Walleyevision would check in. I’m guessing he’s still out on the lake.

I haven’t gone yet. I’m going this Sunday. I’ll file a report when I get back.

one more piece of advise, if you have never fished this lake. I don’t know what size boat you have, but if you get out to the mud flats and the wind picks up, be careful. ML can get rolling in a hurry and it can be an adventure running back from the mud in those rollers. Watch the sky and the wind and you will be fine.

What Sticker says.

I’ve learned to accept what the lake will allow on that day. That means planning the days fishing on that day because the lake can get angry if you end up in the wrong spot.

Also, tacking your way across the lake can often be the best route.

walleyevision wrote:

Hi all,

I’m going to head up to Mille Lacs in a couple weeks and I’m a complete Mille Lacs virgin.

I’ll be targeting walleyes primarily. I’ve read the north shore sand is good in the spring but will it still hold fish in mid-June? Would I be better off fishing a mud flat or rocks?

It seems live bait rigging is popular on the lake, but I much prefer to move quicker by pulling cranks or spinners. Should I even try that or stick to live bait rigs? I also like to cast swim baits and jigging raps. Is this even a tactic to employ on the mud flats?

I’m not looking for secret spots, just some guidance. Thanks in advance.

WV

I apologize for not seeing this earlier but I’ve been traveling for work the past few weeks.

The beauty of Mille Lacs is that it is large and diverse enough that it allows you to pick and choose whichever style of fishing you prefer and find success. The month of June is awesome because there are so many different bites going on at the same time… And this year is as good a bite as we’ve had in a long time.

Shallow structure
There are resident fish on the shallow structure and in particular Cabbage beds/Rock Reefs all year long. Since it sounds like you love casting and more active methods this is a great option for you. Mornings/Evenings are best but this bite can be great all day long any time wind is blowing in. I almost always start my day out hitting some shallow spots all year long.

Main Breaklines
The main breakline is usually favorite area to fish in June all the way from Hunter’s point to Garrison can be great. The sand to mud transition is usually about 25-27’… Use your electronics to see where the bottom becomes softer to and then make large S-Curves determine if the fish are relating to the sand, mud, or the transition itself as they move based on bug/worm hatches that both the predators and bait are following. I prefer to either pull blades with crawlers or leadcore and Shad Raps to cover water since the fish are moving from day to day.

South Gravel.
Very similar to the North Sand/Main Breakline description above. Cover lots of water to find the fish. Blades and leadcore are my favorites. The north end is my home base so I don’t get to the gravel as often as I should but every time I go I wonder why I don’t make it down more often (Then I remember its because I have a job and kids )

Mud Flats
The mud flats are actually great for everything – Rigging live bait, pulling crawler harnesses, slips bobbers (either power corking along on top or staying stationary along an edge/tip both work), running leadcore with Rapala Shad raps along the edges, jigging raps, rippin’ raps… You name it they will all work.

As briefly mentioned for the deeper water areas above, typically what I will do is start out running crank baits at 1.8-2.2 mph which allows me to cover more water while looking for fish. Put waypoints on your electronics for schools of fish, bait, and each time you catch a fish. It shouldn’t take long to get a pattern figured out of where the bait and fish are holding… Then you can zero in on the fishy areas and start narrowing down what they want to eat by changing colors/tactics.

Will

With all this good advice, no way you guys don’t catch a bunch! Good luck.

All I can add is what sticker and Kyhl brought up about the wind. Some will go out in about any condition but I personally don’t like getting beat up and also take life or death risks for a walleye. To each his own on that, but I was up there last Friday through yesterday and there were 3 days that it was pounding hard where I was at making it almost impossible to get out. If you’re versatile you can pull your boat from where you are staying and launch it on the other side.