Mille Lacs Smallmouth Tactics

  • cougareye
    Hudson, WI
    Posts: 4145
    #2205060

    I’m not a bass guy, mainly focus on walleye. Headed to ML this weekend and thought I should try and tango with some of those big smallies I hear so much about. If I were to spend a few hours targeting smallies this weekend, what tactics are best right now on the Pond?

    gim
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17834
    #2205072

    If I were to spend a few hours targeting smallies this weekend, what tactics are best right now on the Pond?

    I did pretty well with a jerk bait last week. Natural colors like perch were working.

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11889
    #2205073

    Shallow rocks, and a jig and a plastic has been dynamite for me this time of year, in years past.

    Jeff Schomaker
    Posts: 408
    #2205078

    4 baits. Jerkbait, Ned rig, Keitech, and a black marabou jig. Keep it simple and you’ll catch your share of walleyes along the way as well.

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20815
    #2205105

    I would have a tube rigged up at all times

    gim
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17834
    #2205224

    I would have a tube rigged up at all times

    I did some damage with a tube today. These things are like footballs. Even caught a couple of those wet noodles too lol

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    chuck100
    Platteville,Wi.
    Posts: 2666
    #2205230

    Damn those are nice fish.

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20815
    #2205234

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
    I would have a tube rigged up at all times

    I did some damage with a tube today. These things are like footballs. Even caught a couple of those wet noodles too lol

    Hell yeah bud. The tube is a quick go to for me and they work for smallies. Tomorrow I’m fishing st croix and that will be my first rig of choice. Good job today

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20815
    #2205235

    Those are some fat fish to. Even better.

    gim
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17834
    #2205236

    Around 12:15, what appeared to be a formula one racing boat hauled ass from Malmo to the south end of the lake in just minutes. That thing musta been going over 100 mph. Loudest boat I’ve heard too. That was quite a sight.

    Anyone else out there hear or see that thing today?

    dbright
    Cambridge
    Posts: 1873
    #2205238

    How shallow of rocks are you guys targeting? I have tried a few times in past years without much luck.

    gim
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17834
    #2205240

    How shallow of rocks are you guys targeting? I have tried a few times in past years without much luck.

    I was in about 4-8 feet today. They will be spawning soon and then many of them move out to deeper offshore structure.

    Justin Laack
    Austin,mn
    Posts: 492
    #2205246

    Around 12:15, what appeared to be a formula one racing boat hauled ass from Malmo to the south end of the lake in just minutes. That thing musta been going over 100 mph. Loudest boat I’ve heard too. That was quite a sight.

    Anyone else out there hear or see that thing today?

    Yes I seen it, it launched from agate bay where im at, it has twin 700hp racing mercs on it and can do 140mph, it came from lake Havasu. The thing just sounded knarly!!

    gim
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17834
    #2205255

    Yes I seen it, it launched from agate bay where im at, it has twin 700hp racing mercs on it and can do 140mph, it came from lake Havasu. The thing just sounded knarly!!

    Holy cow that is wicked.

    ssaamm
    Pequot Lakes
    Posts: 865
    #2205343

    Once they move a bit deeper DT-10’s can be pretty effective.

    mahtofire14
    Mahtomedi, MN
    Posts: 11040
    #2205368

    I’ll be the first to admit, Mille Lacs has never treated me well, but when I do catch fish, it’s on a ned or football jig. I’ve never made it up there for the spring bite though and I’d say a jerkbait would absolutely crush out there when the water is still cool.

    Jason
    Posts: 820
    #2205374

    The tactic by my dock and boat lift this weekend was for a different boat to harass the 2 smallmouths on their beds every 25 minutes or so. I saw them get caught mutiple times. I only had to yell at two cidiots yesterday that decided it would be easier for them to get closer to the fish via walking on my lifts top rail and dropping the bait straight down along the dock tire 3″ from the fishes nose.
    Wish I would have brought up my game camera and placed it on the dock…

    gim
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17834
    #2205386

    I’ll be the first to admit, Mille Lacs has never treated me well, but when I do catch fish, it’s on a ned or football jig. I’ve never made it up there for the spring bite though and I’d say a jerkbait would absolutely crush out there when the water is still cool.

    That’s exactly when I try to fish it. Before they spawn. A jerk bait was effective about 10 days ago and it also caught a few wet noodles.

    On Saturday a jerk bait wasn’t as effective with the bright sunshine. Slower bottom contact plastics were working instead.

    I find it to be more difficult after they spawn because many of them vacate shallow water and head out into the abyss. Offshore finesse fishing still works but it’s not my jam.

    I am pretty sure there is about to be a big bug hatch out there too.

    Jason
    Posts: 820
    #2205430

    Army worms and skeeters are in full swing on the southwest corner.

    boone
    Woodbury, MN
    Posts: 939
    #2205450

    A friend and I fished smallmouth on Sunday, May 28th. Tough going for us, at least for size. We caught over 20 smallies but the largest was just 16.5″ Most were in the 13-14″ range. Ned rigs caught the most but some also were caught on an X-Rap. We fished the NW corner of the lake on Garrison and Myr Mar reefs targeting rocks/boulders/rock-to-sand transitions in 5-10 feet of water. At times we could see a half dozen or more smallies under the boat. I could get them to swim up to a jerk bait but the vast majority would not hit it. We also tried drop-shotting a tube and also slip bobbering a leech. We had a water temp of 53 in Garrison bay in the morning and as hot at 63.7 F on top of Mry Mar reef in the late afternoon.

    We were not fishing close to other boats all that often, but when we did, we didn’t see anyone else catch anything. That goes for boats that appeared to be fishing smallies or boats fishing walleye.

    We thought we saw what appeared to be beds in sand areas between big rocks.

    We’re debating if we should give it another try in early or mid June or just wait until next spring and try to get there earlier in the season.

    Ripjiggen
    Posts: 11822
    #2205451

    You can catch smallies all spring summer and my favorite time fall on the pond.

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20815
    #2205452

    Early spring is great. But you can’t beat the fall smallie bite. Best bass bite of the season

    Craig Sery
    Bloomington, MN
    Posts: 1204
    #2205537

    Early spring is great. But you can’t beat the fall smallie bite. Best <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>bass bite of the season

    X2!

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