Mississippi north of Brainerd

Anybody fish the river north of town? Wondering what the prevalent species is, depth of the channel, how much boat traffic.

Sorry I don’t know what pool that would be.

Thank you.

I fished a small stretch near Mission ~10 years ago, so not quite the area you’re referring to. But we went in blind trying something new on a windy day and got into some smallies. Turned out to be a lot of fun. I would think primary species would be smallies. Didn’t see a boat on that stretch.
Good luck!

Smallies, northern, walleyes, catfish

Good Walleyes and Good Smallmouth, Once you start getting above little rabbit around the pine river it will start very rocky.

Charles wrote:

Good Walleyes and Good Smallmouth, Once you start getting above little rabbit around the pine river it will start very rocky.

Thank you, how far up river would that be?

Jason Mitchell had a great vid on this section of river within the last couple of years. Pretty sure it was on JMO TV. There was a link on the Facebook too. I had searched high and low for a link but can’t find anything. Maybe someone here can find it?

Bit deeper section down there from what I remember in the vid. Mike W and myself fish the section north of Aitkin to Palisade. Definitely jon boat waters there. Love that small river fishing. Need to get over to the Brainerd area soon. This might be the year with 169 down for construction.

-J.

I have fished the Mississippi river north of Brainerd many many times. The bass are good both smallmouth and largemouth, crappies and sunnies this time of year are great, and plan to get off from the many many northern there are in the river. However, walleyes are almost impossible for me on the river. I’ve got a few, and I’ve got a couple friends that have been lucky and got a few walleyes but it could be a long day for you If walleyes are your soul target. Catfish are really coming on in the last years, I never saw one when I was a kid but now it seems like you can catch them all the time. To my knowledge, they don’t call any of the river up here by pool. As far as how far north of Brainerd, you can put in right at rice lake in Brainerd and head up but once you get a little further than rabbit Lake it does get very rocky and very very shallow. I’ve got up to about where the Pine River comes in But to go much further past, that is pretty dangerous unless you have a very shallow boat

Pretty sure the new linder show did a episode recently with jermey smith targeting muskies. Not sure what exact stretch but they said it was close to the office which is in Brainard.

Think the linders have done atleast three shows from the river up there but theirs seem to be for around Aitkin. I believe even Roland Martin did one a show up there and he launched near Brainard. Like others have said you will find everything in the river plus a really good channel cat population.

I fish it a lot in the Fall into October. Not many huge smallies, but good numbers of 2-3 pounders. A few dead heads to look out for. A few stray walleyes, pike and cats caught. Some nice LMB, too.

I fish it a lot in the Fall into October. Not many huge smallies, but good numbers of 2-3 pounders. A few dead heads to look out for. A few stray walleyes, pike and cats caught. Some nice LMB, too. Don’t tell anyone.

Should of told the Linders that. Their 3rd show was late season Smallies not to far up river of the dam.

Thanks for the input guys.

I went with the opinion that the area is pretty good fishing. I made an offer on a RV today so we will see what happens. I like the idea of fishing the river although i’ve never been on that stretch before.

Don’t think you will be disappointed. Jet boat coming next?

Dutchboy wrote:

I went with the opinion that the area is pretty good fishing. I made an offer on a RV today so we will see what happens. I like the idea of fishing the river although i’ve never been on that stretch before.

trailer trash eh!! congrats! If ya get it.

Mike W wrote:

Don’t think you will be disappointed. Jet boat coming next?

Jeez I hope not. Although I never really got an answer how many miles North before it gets really shallow.

Red Eye wrote:

Pretty sure the new linder show did a episode recently with jermey smith targeting muskies. Not sure what exact stretch but they said it was close to the office which is in Brainard.

They usually film their muskie shows down river of the In Fisherman office to the where the Crow Wing River dumps into the Mississippi.

I’m not sure on the miles of water either but there is plenty of them. Bet there is a ton of pontoon cruising on that stretch of river. A jet would be good for the areas above and below that pool where the skinny water is. Or just a small beater boat for getting around.

AK Guy wrote:

They usually film their muskie shows down river of the In Fisherman office to the where the Crow Wing River dumps into the Mississippi.

The crow river enters the Mississippi a significant distance from Brainerd. It enters in Dayton. Fishing just downriver from their office in Brainerd to that conjunction would take you 3 days.

Plus there’s a dam in St Cloud that would inhibit you.

Crow Wing river not the crow river… big difference Gim

Mike Schulz wrote:

Crow Wing river not the crow river… big difference Gim

My apologies, I read that wrong.

Yup. 3 hours from their office, not 3 days. I prefer putting in at Crow Wing State Park rather than Brainerd.

A little off track talking about fishing south of Brainerd. Back to North of Brainerd. I’ve done well fishing smallies there.