Pike on Mille Lacs

Morning,

I’m not entirely comfortable asking these type of questions on the Interweb anymore, so if you’d like to take this offline I’d be glad to talk via PM or email.

I usually get up to Mille Lacs 3-5 times a winter, to go after Pike. My familiarity is the west side of the lake – Garrison, Wigwam, Vineland. I’ve always heard the southern bays (Cove, etc) were the places to target Pike, especially early in the season. Do these southern bays produce all winter long? Just took a drive up to get out of the city yesterday, and drove around Cove for a few minutes. Not sure where to start, will have to look at my map I guess. For the record, I c/r 95% of the fish I catch, other than a few 23-26″ Pike to eat. Always looking for that larger pike, which has eluded me on this lake.

Wahkon bay and macstwin bay always produce for me!

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I don’t fish in the winter so I can only relay what I know for open water. In Cove I have fished the weed line out to the narrows where you enter the main lake. So if you launched and were running out it is the weed line on the left. I have done well trolling that and also casting up into the weeds.

Like I said I don’t know what guys do up there in the winter.

Good luck.

I have friends that have a house in Mac’s Twin Bay. They have been nailing the pike in 12′ FOW. Nothing really big yet but they are getting a lot of action with some nice walleyes mixed in too.

Hey guys,

I appreciate the help. Sorry for not getting back earlier, been busy.

Good luck this winter!

One other question, is there a public launch to drive out on in Waukon or Twin Bays?

I wouldn’t go out of a public launch unless you know the lake for ten bucks a resort will tell you where the cracks are and where to drive

Beachside or hunter Winfield’s is in wahkon

Nevermind winfids is in isle

As Sam says, pop the $10. and go out of a resort. They’ll set you straight on where you should and should not go. Both to find fish and moreover not to happen upon a wet crack or a surprise ridge. Many do explore unknown territory but that would be based on your experience and risk tolerance.
As a previous post recommended, I would second on going out of Mac’s Twin Bay…yes, big Pike roam that area!

Another macs twin pike my sister caught with me this winter early in the year.

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Would a guy want to grab a wheeler for getting around the ice or a Tahoe gonna be able to traverse from big point down to Mac’s area?

bowtecmike wrote:

Another macs twin pike my sister caught with me this winter early in the year.

Wow…very nice! Last year I fished out of Mac’s for 2 days, never saw a walleye.
Highlight though was one of the largest Pike I have caught and to add to the drama, caught on a walleye stick. Never would have got it in other than the line wrapped back into the corner of its mouth…hence no bite off.
BTW, I’ll be there tomorrow morning through Wednesday. Hoping for some walleyes though…

nhamm wrote:

Would a guy want to grab a wheeler for getting around the ice or a Tahoe gonna be able to traverse from big point down to Mac’s area?

Depends on where from Big Point. Wharf Roads, Yes, you can make it. Liberty Beach side of Big Point, Probably not. I don’t know for sure where the crack goes around big point but I’d stay away from it.. I’ve driven down to twin bays from Shaw’s Reef area last 2 weekends with no problems. Ice is good, 18-20″ everywhere I checked this last weekend with minimal snow cover.

Sam wrote:

I wouldn’t go out of a public launch unless you know the lake for ten bucks a resort will tell you where the cracks are and where to drive

X2!!

Ever since they reopened Mille Lacs to spearing the BIG pike are few and far between in my experiences. Night and Day difference.

When I showed up 7am to wharfs noone there, same at appledorns, Mac’s is an awesome place to go out of, very nice people. Lots of structure able to get to from their roads and echo what’s said above, could drive anywhere with the truck. Plus they got an awesome French dip for lunch!

Crack going from big point to Hennepin which is the cutoff for now.

What were you seeing for ice on that side?
DT

deertracker wrote:

What were you seeing for ice on that side?
DT

18-20″ on the East side of the crack.

Got the tape out by Shaw’s and measured 22″ yesterday. Only spot I payed attention to.

Thanks
DT

nhamm wrote:

When I showed up 7am to wharfs noone there, same at appledorns, Mac’s is an awesome place to go out of, very nice people. Lots of structure able to get to from their roads and echo what’s said above, could drive anywhere with the truck. Plus they got an awesome French dip for lunch!

Crack going from big point to Hennepin which is the cutoff for now.

Nick, are you out of Mac’s today?
I am still out here.

Nope, just a day trip yesterday. Can’t wait to get back up though, such a cool fishery.

nhamm wrote:

When I showed up 7am to wharfs noone there, same at appledorns, Mac’s is an awesome place to go out of, very nice people. Lots of structure able to get to from their roads and echo what’s said above, could drive anywhere with the truck. Plus they got an awesome French dip for lunch!

Crack going from big point to Hennepin which is the cutoff for now.

Wow, no one at the Wharf at 7am. I am not surprised. Since they became The Wharf instead of fishermans wharf they sleep in more now and cater to the night life. Very disappointing.

nhamm wrote:

Nope, just a day trip yesterday. Can’t wait to get back up though, such a cool fishery.

Well that’s too bad, had I known I would’ve joined you for lunch. It’s not just a slow day bite, it’s a “no day bite”, for walleyes anyway. No surprise with the blue bird sky I suppose.
I did get a couple overnight on the rattle reels, one…a nice 23″ that rang the bell at 3am. That got me up out of a sound sleep! Then of course I couldn’t get back to sleep. Nothing going now today so I might take a nice nap in case I’m getting up a few times in the middle of the night tonight!

sticker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
When I showed up 7am to wharfs noone there, same at appledorns, Mac’s is an awesome place to go out of, very nice people. Lots of structure able to get to from their roads and echo what’s said above, could drive anywhere with the truck. Plus they got an awesome French dip for lunch!

Crack going from big point to Hennepin which is the cutoff for now.

Wow, no one at the Wharf at 7am. I am not surprised. Since they became The Wharf instead of fishermans wharf they sleep in more now and cater to the night life. Very disappointing.

When I was young my family had a shack at Fishermans Wharf for years. We left when we bought property on Big Point. To bad it’s not what it once was.
DT

Mac’s had their houses on some good structure from what I saw. It’s cool to pop holes and mark fish right away everywhere you go, but yeah from 10am to 3pm was dead for bites on those marks. Then again I stay aggressive all day, maybe if I put out a deadstick would’ve picked up a couple during high sun, either way the fish are there.

fishhuntguy wrote:

Ever since they reopened Mille Lacs to spearing the BIG pike are few and far between in my experiences. Night and Day difference.

Been hearing the same. Last 2 winters I’ve caught more Walleyes on tip ups, than Pike.