Time to relax after a busy weekend guiding Mille Lacs. On Thursday I had the honor of taking out Tom and Darlene from Omaha. We started the day on the shallow sand, but with the cloudless sky and little wind we had little to show. After moving out to 17′ we started hooking up with some nice fish. These fish were hitting leeches on a 10-12′ Trilene Flourocarbon snell. Adding a small float seemed to help put a few extra fish in the boat. Our best bite that day for keeper fish actually came in 23′ on the same rigs. The fish were biting real light and a good sensative rod like the Fenwick HMG’s spooled with Fireline we were using helped a ton, especially for those not use to rigging.
Friday’s trip was an evening bobber trip. We set up on some rock piles adjacent to the deep water we caught the keepers from the day before. It didn’t take long for the first bobber to go down and steady action form there on. Six keepers made a nice fish fry that evening. The numbers came on a real leech and plain hook while the bigger fish took a jig with a 5″ Gulp Alive Leech.
Saturday Bill and Austin hopped in the boat. Bill’s luck hadn’t been the best on Mille lacs, but he outfished us all that day. We started rigging leeches in the sand in 17′ and caught 5 fish on the first pass. There was plenty of wind and the fish were hitting very aggresive. No need to feed any line. Keeping away for other boats was a key. I don’t think the fish were spooked or pressured, but when alone we just didn’t have to share them. Speed was another key. We had 2 socks out to keep the speed under .4 mph. The day got cut short at about 4 hours when Austin got a case of the Mille Lacs flu. In the short time out we came 1 fish shy of a limit with numerous fish over 23″ up to 26″.
Sunday was to be a half day trip in the morning but mother nature decided to cut it a little short with some lightning. The fish bit well right up until we had to leave.
It is nice to see the bite getting better and better as the temps warm. We did try some spinners and crawlers, but it isn’t quite time, yet. We were the only ones fishing many of our spots on Thursday, and even during the weekend there weren’t many boats on the lake or at the accesses which suprised me for the holiday weekend.
If anyone is looking to book a guide trip, don’t wait too long as dates are filling fast! Good luck out there!
that must be a great fishery. i’d love to get up there someday and pound out a few of those marble eyed creatures. good going and great report
Mike,
Couple of nice days on the water…
Jack..