I was up on Mille Lacs this past weekend with the intent of hopefully having a good planer board bite. This bite seems to be struggling getting going with the water temps lagging behind their normal schedule. Usually, I start fishing this bit in beginning to mid June when the temps near 65 degrees. Well this past Saturday when Pat (gutone4me), Stacie and I finally hit the water after a good breakfast, letting a few storms pass by, we were greeted with a angry sea of waves, some wind and 66 degree water temps.
We got out a lot later then I wanted to but we checked an area that I lightly scouted the weekend prior. Cruising at around 18 mph we scouted the area again and I was graphing some good action on my Lowrance. With the wind out of the SE I headed into the waves and thought I would just keep driving until I drove out of fishy water. We finally left the school, so I whipped the boat around, dumped the kicker in the water and we were almost at trolling speed with out the kicker running. 
We put out a spread of two rods on boards and one long line out the back. My past experience has told me that sometimes in these type of wavy conditions the fish actually prefer not having a board. By long lining this reduces the surging of the crank in the water by not having the board. Well we made a pass and just at the end the wind started to switch and now was coming more from the West. With the winds intensity it did not take long for the waves to switch also so we turned the boat around and headed right back through the same school. This time we switched the baits up a little bit and ran them closer to the bottom since most of the fish seemed to be within a few feet of the bottom on the graph. We also ran just one planer board rod and long lined 2 out the back and chose to ride the troughs of the waves to see if that would get us a bite. It didn’t take long and soon a long line drag started to rip with a Mixed Veggies Reef Runner on it. Pat was up first and the fish kind of came in rather easily and had us fooled until the last 30 feet or so. Then the other long line rods drag started to scream as the Perch Tail Dancer found a victim and we had ourselves a double going. Stacie grabs that rod and instantly said this fish is pissed as she starts wrestling with it. Pat soon had his first Mille Lacs Lake walleye in the Beckman net and what a first fish it was. Pats girl taped out @ 26” and Stacie made her call of her fish was no walleye. Well, she was right. However, Stacie did get a little excited when I mentioned it could be that Muskie she was looking for, 
but soon we caught a glimpse of a very nice Pike and her 3rd largest ever.
We struggled the whole afternoon to boat fish consistently and put together a pattern, even though we covered quite a lot of water. The only patterend we noticed was riding the troughs in lieu of going with or against the waves and longlining out the back and not using a planer board caught all of our fish. We probably would have been better off rigging or corking the flats or shallow rocks, but we stuck with our plan and pulled boards and caught some fish. I just think this bite is still not quite here yet as the water temps are still in the mid 60’s, the big pods of bait and bugs have not been found yet and the fish just are not bunched up like usual. You can still catch some fish, no doubt, but the bite is just not quite in full swing yet. Typically this past weekend and this coming weekend are the best 2 weekends for me pulling boards. The good news is I believe the best us yet to come here as we enter into July. So don’t give up on it quite yet, it will get better.
After about 5 hours on the water we decided to go in and have something to eat @ Hunters, meet up with Brad and Tina and their group. We enjoyed a meal and talked about our day and our water observations with the intent to go back out and cork the night bite. Well after a call from the Compound and BigG, we (Brad, Tina, Stacie< Pat and I) opted to go over there for a few beverages. Pat got to meet some others form the Site (DMan, Big G, Tuck, Josh, The Girls) as we sat around the campfire and talked about fishing and hunting stories of the past in the future. Now this is what it is all about if you ask me. 
It was great seeing you again and having you up Gut, and hopefully we can share some more boat, stand, or blind time in the future. 
Well, that is my report for the past weekend, as we opted not go out on Sunday with the monster waves and the 25-30 mph winds. I will be back up for a day or so over the 4ht of July Holiday. I’m hoping the bite will be a little better and then Stacie and I will be making our way North to McGregor area to spend some time on Lake Minnewawa and Big Sandy. I hope everyone has a fun but safe 4th of July Holiday weekend. Remember there will be a lot of people out there this weekend, so please be extra cautious and aware of others this weekend. 
**CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE**
The picture of Stacie with the pike makes it look like Mille Lacs is pouring out of the picture!!!
A few waves maybe?
Some more pics.
Sorry for the poor pics, it was really tough in the wind as the wind would move the fins and fish. Not to mention the people moving in different directions cause of the waves.
It doesn’t look that rough you big babies.
Nice fish, way to tough it out.
Great report Lip and can’t wait to get back up there. How big was that pike thing is thick!
Honestly, I really didn’t think Saturday was all that bad. Sure it was windy, but not too bad. Sunday would be a different story, as if I would have fished Sunday it would have been the 4th or 5th worst I have ever fished in out there.
I’m sure glad I had my Boat on Saturday however. Maybe it is the 20 foot glass boat that makes it tolerable?
Nice lookin fish Lip
Nasty lookin Wind 
With those kinds of conditions it looks like you guys did pretty well!
Wade, I believe the Pike was around 38″. I really didn’t want to waste the time of pulling out the musky ruler out of the front to get an exact measure on her. I was concerned of just getting the Big Girl back in the water. She was thick and we just estimated her length off the 33″ Judge we had out for the Eyes. Stacie has gotten a 40″ and 39″ in the Fall that were also thick that were her largest 2.
It has been awhile since my boat has caught a pike trolling out there, but Blue Fleck caught 3 in a row out there, a few years back. Usually I catch them more when the water temps are higher and I troll a little faster. However, with the waves I would see low 3.0 mphs once in awhile so perhaps that is what triggered the big girl to bite.
Speaking of waves we did have a couple crash over the side as we trolled the troughs. Once caught me square in the face as I was tieing up a Shake BLade and I swallowed 6 gallons.
The other half of the lake went down Stacie’s back. 
Not to mention the one that landed on my bow as Gut and I were leaving Hunters.
thanks again rob for letting me tag along it was a blast fishing and meeting some of the crew
brave man posting that pic of sleeping beauty
carefull when you say anytime to me i may have my own room in your camper
worst part of the trip was when stacie got her nuts wet
now you guys have to set aside some time to chase salmon
I thought so too, but nothing as brave as posting this with out a explanation.
ya think theres an explanation needed ???
ok she was holding a bag of cashews when a wave got her
Thanks for the report. We corked some shallow rocks but only managed 4 eyes before coming off. Headed up Thursday. May try a little of everything. Good luck and have a good 4th.
I always thought Stacie wore the pants in the family.
Great report! I don’t imagine there were too many out pulling that bite in that weather!
…this just shows my mad skills
…on how to handle the big pond when she gets cranky —and yes, I actually did fall asleep 
Oh– and you’re correct Tuck I do wear the pants…well most days anyways
I think all the hours that Woman has been putting in @ work had finally caught up to her last weekend.
Besides Tuck, everyone knows that I wear the pants in the family……
At least until Stacie comes home.
What’s this I read about getting wet in a Ranger – thought that never happens…
–OR–
Folks who own Rangers (and other good glass boats) actually get out and fish when it’s not the best! Spent many a day pre-fishing in conditions like that – you don’t always get to choose the weather on the days you can go fishing! Good job keeping after it and catching some fish – makes all that scouting work over the last few trips pay off so you didn’t have to move around too much looking for fish…
For the record I always have 2 rainsuits in my boat and I am never afraid to use them! Hoping to have my new rig finished in time for a trip to the pond next Tuesday.
-ted
We want pictures.
It used to be so easy spotting you out there. 
Yeah, not paying attention idling out of Hunters I took one on the bow.
When ever I’m running I stay dry. It is mainly when I’m trolling or idling the troughs, a wave will crest over the side once in awhile, that is usually when someone gets wet. Besides Brad and his Skeeter, we only saw 2 or 3 other boats out there on a Saturday and I’m sure they were in the tourney. So conditions must of been pretty bad. Like I said, I did not think it was all that bad, but I must be getting used to the bad stuff. 
Having the ability to run 20-35 mph (depending on direction) in that stuff easily, I will take my Ranger any day.
I gotta admit…they look better on Stacie.
Nice report Lip!
Looks like you guys did just fine in some pretty harsh conditions. The three of you certainly caught some decent size fish in two different species. Nothing wrong with that!
What color is mixed veggies? Never heard/seen that one?
Nice report.
Great report Rob!! I figured with the tilted pics you were battling out there. I suppose that is just the norm in that big basin though!! Great fish!!
Good to see the Pond kicking out some fish and you didn’t completely forget how to fish Rob!
Jetro- I looked on the Reef Runner website and you are right I don’t see that one listed. I will see if I can get a picture of it and post it here Monday. Basically, it is a fire tiger color scheme with a Green Body / Red Head and a Chrome Bill/Lip. It is one of my favorite Reef Runner cranks next to Cheap Sunglasses.
Yes we were and you are right Daze. I think that is why I didn’t feel the waves were so bad out there on Saturday. I’m getting used to those type of waves.
Dean – it is just like riding a bike, you never forget how to pull in big fish.
Nice report. It was a bit buky last weekend, that’s for sure. Sat we started with spinners and did ok and then anchored on the rocks and did well with bobbers on keepers and slots. Same story sun. I saw Brad heading out sat while running spinners and was wondering how the trolling would be, especially since we did get ’em on friday.
Great fish – better luck than we had that day.
Thank you Rob and Stacie for the hospitality! It was great to spend some time up north with you. Next time let’s fish together too!
good thing the gay pride reef runner didnt catch fish id like to see you explain that one lip without stepping on toes
