Leech Lake
It was a great week on Leech Lake this past week with many days of anglers pulling in keeper fish to take home and also some big ones mixed as well. The lake has transitioned greatly since late May and it is showing with the walleyes being on the move. Throughout the lake you can find walleyes being caught along breaklines in 10-15 feet of water. It is important to look for transition areas, weed edges, or key features along the breaklines to hold these fish and if you are seeing bait fish are in the area. Crawlers and leeches on lindy rigs has definitely picked up over the last 5-7 days, but the spinner bite will start to turn on with water temps warming and the bug hatch approaching. There are still some walleyes being caught on Jigs and minnows and leeches especially on windy days in 6-10 feet of water.
Mille Lacs
The walleye bite on Mille Lacs has been strong! The majority of the fish still seem to be holding to shoreline rock, weeds, and mud areas. However, fish have been starting to show up on the mud. Depending on where the fish are set up, slip bobbers, lindy rigs, jig/plastic are all great options. The bigger fish are still relatively shallow.
The smallmouth bass are all over with some spawning (it is best practice to leave the bed fish alone) and some in post spawn. The post spawn fish can be found roaming just outside shallow gravel areas. Search baits work well to track down these roamers.
Lake Vermilion
Walleye fishing on Lake Vermilion has been pretty good this past week. Fish are being found in 12-18 feet of water most days on either breaklines, underwater points with wind, or some of the humps. Lindy rigs with leeches, slip bobbers, and casting for them has also been productive. The leech and crawler bite should stay strong here in June as the bugs start to hatch. Look to areas in Wakemup Bay, Wolf Bay, Bystrom, and Daisy as all good places to start.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been great. The fish are up in the shallows are hungry and aggressive. Everything from ned rigs, tubes, jerkbaits, square bills and even top waters are all working. Let the fish tell you what to use that day. If it looks smallie ish than fish it right now.
