MILLE LACS LAKE FISHING REPORT
Navigating a large body of water such as Mille Lacs Lake can be a daunting task even for experienced anglers. Pair that with trying to locate smallmouth bass at any given time and you'll find anglers discouraged and ready to throw in the towel. To help with this, Trevor provides a Mille Lacs Lake fishing report multiple times a month during the open water season. He includes the baits/techniques that have been working along with the water temperature so you're prepared for any situation. Take a look at his latest report and make the most of your time on the water!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/16/2026
Water Temperature: 75 - 78 degrees
Summary: The summer pattern has remained relatively consistent, with water temperatures staying warm and the fish continuing to set up in a lot of the same areas. One positive change we are starting to see is that the algae slime from the initial warm-up is beginning to clear up, which has made fishing conditions a little more enjoyable and easier to work through.
Big schools of fish are still grouping up and chasing baitfish, and when you get around the right group, the action can be really good. We are starting to see fish spread out across all different depth ranges, but the majority of our bites have still been coming in that 12- to 18-foot range. Staying around baitfish and active groups of fish has been key.
Boulders are still playing a big role, especially when they are mixed in around good transition lines. Those areas continue to hold fish as they move between feeding zones and deeper water throughout the day. Paying attention to those small changes in bottom composition has been important for finding the better bites.
The best baits for us have been a small paddle tail swimbait, a Ned rig, and a minnow-style bait. The swimbait and minnow-style bait have been great for covering water and getting fish to chase, while the Ned rig has been a strong option when fish are a little tighter to the bottom or need a slower presentation. Overall, the bite has stayed consistent, and the summer fishing continues to set up well.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/04/2026
Water Temperature: 72 - 74 degrees
Summary: Happy Fourth of July, everyone! We hope everyone is getting the chance to enjoy some time on the water, spend time with family and friends, and celebrate the holiday weekend. The summer bite is starting to set up nicely, and with water temperatures continuing to warm, we are seeing the fish make some noticeable moves.
Big schools of fish are starting to group up and chase baitfish, which has made for some really fun fishing when you get around the right group. Boulders are still playing a big role, especially when they are near deeper water or close to key transition lines. Those transition areas continue to be important as fish slide between feeding areas and deeper holding spots throughout the day.
Forward-facing sonar has been a huge part of the equation right now. Being able to locate those bigger schools, see how they are positioned, and watch how they react to your bait has been crucial. Some fish are willing to commit right away, but others need a little more time or a different look before they finally eat.
The best baits for us have been a small paddle tail swimbait and a minnow-style bait. Both have been great for covering water and getting fish to chase, especially around baitfish and active schools. A drop shot has also been a strong follow-up option for those fish that chase a bait all the way back to the boat but do not commit right away. Keep it ready, because that second presentation can turn followers into bites.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/22/2026
Water Temperature: 62 - 64 degrees
Summary: Smallmouth bass fishing on Lake Mille Lacs continues to be solid as fish move further into their post-spawn period. While there are still a few fish lingering around traditional spawning areas, the majority of the population has begun transitioning toward their summer locations. Many bass are now relating to mid-depth structure, with plenty of fish also showing up on deeper rock and gravel areas as they recover from the rigors of the spawn.
One of the biggest keys to success right now has been focusing on boulder-rich structure. Isolated boulders, rock transitions, and larger rock complexes have consistently held the highest concentrations of fish. These areas are providing both feeding opportunities and recovery habitat for bass that are still regaining weight after spawning.
A factor anglers should be paying attention to is the heavy algae slime that has developed across much of the shallow zone. Many areas 10 feet deep and shallower are covered with the nuisance growth, making presentations difficult and often fouling baits. As a result, we've found it much more productive to spend our time targeting cleaner rock in slightly deeper water rather than forcing shallow areas that are covered in slime.
When it comes to presentations, finesse tactics continue to dominate. Mid-strolling has been one of the most effective ways to target suspended and roaming fish around rock structure. A small paddle-tail swimbait has also been producing consistent action, especially when worked through areas holding baitfish. For fish positioned tight to bottom, a football jig dragged across boulder fields and rock transitions has been an excellent option for triggering bites from larger smallmouth.
As the recovery phase continues and water temperatures stabilize, expect more fish to establish themselves on classic summer structure. For now, targeting clean rock and boulder-rich areas in mid-depth and deep water remains the most reliable pattern on Mille Lacs.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/06/2026
Water Temperature: 66 - 72 degrees
Summary: Smallmouth bass are firmly in the spawning period right now, with plenty of fish visible on beds throughout the lake. While targeting bedding fish can provide steady action, we've chosen to focus our efforts elsewhere. These fish receive a tremendous amount of fishing pressure this time of year, and there are plenty of quality bass available away from the spawning areas.
Our most productive pattern this week has been targeting deeper rock and boulder structure where pre-spawn fish are still staging and larger females are beginning to recover after spawning. These fish have been feeding actively and have provided some outstanding opportunities for anglers willing to fish away from the shoreline.
Deep boulders and rock transitions have been especially productive, with fish positioning tightly to the structure. A minnow-style bait has been an excellent choice for covering water and targeting roaming fish, while football jigs and marabou hair jigs have consistently produced bites from bass relating closely to the bottom.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/28/2026
Water Temperature: 58 - 62 degrees
Summary: The recent stretch of hot summer weather has accelerated the seasonal transition and has the fish acting a little differently than they were just a week ago. Many bass are making a strong push toward spawning areas, and that movement has made portions of the population noticeably less aggressive than they had been during the lead-up to the spawn.
Fortunately, not all of the fish in the lake spawn at the same time. We've continued to find good numbers of bass holding on deeper structure, and those fish have accounted for the majority of our bites. Focusing on these deeper groups has been the most consistent pattern as more fish begin their move shallow.
The paddle tail swimbait continues to be our most productive presentation, allowing us to efficiently cover water and target active fish. The Megabass Sleeper Craw has also been a standout bait, producing several quality bites from bass relating closely to bottom-oriented structure.
While the overall bite has become a bit more challenging with the rapid weather change, there are still plenty of opportunities for anglers willing to focus on the deeper fish that haven't fully committed to the spawn.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/21/2026
Water Temperature: 52 - 56 degrees
Summary: The pre-spawn bite is still holding strong, and we’ve been seeing some of the best bags we’ve had in a long time. This past week has produced a number of impressive limits, with several bags landing in that 25- to 30-pound range. The overall quality has been excellent, and the bigger fish are definitely showing up in the right areas.
Most of our fish have been coming on minnow-style baits, paddle tail swimbaits, and football jigs. Those presentations have been the most consistent for us, especially when worked around the right depth changes and breaklines. The fish are feeding well, but location and timing have still been important, as they are not all pushed shallow just yet.
We’ve had several groups out on the water this week and have been finding fish in multiple areas across the lake. The majority of the better fish are still relating to the deeper breaks as they stage and wait to move up for the spawn. These fish are close, but many of them are still holding just outside the shallow spawning areas.
The larger females seem to be staying a little deeper, while a lot of the smaller males are starting to slide up onto the shallow transition lines and get beds ready. Things are setting up really well, and as the weather and water temperatures continue to stabilize, we should see more fish pushing shallow in the coming days.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/07/2026
Water Temperature: 48 - 50 degrees
Summary:
We are finally back for the 2026 season, and the fish wasted no time letting us know they were ready to bite. It felt great to get back on the water, and we found fish spread out anywhere from 6 feet all the way out to 18 feet of water. The bite has been solid, and the overall quality has been a great way to kick off the year.
The colder nights are still playing a role, with overnight lows dipping into the 30s and keeping a lot of fish from pushing up super shallow to make beds. That being said, we actually prefer targeting these pre-spawn fish, and right now they are setting up in some really good areas. As the water continues to warm, more fish will start moving shallow, but for now there are plenty of quality fish still staged out a little deeper.
We’ve been catching a lot of good fish by covering water with a small paddle tail swimbait, especially when fish are spread out and cruising. Dragging a football jig along the bottom has also been a strong producer, especially around the right breaklines and staging areas. Both presentations have been consistent and are great ways to stay around active fish.
There are also some large schools of fish still hanging out deeper, and those fish can be targeted well with forward-facing sonar. When you find them grouped up, locking the Beast Coast Open Water Sniper Jig in your hand is a great way to have a fantastic time out on the water. The season is just getting started, and things are already shaping up really well.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
10/11/2025
Water Temperature: 58 - 61 degrees
Summary: Water temperatures are dropping QUICKLY here on Mille Lacs with this long string of cold nights. Morning air temps are in the upper 30s and low 40s, the fish definitely know winter is coming soon. Every single fish we put in the boat is completely stuffed full of food, whether it's crawdads or baitfish. We locked two baits in our hands all day - the minnow-style bait and a small paddle tail swimbait. We are still focused on finding large schools of baitfish. The most active schools of smallmouth are constantly harassing these baitfish schools and gorging themselves in preparation for winter. If you can see them chasing and "blowing up" schools of baitfish on your forward-facing sonar, you're in for a good time!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
10/05/2025
Water Temperature: 63 - 65 degrees
Summary: The fall feed bags are on! We are catching great numbers and great quality all over the lake. Most of our fish are being caught in excess of 20 feet of water. We are chasing the schools of tullibees (cisco) because the smallmouth are also chasing them. The two best baits for us have been a minnow-style bait as well as a larger swimbait (4 - 5") rigged on an underspin. We are focusing mainly on imitating baitfish to get bites. On the days with high winds, we have been able to catch good numbers of fish up shallow on a football jig and Megabass Sleeper Craw.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
09/19/2025
Water Temperature: 64 - 66 degrees
Summary: The fish are really starting to feed on larger baitfish (perch and cisco). We have been able to catch decent numbers in shallower water on moving baits such as chatterbaits and crankbaits, but the true big trophy fish are out deeper, roaming breaklines and deep flats. The shallower fish are still quality fish in the four to five pound class, but the fish out deeper are mainly larger than five pounds. The most effective tactic for the deep fish has been mid strolling a minnow-style bait while utilizing forward-facing sonar. As the water continues to get colder, the bite should only get better!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
08/22/2025
Water Temperature: 71 - 73 degrees
Summary: Mornings are definitely getting colder out on the pond but the morning bite continues to be the best of the day for us. There tends to be a midday lull in the fishing as well. The baits that have been most productive for us have been a Ned rig and a paddle tail swimbait. Casting the Ned rig at boulders and keeping it still has been the ticket, while "crawling" a swimbait on the bottom has also gotten some quality bites. The fish that are roaming out deeper have been easier to pick off with forward-facing sonar, but the shallower fish (<15 feet of water) have been more stingy.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
08/07/2025
Water Temperature: 71 - 73 degrees
Summary: The fishing on Mille Lacs is seems to be making a turn for the better - we are getting more fish to commit to moving baits and the quality is also improving. Most of our catches are coming by way of the paddle tail swimbait while a number of "dice baits" have also been catching fish on isolated boulders. There are still lots of areas with fishing roaming about, but the schools are not always active. If you can see them on your forward-facing sonar, but they aren't committing to your baits, move until you find an active school. Each individual school seems to be "firing" at different times of the day. The air temps are beginning to cool off, signaling the incoming fall bite!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/26/2025
Water Temperature: 76 - 78 degrees
Summary: We are finding areas where we are seeing lots of fish roaming around on our forward-facing sonar. These fish have been rather difficult to convince to bite, as they will come up to our baits and just "nose" them without actually biting. Rather than finding areas where everyone can fan cast around and catch fish, large, isolated boulders have been the most productive way to catch fish, although it's usually just one to two fish at most per boulder. The baits that have been shining for us are still the Ned rig and drop shot when fished extremely slowly around those isolated boulders. If you're diligent, you can still catch good fish out there - it's just going to be a bit tougher!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/11/2025
Water Temperature: 71 - 73 degrees
Summary: Mille Lacs is definitely fishing tough right now. We are seeing fish and large bait balls everywhere we stop, although getting the fish the bite has proven to be very challenging. We have downsized our baits and even resorted to "dead-sticking" our lures to try and get them to bite, but it hasn't resulted in large numbers of fish in the boat. The bites we are getting have been relatively big fish, although the numbers have been challenging to come by. There are some schools of fish out in deeper water and structure that are more eager to eat, but locating them may be challenging as they are chasing baitfish and not hanging out on particular pieces of cover. The Ned rig and football jig still seem to be our best producers, with a minnow style bait also contributing to some of the fish caught out deep.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/06/2025
Water Temperature: 71 - 75 degrees
Summary: The lake is full of tiny baitfish (perch) right now and coupled with a bug hatch, the bite has been rather tough. With all the readily available forage, you'll really need to coerce the fish into eating by working the bait slowly or by downsizing your presentation. Using live sonar, we have seen fish follow our baits long distances, only to turn away as soon as they catch up to them. We are still able to find and put quality fish in the boat, although the number of fish being caught each day is less than it was during the springtime. You can find success throwing a topwater during the morning in shallow, wind-protected areas. If you want to fish shallow reefs, you'll either have to find the reefs without the algae slime we call "rock snot" or you'll need to throw a bait that you can work higher in the water column such as a paddletail swimbait or a hairjig so you don't catch all the algae on the bottom. Our most successful way of putting quality fish in the boat has been targeting deeper rock structure in 13-16 feet of water on the Beast Coast Open Water Sniper Jig or by slowly working a Ned rig in the same areas.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/30/2025
Water Temperature: 69 - 72 degrees
Summary: The spawn is pretty much done now with lots of empty beds up shallow and algae covering them. Most of our quality bites are coming deeper than in shallow water. The minnow style baits are continuing to excel in the 10-15 foot depth range with the Ned rig also beginning to result in a lot of good fish as well. The "dog days" of summer are upon us, but there are still lots of fish to be caught!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/21/2025
Water Temperature: 63 - 68 degrees
Summary: We are finally getting some HOT days up here in Minnesota and the water is warming up very fast. A lot of the areas that were productive in the springtime are covered in slimy algae and difficult to fish around. The fish also don't care for these "slimy" rocks and are congregating more in deeper water where the sunlight cannot grow that algae. We are not getting many bites on vertical presentations such as football jigs and Ned rigs right now, but rather, we are catching decent numbers and quality on "search baits" such as swimbaits and mid-strolling a minnow style bait. The fish are beginning to scatter around all over the place and beginning to get pickier as we continue through the post spawn.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/13/2025
Water Temperature: 59 - 60 degrees
Summary: The main lake has really cooled off with the cold weather and rain we've received this past week. The majority of fish have pulled off beds in the shallows and are now back to cruising the mid-range depths and recovering from the spawn. Almost every fish we caught was either spitting up crawdads or perch as we were pulling them in. The baitfish are plentiful, and as long as you stay around them, you will catch fish. The Beast Coast Open Water Sniper Jig continues to be our number one contributor while fan casting a minnow-style bait has also brought in some quality bites. It's a great time to continue putting big ones in the boat - you might just have to put up with a little crummy weather!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/07/2025
Water Temperature: 64 - 67 degrees
Summary: The fish are all over the place right now although a majority of the big females are finished spawning. You can see lots of males still on beds, but also, lots of empty beds. The algae is starting to grow in on the shallower flats, making a bottom contact bait difficult to use. We are catching fish on topwater in the mornings near spawning flats and targeting deeper fish with a small swimbait. You can honestly catch fish anywhere from 2-18 feet of water right now, depending on what you like to throw. The water temperature is warming up extremely quickly and I can see the bite getting more difficult as we move into our true summer months.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/31/2025
Water Temperature: 63 - 65 degrees
Summary: The smallmouth are still in all three phases of the spawn, although a majority of them are on beds right now. I prefer leaving bedding fish alone and targeting either pre spawn fish or post spawn fish out in deeper water. We've had somewhat of a small algae bloom along with a midge fly hatch to go with it which has "dirtied up" the water a little and also provided an abundance of food for the fish. You can still target pre spawn fish with a small paddletail swimbait or a hair jig while the post spawn fish can be had with a topwater. It's still a fantastic time to get out and catch big ones before they all spread out during the summer months!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/24/2025
Water Temperature: 53 - 57 degrees
Summary: Memorial Weekend is upon us and the warmer weather is finally starting to roll in! The wind will be light and variable through the weekend, allowing the water to warm up even quicker. The pre spawn bite is still fantastic, with true giant fish being caught in 8-10 feet of water on a small swimbait and football jig. We are seeing more fish push up shallower as the water warms up into the mid to upper 50s. Those fish can be caught fan casting a black maribou hairjig on long casts. Good luck to everyone fishing this weekend and let us never forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedoms we have! Happy Memorial Weekend!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/22/2025
Water Temperature: 49 - 52 degrees
Summary: The cold fronts this week have dropped the water temps pretty significantly around the lake. Most of the fish have pushed out of the shallows due to this and have relocated into the 8-12 foot depth range. Most of our success came outside of spawning flats off the first "edge" with some sort of cover and structure for the bass to hold onto. This cover/structure consisted of drop offs (some of small as 1-2 feet), bottom composition transitions, and rock piles. If these areas also had the presence of baitfish such as perch, you would find the smallmouth and walleye close by. The small swimbait and the football were the two baits we locked in our hands to put all of our fish in the boat.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/12/2025
Water Temperature: 53 - 58 degrees
Summary: The Minnesota Fishing Opener was this past weekend and we had some great weather to accompany us on the water. A warming trend had the water temperature a bit warmer than usual and there are plenty of males that are cruising around the shallow spawning flats getting their beds ready for the spawn. The larger females are still out a big deeper in the 6-12 foot depth range. Dragging a football jig, Ned rig, and fan-casting a swimbait has been putting fish in the boat. We've got some colder weather coming in the next couple weeks which should slow down the progression of the spawn, but that'll allow for some great opportunities to target pre-spawn fish!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
11/14/2024
Water Temperature: 38 - 41 degrees
Summary: We are wrapping up the 2024 season here pretty quickly. As the water touches the 30s, the blade bait and small swimbait have become the few baits that are still getting bites. Fishing deep and slow in 20 + feet of water is the ticket this time of year. Good luck if you still get out for a few last outings!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
10/29/2024
Water Temperature: 47 - 49 degrees
Summary: If you can deal with the cold, THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR TO BE ON THE WATER. Anglers who fish Mille Lacs often wait all year for these conditions. When the water temps hit the 40s, the biggest bags of the year get caught. We have been catching numerous 25+ pound bags (five fish) as the fish are feeding hard on the tullibee moving up to spawn. Mid strolling a minnow style bait has been the only rod on the deck for the last week or so, as it's putting both numbers and quality in the boat.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
10/17/2024
Water Temperature: 52 - 57 degrees
Summary: We have been getting really cold nights in the low 30s which has really been cooling the water quickly. Fishing deep in the morning and moving up shallow during the middle of the day is best with the shallower water warming up a few degrees as the sun gets high. We are getting lots of bites out deep on the football jig and Ned rig while the chatterbait is the shallow MVP. The Minnesota rig is also getting a good number of bites when we are fan casting and searching for active schools.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
10/09/2024
Water Temperature: 57 - 59 degrees
Summary: When the water temps start hitting the upper 50s, the smallmouth really start schooling up heavily, and much shallower than you would think. We are finding large schools (catching 10 - 20 fish in one spot) in less than 6 feet of water. The chatterbait and small swimbait are getting a lot of bites for us. Once the school slows down a bit, the football jig will clean up and get you a few more bites. As is the case with the fall, finding active fish is the most important thing. If you aren't getting many bites, you aren't in the right area. Keep moving!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
09/19/2024
Water Temperature: 62 - 65 degrees
Summary: The fall feed bags are starting up here on Mille Lacs. Smallmouth and feeding heavily and every fish we've put in the boat the last week or so has been chunky and fat. They are still keying in on baitfish and crawdads so the small swimbait and football jig are still producing a lot of good bites for us. The colder nights really have the fish snapping so it's a great time to get out!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
09/10/2024
Water Temperature: 68 - 70 degrees
Summary: Smallmouth are beginning to congregate in their typical fall locations now that we've had a couple crisp nights. They will still primarily be located around baitfish (perch) schools, but you can definitely still catch them around rocky flats and reefs in 8 - 12 feet of water. The small swimbait continues to shine with the addition of the jerkbait and Minnesota rig catching a good number of fish as well. Covering water until you find active school is extremely important this time of year; don't waste too much time in an area where you aren't getting many bites.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
08/24/2024
Water Temperature: 73 - 75 degrees
Summary: Locating large clumps of eel grass has been the most productive for smallmouth this last week on the water. The eel grass is holding large schools of perch which in turn draws in the smallmouth. The small swimbait has been the main contributor to putting bites in the boat, while the Ned rig continues to shine when the school of fish starts to slow down. Most of the eel grass we've found to be holding fish is in 12 - 16 feet of water.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/26/2024
Water Temperature: 75 - 78 degrees
Summary: The summer bite tends to be the most difficult for smallmouth on Mille Lacs. You can find fish super shallow casting a topwater or wacky senko around reefs or you can target fish out on isolated boulders in 10 - 20 feet of water. The most important thing to look for when trying to find large schools is the presence of baitfish. Right now the perch are perfect eating size for the smallmouth and you'll find them around eel grass. For fish that are out deeper, a drop shot and Ned rig are working best.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
08/07/2024
Water Temperature: 75 - 78 degrees
Summary: Finding most of our bigger bites in 10 + feet of water outside of rocky flats with isolated boulders. The best way to get the quality bites continues to be a Ned rig on those isolated boulders while the small swimbait continues to catch fish as we work from one boulder to the next on the flats. We've also been able to get some good bites on a football jig out deep along transition lines.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/11/2024
Water Temperature: 70 - 73 degrees
Summary: Still seeing the effects of the mayfly hatch, although the hair jig bite is definitely excelling at the moment. Targeting expansive rock flats in 6 - 10 feet of water with a black marabou hair jig has been putting both numbers and quality in the boat. Reeling the hair jig as slowly as possible while keeping it off the bottom is key, as the bites have been light and fish are "short-striking" at times.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
07/04/2024
Water Temperature: 68 - 71 degrees
Summary: Fish are currently in what we call the "post-spawn funk" where they are recovering from the spawn and harder to catch. In addition to this, we just experienced a mayfly hatch which supplies the fish with an abundance of food, making them less inclined to chase our lures. Fishing a Ned rig slowly around isolated rock piles seems to be most productive at the moment. Most fish are being caught without moving the bait; just maintaining bottom contact and a taut line.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/10/2024
Water Temperature: 62 - 64 degrees
Summary: Most of the fish are currently in the spawning phase of the season. Targeting the fish that are in 6 - 10 feet of water on isolated boulders has been resulting in less quantity but more quality bites. Most of the larger fish are keying in on the small swimbait and hair jig. With warming water temps, the algae is also starting to dirty up the water a little bit so visibility is not as good as it was to begin the season.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
06/02/2024
Water Temperature: 59 - 62 degrees
Summary: There are many fish up shallow with large groups of fish cruising around 6 - 10 feet of water. Targeting fish outside of spawning bays with a topwater has produced lots of great strikes and big fish that are just waiting for the right time to move up and spawn. The key players are the small swimbait and the hairjig right now, but a pencil style or popping topwater is also producing good fish.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/25/2024
Water Temperature: 54 - 57 degrees
Summary: Fish are being caught both deep and shallow although we are beginning to see males move up shallow in "wolf packs". Finding isolated cover such as large boulders or rock piles in between deep and shallow water is key. Throwing at these keys areas with a Ned rig and dropshot works best, while fan casting the small swimbait and hair jig is still putting numbers in the boat. In the middle of the day when the sun is high and the water is the warmest, you can find a topwater bite in the shallows.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
05/18/2024
Water Temperature: 49 - 51 degrees
Summary: Smallmouth are still mainly in their wintering areas, but are beginning to push toward shallower water in anticipation of the upcoming spawn. We are currently seeing fish in their textbook "pre-spawn" phase of the year. You can expect to find fish coming up from deep wintering holes near the first "break" with cover or structure. Targeting fish with jerkbaits, Ned rigs, hair jigs, and small swimbaits is most productive at the moment.