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 multiple fishing reports for the lake every month during the open water season. Take a look at his latest report and make the most of your time on the water!
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
11/14/2024
Water Temperature: 38 - 41 degrees
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
08/07/2024
Water Temperature: 75 - 78 degrees
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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
07/26/2024
Water Temperature: 75 - 78 degrees
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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
07/11/2024
Water Temperature: 70 - 73 degrees​​
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.