Walker/Park Rapids/Bemidji Area

[Huntin&Fishin]

My uncle live around this area and I was wondering what is your opinions on 3 lakes for muskie fishing quality? Leech, Bemidji, and Big Mantrap. Any info would be nice hopeing to visit him a few times this summer and get out after some muskies. Thanks

[propster]

Leech has made a great comeback (not that it went anywhere) in recent years. Lots of fish, lots of big fish. Lots of great structure and spots, many of them obvious and they do get pressure. Fish in rougher conditions if you have the boat for it and you'll avoid some of that. Lake has done great in late August and September the last couple years. Bemidji another big lake, lots of spots and I'm still learning it. But the fish are there, and some good ones. Mantrap smallest and easiest to fish, but also may be most difficult. Since it's smaller any pressure is more readily felt, and it is popular. Lots of community spots that get pounded. Very clear water lends itself to lots of follows and tough fishing in sunny skies. Unfortunately until this year length limit was only 40", so lots of good fish died. There are still a few big ones present. Part of the reward is the beauty of the lake itself. Much of the shoreline is owned by 3M and is pristine, so not a ton of cabins and jet skis, though there are a lot of pontoons. Can't go wrong with any of these three, though I'd also look at Plantaganette as well as the Boy chain of lakes over by Longville SE of Leech. Good luck.

[scsavre]

Not a better area than Bemidji, pick a lake. Cant go wrong.

[cbrooks]

I only fish the Bemidji/Cass area lakes. I seldom leave these lakes to fish another lake. The only problem with Bemidji/Plant is the amount of pressure especially Plantan. I'm starting to fish Cass lake more and more to avoid crowding in on these other lakes.

Lake Bemidji is usually better at night is what I found. A south wind can turn this lake on. Focus most of your fishing north of the Diamond bar. That will cut down on half the lake for you. Good luck fishing.

[Musky Buck]

Little Wolf east of Bemidji also. Skinny fish, but long. You'll likely have to put in at the resort on the west side, cost 5 bucks or something, been awhile since I've been there but we were 2 fish for 2 trips, sometimes used as a brood stock lake. Shallow lake, mainly 19-20 foot max with one smallish hole at 24'.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Ok Thanks alot guys

[scsavre]

Unfortunatly the secret got out about Little Wolf, Still fish in there but a lot of pressure.

10 years ago when i used to fish it, it was a gold mine.

[10,000 Casts]

All the lakes in that area are heavily pressured. All the good muskie lakes in MN are heavily pressured.

Leech is the toughest to fish if you don't know exactly what you are doing. I never know whether I will see 20 fish or get skunked. Spots can go from good to bad in less than an hour. Hire a guide.

Bemidji can be hot or cold, the time of year can really make this lake hard or easy to fish. There are fish south of Diamond Bar but more on the north side. The west side holds alot of fish from the access by the college up to the resort.

Mantrap is the best lake to see fish but with the pressure they can be hard to catch. It's a great lake with plenty of areas to fish and it probably has the quickest learning curve, start right at the launch and fish the shoreline with bucktails and spinnerbaits. It doesn't get any easier than that..

Plant - was alot better 5 years ago. It's the best trolling lake in the area.

[thrax]

Don't forget Big Lake. I suggest if you have a little time, you try all 4 and maybe even 5, Bemidji, Plant, Big, Cass, Little Wolf in no particular order. Do two a day if you really like fishing, you can get from loaded up at one and be putting back in in no more than 30 minutes at any of the others. Pick the better one for the day to either stay on or go back to. They all fish a little different from one another, so what's working on one may not be on the next.

Plan on fishing fast, you'll have a hard time dialing in on the super sweet spots on any of the lakes real quickly and you'll do better covering water for active fish. (unless a nice FM'er can give you a few, don't ask me in public anyways, I'm not nice!!)

[DOHKAY]

I went to Bemidji State and had all these lakes at my finger tips for 4.5 years. It was great but looking back, I wish we would have spent more time on the water and less time in the local watering holes. As mentioned above, Little Wolf used to be a top secret lake, but word spread and now it's highly pressured. I went to the area last fall and stopped by LW, spent an hour there and left because 8 other boats pounding were the lake. (8 boats is a lot on that body of water. Can't personally speak for Leech and Cass, but Bemidji, Plant and Big have awesome fish. Maybe I should go back to school and get my Masters degree.....

[john skarie]

All lakes mentioned can have very good trolling bites at the right times of the year.

Leech, Bemidji and Mantrap all have quality fish. My favorite of the 3 is Leech hands down.

Leech has the longest learning curve though.

You can't go wrong staying in the Bemidji/Walker area. Dozens of lakes within 30 minutes of Walker that will put out 50"+ fish.

JS