Smallies on Mille Lacs

[rocki]

what lures are good to start with , target rocks this time of year? Looking to start fishing smallies, and im a rookie, help me out!

[ikeslayer]

almost 100 views and no helpers - someone one will throw you a bone just hang in there!!!

[serpent]

I haven't been up there yet this year but from other years I'd fish the rock reefs with a tube or a crankbait. Crankbait to search for them and once you find 'em throw a tube.

[Cecil]

I dont fish it much in the fall. You will need to find rocks, yes. Im guessing with the cooler weather they will be off them a lil bit on the break. I know some guys who catch toads out there in the fall on big spinner-baits. sorry, not a ton of help.

Dont forget the big green fish out there as well!

[MN Musky]

My favorite bait for big smallies out there is a DT10 Dark Brown Crawdad. Second favorite is a purple gold x-rap (mid-sized). I like rocks running 3 to 8 feet. I slowly bang the rocks with DT 10. Or the x-rap on the shallow stuff. Cover ground and find an active school. Slow days drag a big leech on a slip bobber around the same rock areas. Alot of guys troll the same areas with shad raps and do well.

Hope this helps.

[Juan Grande]

I haven't fished them much in the fall rocki. The fishing can be awesome one day and they can vanish the next. Totally depends on the weather, wind, forage, etc.

I'm guessing the crayfish bite is coming to an end here. Tubes and craw baits will still catch fish though I would think. Start on the shallow rocks and work from fast to slow. Try some cranks and spinners, slow down to grubs and tubes if that doesn't work and adjust your speed on the grubs/tubes from snapping to barely crawling on the bottom. You can try leeches and crawlers under a bobber if that doesn't work. You should know within an hour or two if they're up there and biting. If not, you'll have to try the deeper edges of the rocks or deeper rock piles altogether (10-15 ft).

Some days they're just not biting or are out in open water chasing minnows. If that's the case you might want to have a plan B (walleyes or pike or something). Good luck!

[bASS_BLASTER]

I've only fished on Mille Lac once in May 2008 and once in January. I was fortunate the day in '08 the wind was mild. I'm a little concerned b/c I have a 21' bass boat and I plan to bring the wife, who can't swim with me. How are the chops and wind during the fall? Choppy?

[Cecil]

Depends on the wind that day

If windy, just stay in the bays. Plenty of fish (brown and green) in them...

[bASS_BLASTER]

still debating if I should go to Grindstone for LM & SM or Mille Lacs. Thanks!

[wormdunker]

I haven't fished them much in the fall rocki. The fishing can be awesome one day and they can vanish the next. Totally depends on the weather, wind, forage, etc.

I'm guessing the crayfish bite is coming to an end here. Tubes and craw baits will still catch fish though I would think. Start on the shallow rocks and work from fast to slow. Try some cranks and spinners, slow down to grubs and tubes if that doesn't work and adjust your speed on the grubs/tubes from snapping to barely crawling on the bottom. You can try leeches and crawlers under a bobber if that doesn't work. You should know within an hour or two if they're up there and biting. If not, you'll have to try the deeper edges of the rocks or deeper rock piles altogether (10-15 ft).

Some days they're just not biting or are out in open water chasing minnows. If that's the case you might want to have a plan B (walleyes or pike or something). Good luck!

Hey No offense but reading your post reminds me of listening to Tackle Terry Tuma! haha "Well we are going to start shallow if we dont find them there we will move to medium depths if they are not there we will go to deep water"....or "well we will start with small baits if they dont bite those we will go to medium depths and of course if they do not bite medium baits we will go to big baits"....He is a classic if you dont know what I am talking about listen closely once he covers every depth, bottom content, and presentation in one interview.

[Juan Grande]

Okay then Worm,

Rocki, throw a crayish pattern DT-6 that was purchased between the years 1998 and 2004 from the Walmart in Elk River. Cast it on a med-heavy action 6'6" Shimano Crucial rod with a Curado (7:1 only) with 20 lb power pro tied directly the bait. Now pay attention to this, for extra flash I like to hang a full 5" senko from each of the treble hooks for a total of six worms plus the crankbait! Go to waypoint (-93.691, 46.182) at 7:31 AM on Saturday, September 4th and make 47 casts. If after 47 casts you haven't caught anything just go home because it's not worth trying anything else.

[mww24]

haha juan. thats great. you should double up the senkos. 6 doesnt sound like enough.

[Juan Grande]

The DT with six senkos fights harder than a walleye!

[river rat316]

What doesnt