Mille Lacs Smallmouth

[rmkod]

Anybody been out on Mille Lacs for Smallies? With the low wind forecast tomorrow I am thinking about making a run up there. I have never had great luck there, but hoping to get into them one of these days.

[bassfshin24]

I was up there this past weekend. I thought the bite would be a lot better then it was but I still put quite a few fish in the boat. Things should be really turning on this week. Water temps were in the upper 50's low 60's. Saw tons and tons of fish in the shallows but a lot of fish would not bite. Ended up with 3 fish over 5lbs and 6 fish over 4lbs in about 8 total hours of fish. Did quite a few between 3-4lbs as well. Find the shallow rocks with sand transition next to it and you will find the smallies. They should be looking to spawn here in the next week or so. Good luck.

[RK]

I was up there this past weekend. I thought the bite would be a lot better then it was but I still put quite a few fish in the boat. Things should be really turning on this week. Water temps were in the upper 50's low 60's. Saw tons and tons of fish in the shallows but a lot of fish would not bite. Ended up with 3 fish over 5lbs and 6 fish over 4lbs in about 8 total hours of fish. Did quite a few between 3-4lbs as well. Find the shallow rocks with sand transition next to it and you will find the smallies. They should be looking to spawn here in the next week or so. Good luck.

Smallies can be tough when they're in shallow clear water. They can really get persnickety. Usually if you can see them, they saw you a long time ago and it can be tough to get them to bite.

About all you can do is get as far off them as you can and bomb something out there that's pretty subtle. I've done ok swimming really small (4"), thin, translucent (my favorite is clear with little tiny black flakes) jigworms on a 1/16 oz jighead. Also done well using 6# braid, nose hooking a senko-type stick worm (tubes work too) and just slowly reeling it in or even dragging it way behind the boat. They don't hit very hard so the braid kind of helps you feel them. The rod just loads up all of a sudden. Light hair jigs work too.

[M1dwestF1sh]

Was up there the past weekend and caught a lot of smallies on shallow rocks with either leeches or rainbows for live bait. Lipless cranks also managed a few. They are very active and aggressive now you just have to find them. I found most on shoreline rocks rather than mainlake reefs.

[rmkod]

We did fairly well. This is my first attempt at a gopro video and I know the dog is a little annoying.

[mrklean]

nice video my dog is the same way in he boat

[Juan Grande]

Good video! How warm was the water?

[JeremyCampbell]

Nice video.The track at the end with Disturbed was a nice touch.

[rmkod]

Thanks, the water temp was between 58-62.

[TB Basser]

Guys,

I have never been on Mille Lacs and was thinking of going out there with

my brother inlaw from Arizona the week of the 8th. Looking for help on

what bays to go to and what to look for. I have an idea but any help would be

appreciated.

Thanks

Oh, and very cool vid.

[bassin]

Anybody else see the launches parked in the middle of spawning flats? Just fantastic. Let's ruin that too.

[bassfshin24]

Hearing this just makes me sick!

[bassin]

Saturday there was one. Sunday there were two parked there catching smallies. Same resort. Probably can't say the name but orange and yellow out of isle. Only ones I have seen doing that.

[Juan Grande]

I saw a launch on the north side sand flats shooting muskies with harpoons.

[bassfshin24]

That's surprising about that launch going after smallies. I know the owner of that resort is one of the few owners that was fighting the new smallie regulations and trying to protect smallies. I wonder if they were keeping them.

[M1dwestF1sh]

Itbis surprising to here but they are easy just to catch with bobbers and put up a fight. I hope you were joking about a launch harpooning muskies.

[RK]

I saw a launch on the north side sand flats shooting muskies with harpoons.

Depth charges work better. More range.

[MuskieFever]

I saw a launch on the north side sand flats shooting muskies with harpoons.

Didn't happen to be on horseback did they?

[Juan Grande]

No, they had a harpoon gun on the bow like one of those Japanese whaling ships. Every time they'd shoot one, everyone on the ship would yell "That'll teach ya to eat our walleyes!"

[Craigums]

No, they had a harpoon gun on the bow like one of those Japanese whaling ships. Every time they'd shoot one, everyone on the ship would yell "That'll teach ya to eat our walleyes!"

Those were "research vessels"

[CaptainMusky]

I have to ask, how is it different having a launch parked on the "spawning flats" than having a bass tournament with dozen(s) of boats targeting "bed" fish?

True the fish will be released in the tourney scenario (who knows on the launch), but I still dont consider that very sporting. IMO

[CaptainMusky]

Not unless you are Captain Hollywood from Wicked Tuna. I heard they had a boat flying high above Mille Lacs looking for circling muskies in schools of thousands. Sent in "Hollywood" to take care of business. Should be in an upcoming episode.

[thatoneguy]

I have to ask, how is it different having a launch parked on the "spawning flats" than having a bass tournament with dozen(s) of boats targeting "bed" fish?

True the fish will be released in the tourney scenario (who knows on the launch), but I still dont consider that very sporting. IMO

You answered your own question. Bass fisherman have a catch-and-release ethic rivaled only by muskie chasers. Bed fishing for bass is not the problem you seem to think. Go ahead and pick a lake and do some bed fishing this week and post pics of what you catch. It's not as automatic as you seem to think.

[KickNBass]

It's not as automatic as you seem to think.

By the same logic it is not as automatic for the launches. And what would you rather bed fish in, a launch or a bass boat with power poles.

I don't have a problem with the launches trying for smallies (yet), who knows, they may practice C&R anyway. Looks like they are adapting.

[CaptainMusky]

I guess I was just reacting to the "oh the humanity" type responses about the launches sitting on the spawning flats but it appears if its a bass boat its OK