Mille Lacs or White Bear Lake

[unfrozen]

Hey all,

My wife is out of town Friday night until sometime Monday evening. I'll be watching the kids(3 and 5 yrs old) solo. We'll do some fishing over the weekend. My question is for the following Tuesday. My wife has given me the day to take off and fish wherever I choose...alone!

I've narrowed my choices to White Bear Lake or Mille Lacs. I fished White Bear Lake once and have never fished Mille Lacs. I will be arriving at whichever lake I choose by sun-up. I prefer bass fishing but wouldn't mind a few 'eyes for the dinner table.

With Tuesday being the day before the 4th of July I'm guessing Mille Lacs will be super busy. White Bear Lake, I'm not so sure.

Given my criteria, which lake would you choose??? Or...if you know of another lake that's within two hours of the south metro, please let me know.

Thanks !

[BoxMN]

I have fished both in the last week or so. Mille Lacs was great fun for walleyes, walleyes up to 27". But from reports it might have slowed down some. Not sure for bass.

WBL we were catching quite a few bass, most small largemouths, but we did get a few smallies, one of them an 18"er. That came on a leech and jig on a hump on the east side, and another smallie there as well. I bet you could go out with a senko and fish the weedline and catch a bunch of bass. I had old folks with me so did more line untangling My bro and I got one nince walleye (just as sun getting to horizon) before we picked up the old folks. He also went out a few days ago and got a bunch of walleye, but you only get walleye before the sun comes up in that lake, and fish it deep, at least 26 feet down to 35 feet.

The WBL city launch (the good one by the island) charges $20 for residents for year pass, and I think $30 for non-res, so be ready for that - but they will ticket for no pass sticker. Otherwise the County launch off of 96 works, but it is a pretty crappy launch, I would suggest 4x4 only.)

If it was me, I would go Mille Lacs, but that is because I only live .5 mile from WBL, so fish it all the time. Good luck!

BTW - my brother has caught a 23" smallie, and my neighbor last year caught a 23" smallie out of WBL, so there are some biggies there. Also a better than average chance at a muskie, even when casting bass lures. Have caught several muskies from wBL when targeting bass, so that is nice bonus

[Sandmannd]

I fished Mille Lacs my first time last weekend and we got a few nice walleye but no keepers. If you are afte keepers, I would probably go with WBL. If you want more action I would do WBL but if you want the big ones go to ML.

[Tom7227]

Watch the weather report. If they talk about wind then stay at White Bear. Mille Lacs can be a real experience if the wind is 15-20 mph. Lot of work for one person to drive that far and then get skunked cause you can't keep the boat under control. I've tried Mille Lac on four different days this year and got blown off 3 times. My boat is only 16 feet with a 90 horse and it's too small for the windy days - at least too small for me.

[Payday]

I'd opt for Mille Lacs. If it's windy, drive your truck to the other side of the lake.

I'd much rather catch a bunch of 25" walleyes then bass

[JohnMickish]

I too live in WBL and am heading up to Mille Lacs for the weekend. WBL gets very busy with sailboats and tubers. I have fished both plenty and if you want LM go to WBL, if you want to fish for Walleys or smallies go north.

[BoxMN]

Was on WBL tonight from about 9:30 pm until 12:30. Three guys in boat, one a rookie. He got the first of two walleyes, an 18"er. I got a 16"er. Also got some sunnies on walleye rigs down in 30 FOW. Nothing spectacular, but was a beautiful night. One on a crawler and gold spinner 7' leader, the other on a green and black float with a small black spinner and a leech. Was marking some nice fish, but not much was biting. Also did get a snot rocket.

Good luck!