Grand Rapids area: Bowstring, Jessie and Big Splithand lakes are providing anglers with good walleye action at 6-12 feet using a jig and shiner minnow. Some anglers are trolling crank baits during the evenings. The Mississippi River in the Deer River area has produced good walleye action using a jig and rainbow chub minnow. Northerns are hitting on just about any presentation along weed lines on Pokegama and Big Spider lakes.
Lake of the Woods: The best walleye action has been found at about 17-28 feet on the south end of the lake such as by the Knight and Bridges Island areas using primarily jigs and minnows. Anglers are also drifting with spinners and trolling with crankbaits to catch walleyes. On the Rainy River, walleyes are taking jigs and minnows at 12-24 feet on the river channel near Four Mile Bay. Bass are being caught on rocky areas and northerns in bays.
Ely area: Walleyes have been active near large shallow shoreline flats at 5-12 feet using jigs with shiner or rainbow minnows during the morning and evening hours on area lakes. Nice sized northerns are being caught using sucker minnows or trolling with spoons in shallow bays. With the warmer water temperatures, anglers are catching panfish in shallow bays using crappie minnows. Lake Trout action has been sporadic but some anglers are finding fish in 30-50 feet trolling with spoons or heavy tube jigs.
Lake Mille Lacs: Anglers are catching walleyes using jigs and minnows or slip bobbers with leeches on the north end of the lake on sand and rock reefs at shallow depths. Breaklines, points and shallow humps are also producing walleyes using jigs with minnows, live boat rigs or slip bobbers. The best bass action can be found along shorelines and transition areas using crankbaits at about 5-8 feet.
Detroit Lakes area: Walleyes are being caught on jigs and minnows, plastic baits or leeches in 6-13 of water. Crappies, sunfish and bass are taking plastic baits or jigs with minnows at about 3-7 feet.
Willmar area: Early mornings and evenings appear to be the best times for walleye action on lakes such as Long, Big Kandiyohi, West Norway, Ringo and Green using shiner minnows. Walleyes action is also productive on Foot Lake using crappie minnows. Good crappie and sunfish action can be found on Foot, Calhoun, Nest and Elkhorn lakes.
