12-22-05

Just an update for everyone.  The walleye bite has been great on the Gull the last few days.  Our best depths have been from 17-22 feet.  Glo-Devil jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head is really producing.  There are good reports from the south end as well as the north end of Gull.  Should be a great weekend.

12-20-05

The walleyes have been hit or miss this week, but overall the activity has been above average. Anglers have had good luck on Gull, Round and Pelican Lake. Jigging spoons tipped with fatheads are catching walleyes in 17-30 feet of water. The ice conditions continue to improve as people are starting to drive out on some of the lakes. The pike action has been good on the smaller lakes for anglers using sucker minnows on tip-ups. 10-16 feet of water has been best for pike. Crappies are starting to be caught in the evening hours. Small glow jigs tipped with Eurolarva or crappie minnows are working on the crappies. Merry Christmas to everyone!
 

12-12-05

The ice conditions are great here in the Nisswa area and the fishing has been pretty good too.  Most of lakes have at least 6-9 inches of good solid ice.  Anglers have had very good results to start the season.  Walleyes are biting very good on Gull Lake, Round Lake, North Long, and Pelican.  Jigging spoons tipped with fatheads or golden shiners under a bobber is what's producing the walleyes.  The pike are hitting tip-ups baited with big shiners in 8-12 feet of water on Nisswa Lake, Upper Gull, and Cullen.  For panfish and crappies the best reports so far have been on Nisswa lake in the evenings.  Wax worms or crappie minnows seem to be working best.  Be sure to take part in this hot walleye bite.  The time to get out there is now.  The best fishing should continue until the first of the year.  Good Luck!

12-07-05

11-28-05

Rain and snow are pounding the Brainerd/Nisswa area today which doesn't help the ice making process.  We are starting to see a few of the small lakes freezing over and we've heard reports of 2-3 inches on some waters.  The bigger lakes haven't started yet, but they will in the next few days.  We are supposed to get a little cold bump.  By the end of the week we will have the bait tanks full of minnows and the store will be full of all the newest ice fishing tackle on the market.

Keep checking this site for some tremendous sale offers for the Christmas season.

11-14-05

The fall bite is nearing an end but is still darn good.  Lindy rigs and minnows have continued to produce nice walleyes on Gull Lake in the afternoons.  The best depth has been from 26-38 feet.  As we move towards first ice the bite will continue to be best around sunset.  Look for the last hour of the day to provide the best action.

The deer hunting season started out slow with the unseasonably warms temps we've had in early November.  Over the last week we have started to see an increase in activity and the deer are really starting to move now that the rut is in full speed.  Archers and gun hunters have been seeing lots of nice 8 to 10 point bucks this week. 

With the first taste of winter upon us, it is time to get ready for the upcoming ice fishing season.  The store will soon be open with all of your ice fishing needs.  When it comes to supplying the ice angler Sportland Bait has you covered.  Keep checking back for ice updates and the latest fishing reports.

10-15-05

The walleye bite continues to be pretty good and the weekend weather looks perfect.  With water temps in the mid 50s many of the lakes are in the process of turning over.  The lakes may get a little junkie with floating weeds and the fish may be a little more scattered but that doesn't mean the fish can't be caught.  We've been hearing of good results on Gull lake, North Long lake, and the whitefish chain.  Jigs and minnows or lindy rigs and minnows are working best now.  Don't be afraid to use big chubs this time of the season, big baits produce monster fish in the fall especially around the full moon in October.  Which will occur this weekend.  Another tactic for monster fall walleyes is night trolling with big rapala baits.  The day bite has been good in 20 feet and out in the deep water 35-45 feet.  Look at the shallow flats for some dandy night trolling.  So if you aren't out hunting hit the water for a great weekend chasing walleyes.

10-05-05

It is raining like cats and dogs outside and it sounds like the temps are going to drop into the twenties.  The redtail supply has been short and I'm guessing this weather will not help the cause.  The fishing reports have been mixed.  We have been finding some active walleyes on the inside turns of the weedlines.  It seems like the fish have been sitting tight to the edge.  Jigs and minnows or a lindy rig and a chub have produced some eater sized walleyes.  Gull and Pelican lakes continue to outproduce the other lakes in the area.  With an upcoming turnover period look for a change in the bite on area lakes.

09-21-05

Sorry for the delay in reports, this fall has been busy, busy, busy.  We have had a record year here at the shop and with the guide service.  The walleye bite continues to be very good on area lakes.  Gull has been the most consistent with lots of fish up to 16-17 inches being caught.  This week the fish seem to be moving around a little, but nonetheless they are still very active.  The best depths on Gull have ranged from 13-30 depending on the spot.  Pelican lake has also been very good.  The fish on Pelican have been a little deeper.  We have had best success in 27-32 feet along the deep weedlines.  After a tough year we are hearing some good reports from up on the Whitefish chain.  The fish have been running on the big side from 20-28 inches.  Perfect for catch, photo, and release.  Redtails have been producing the most fish, but fish have been caught on jigs and fatheads or by trolling with big Rapalas after dark.

08-29-05

10, 20, 30 walleye days have been common this past week. The walleye bite
has hit full stride. Perfect timing as we head into the labor day weekend. After a couple of years of waiting for the young year classes to grow up, we are starting to see keepers. We are now catching lots of fish between 14-18 inches.  A combination of tremendous weather and active walleyes has made for a spectacular month.

It has been mostly been a minnow bite, redtail chubs to be specific. Nightcrawlers would be the next best bait. I've always been a big believer in using big redtails for these hungry walleyes. But to my surprise smaller redtails were out producing the larger ones in the last few days. These walleyes are on a feeding frenzy. We've been tailhooking minnows on a lindy rig with a short leader, 2-4 feet.

Most eyes have been located on the windward side of the lake. Any windswept
weedline, hump, point, or inside turn is holding fish. We've been hitting new spots every day. Just run a few spots with your electronics. Where you spot one there are usually more. The best depths have been from the weed edges in 13- 16 feet all the way out to 30 feet. The fishing has been great all day long. During the day the fish may move up and down the break. So be mobile.

If you are planning to get out this weekend for walleyes, don't forget to hit Gull Lake. It has been red hot.
 

08-21-05

Walleyes, walleyes, walleyes!  We are seeing some tremendous late summer action out on Gull Lake.  The mid lake bars and humps are producing lots of keeper size fish.  Best luck has been had by working a lindy rig and a redtail chub slowly along the breaklines.  18-26 feet produced the best results.  The future looks good for Gull this coming fall and next season.  We are starting to see lots of healthy walleyes measuring in at 15-16 inches.  It took a couple of years but it's getting better, at least for now.  The bass are still biting everywhere.  Plastic worms or minnows on a jighead have caught lots of scrappy largemouth lately.  The bass are hanging out on the weedlines in 16-18 feet.  The pike continue to hit baits trolled in 10-14 feet.  Try anything with flash and remember to use a steal leader.  Big sunnies are biting on worms in 15-18 feet.

08-09-05

The fishing has been great this week. We even saw a little walleye action, not a lot, but they were walleyes. Hopefully it’s a sign of things to come. The walleyes were biting on redtails or leeches in 28-34 feet of water. They have been scattered so we still need to do a little searching to find them. The bass have been quite easy to pinpoint. Most weedlines have lots of bass on them. Plastic worms or any kind of live bait has produced some quality bass. Key on the nicer looking weedbeds for good action in 10-16 feet. The big pike are really becoming active on the deep weed edges. Anglers have boated fish up to 15 pounds this week on spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Sucker minnows are also producing some nice catches. The sunfish and crappies are biting pretty good. Try using small worms or plastic tails for some good action. This time of the year most of our lakes are really going good, so just pick one and go.
 

07-28-05

The little burst of rain we had today will help cool things off for a couple of days. Overall our fishing has been hot to very hot. Anglers are having a great time catching lots of bass and northerns with a few crappies and sunfish thrown in. The bass and pike are hanging out along the deep weed-edges, the best depths are 10-18 feet. Senko worms are really catching some dandy bass on Gull, North Long, and many of the smaller lakes in the Nisswa area. The pike have been hungry lately and cruising through the weedbeds and hitting spinnerbaits tipped with minnows. Lindy rigs and redtail chubs have also turned quite a few pike this week. The morning and evening crappie fishing is still going strong. Trolling in 10-14 feet of water has been productive for anglers using a Northland Thumper Jig tipped with a Puddle Jumper. This technique has accounted for lots of nice crappies and loads of bass. Nicer bluegills have been biting in deeper water. Good success has been found on Gull Lake and North Long in 15-20 feet. Small jigs tipped with a panfish leech or worm fished under a slip bobber has worked well. Fishing lately has been a great way to get some sun and keep the kids entertained.
 

07-18-05

The fishing continues to be very good in the Nisswa area.  This week we caught lots of Bass, Northerns and Panfish.  The tough bite keeps on for the walleyes so for now we will concentrate on the other species.  The bass have been hitting very good on most of our lakes.  Anglers are finding good success pitching jigworm combos along the weedlines.  The best depths are 12-16 feet.  The northerns have been active in many of the same areas.  Jigs and minnows or spinners and minnows are really producing some dandy northerns.  A good crappie bite has developed the last 10 days in the evenings.  Good results have been had for anglers slow trolling with Northland Thumper Jigs in 12-14 feet. 

07-05-05

Busy weekend here in the Nisswa area, lots of happy anglers hitting the area lakes. The fish were in a biting mood as well. The bass and northern pike are really snapping on most of the lakes. Some lakes that are especially good this week are Hubert, Edwards, and North Long. Bass are hitting plastic worms fished slowly along the weedlines in 8-12 feet of water. The pike are smashing spinners and minnows that are being trolled just a bit deeper, 13-18 feet. One of our fishing guides had a customer land a beautiful 15-pound northern over the weekend. The pike fishing should only get better with the continued hot weather. The walleye fishing has had it’s ups and downs. We’ve caught a few fish along the weedlines when the wind has blown. The key has been the wind. Most of the walleyes have been tucked up in the weeds. Just work a lindy rig and redtail chub slowly along the weed edge. The best lakes for walleyes have been Pelican and Gull Lake. Sunfish and crappies continue to bite good in 8-12 feet. Sunfish are biting on worms in the day and crappies are hitting minnows in the evening. Good Luck!
 

06-27-05

The bass fishing has been fantastic this week. Anglers have experienced fast action on many Nisswa area lakes. Nice bass have been hammering Rapala’s new X-Raps and Berkley Power Worms. The size of the fish have been great as well, lots of 15-18 inch largemouths. The walleye fishing has been a bit sporadic. We are still catching quite a few small walleyes on Gull right on the weedlines. Recently the best fishing has taken place on Pelican Lake or North Long Lake. Lindy rigs tipped with Redtail chubs or leeches has fooled the most fish. The best depths have been 16-24 feet. The northern pike action has really started to pick up. The hotter the weather gets the better the pike fishing will be. Spinners and minnows have produced many nice fish on the Gull Lake Chain, Lake Edwards, and Lake Hubert. The crappie and sunfish action has been a little spotty, but many panfish are now showing up in 7-10 feet of water right of the cabbage weeds. They’ve been hanging around in the same areas as the bass.

Also there is still a great walleye bite happening down on Mighty Mille Lacs.  The family and I were out on the launch with Greg Erickson out of Garrison Sports this evening.  It was a great time and I highly recommend it to everyone that wants to hook a nice walleye.  There are lots of keeper walleyes being caught along with some nice rodbenders.  Give Kari at Garrison Sports if you would like to get into the action.  Their service is top notch.
 

06-23-05

The summer weather has arrived and we've had some pretty good fishing along with it.  The bass and northerns have been very cooperative lately.  We had a great trip with a group out of Lost Lake lodge last week, lots of chunky bass.  Spinnerbaits and plastic tubes have worked well on the inside weedlines for big old bucketmouths.  For best results work your baits in 3-7 feet of water.  Most of our lakes are producing bass.  The pike fishing has been great.  The Whitefish Chain, Hubert and the Gull Chain have all been producing nice pike.  Pike are hitting spinnerbaits tipped with sucker minnows in 10 feet of water.  The walleye action has been great on Mille Lacs lake.  The shallow rocks, mud flats and south end gravel are all giving up lots of nice walleyes.  Leeches are the ticket over on Mille Lacs. Pelican lake has also had some decent walleye action.  On Pelican try lindy rigs and redtails in 20-26 feet, along the deep weed edges. The panfishing has slowed a little but anglers have still been catching some real bulls. All that's needed for the bluegills is a small jig and a wax worm or leech.

06-17-05

Our fishing seems to be getting better everyday here in Nisswa.  Finally the walleyes are up on the weedlines. Our guides have been catching lots of nice fish in 10-18 feet, right through the weeds and along the edges.  Some of the better lakes have been Gull, North Long and Pelican.  For the walleyes, anglers have had success using Leeches, Nightcrawlers, and of course Redtail Chubs.  Lindy Rigs have been our primary tactic but success has been had pulling spinners too.  Northerns have also been very active along the weed edges, medium to large suckers minnows have produced some real dandies.  Fish the Gull Chain, Whitefish, or Edward for Pike action. For largemouth bass just look a little shallower.  Most of our lakes are producing bass action on a variety of baits both artificial or live.  Our crappies have started to disappear, but the sunfish are going gangbusters in the shallows.  All you need are some worms or leeches for some great sunny action.  Summer vacation has started and so has our great fishing.
 

06-08-05

The fishing action has been great if you are not stuck on walleyes.  We've really struggled catching many keepers, we've been catching plenty of smaller ones.  The bigger fish have still been very elusive.  The walleyes that have been biting are biting on shiners or leeches.  While they are still scattered, we have found a concentration in 22-26 feet.  Aside from the walleyes we have had some very good multi-species fishing.  The bass continue to hit spinnerbaits in the shallow water.  The northern pike action is also picking up on the Gull chain.  Nisswa and Roy Lakes have been very good.  Many anglers have been able to find a few crappies that are remaining in the shallows.  Most crappies have been biting on crappie minnows.  The sunfish action is hot.  Look for the big sunfish up in the shallow water, where they are hitting small leeches or wax worms. 

06-01-05

In between the sudden rainshowers we had a very busy weekend here in the Nisswa area. The fishing in the area has been good for some but overall it's been spotty. For walleyes the night bite has been the best, trolling Rapalas in the shallows has produced some very nice fish.  During the daylight smaller walleyes have been caught in 16-24 feet.  Dragging Lindy Rigs tipped with shiners or leeches is the top technique. Gull has outshined most other lakes in the area this week. Mille Lacs Lake to our east has been heating up.  Lots of walleyes have been caught on the north end sand, from 18-24 feet on leeches. The bass season opened with a bang over the weekend. Bass were hitting very well on most of our lakes.  They were just smashing smaller white spinnerbaits up in shallow water, 3-6 feet. Our guides have been catching lots of big black crappies, but they have started to leave the shallow water now that they are completing the spawn. Most crappies remaining in the shallow water are the smaller males. With the water temps in the low to mid 60s look for the bigger sunfish to start biting up in the pencil reed-beds. Time to get out the small hooks and bobbers and a box of worms or small leeches.  With a little stable weather I'm predicting that our fishing could be very good in this next week.
Hopefully the worst weather is behind us.  Good Luck this week!
 

05-24-05

The spring season is hitting full stride here in the Nisswa area.  The walleye fishing is pretty good as is the crappie action.  On Gull Lake we've seen some very good activity for walleyes in the evenings.  Lindy rigs with a plain hook and shiners have produced lots of 13-16 inch fish.  Some larger fish have been caught out deeper on Jigs and shiners.  The best locations have been Grassy Point, Dutchman's Bluff and the south end of the lake. Most fish have been caught in 16-24 feet of water.  We've also caught a few fish on Round Lake in the same depths.  The pike fishing has been great on the Gull chain.  Sucker minnows have produced pike up to 10 pounds in the last week.  The crappie fishing has really turned on as the fish are starting to go up on the spawning beds.  Big Black crappies are hitting crappie minnows or Puddle Jumpers on many of the smaller lakes in the area. As the water warms up this week, look for the sunfish to join them.  Use small leeches for the bigger sunnies.  The next ten days will be some of the best fishing we will experience all season.  Be sure to get out and enjoy it.  Good Luck!
 

05-16-05

Our opening weekend for walleye fishing greeted the excited anglers with less than ideal conditions. High winds, rain and cold temps made conditions a little tough on the lakes here in the Brainerd – Nisswa area. Overall the reports were pretty dismal. The anglers that did find a few walleyes caught them scattered in deeper water. On Gull lake walleyes were biting on shiners in depths from 20-35 feet. Round lake produced a few eyes in 16-24 feet. The night anglers trolling Rapalas had mixed results. Some did very well with some walleyes in the 3 pound range while others caught some smaller fish. The water temperatures are still very cold, less than 50 degrees. As the water warms the fishing should gradually improve. Aside from the walleyes the Crappie fishing was fairly decent. Anglers experienced great results on Lake Margaret and Lake Hubert. On Margaret the nicer crappies were biting in 5-10 feet of water. Over on Hubert a recent bug hatch has flies buzzing around the lake. The crappies are feeding on these bugs near the surface. Anglers are catching crappies only a foot down under the bobber. Small crappie minnows or Puddle Jumpers were working best. The sunfish are also feeding up in the shallows. Use angle worms or small leeches for nice sized panfish.
 

05-09-05

The reports have been a little sporadic for crappie fishermen.  It appears the best results have been coming from the Gull Lake Chain.  Pink jigheads tipped with a pearl white Puddle Jumper have provided action on lots of crappies in the 8-12 inch range.  The bigger crappies have eluded most anglers so far.  Look for the big ones to become more active throughout the rest of May.  This upcoming weekend is the walleye opener.  It will be very busy here in the Nisswa area.  Traditionally the best tactics are small jigheads or Lindy Rigs tipped with a Shiner or a Rainbow Chub.  A good place to start looking for hungry walleyes is in sandy/rocky points and flats.  Also pay attention to the wind this week, the wind should dictate where the walleyes will most likely be this weekend.  Look for fish on windswept shorelines.

05-04-05

Sorry for the delays in the reports.  Now that the fishing season is hitting full stride I will keep you posted frequently.  We have had some nasty cold weather lately but that is now behind us and the crappies and sunnies are starting to bite pretty good again.  The best reports have been coming from the Gull chain this week.  We had a couple of our guides out on crappie fishing trips this week.  They had decent success.  The fish are biting on Margaret, Love Lake, and down in Wilson Bay.  Back when we had some nice weather the crappies were hitting on most lakes, so I expect that the fishing will be good everywhere in the next week.  Puddle Jumpers are the best baits.  We have been using Pearl, Smoke or Blue Ice.  The crappies have been a little scattered in depths from shallow out to 12 feet.  Don't sit in one spot too long, keep moving until you find them.  We are less than 10 days from the opening weekend, and we are pumped.  The bait shop will be better than ever.  The shelves are full of the latest lures for catching those hefty Nisswa walleyes.  Be sure to stop in and say hi, we have some great specials running right now to start the season and the crappie contest is going strong.  I'll give you an update soon.

04-26-05

We've had mixed results the last couple of weeks.  The weather the last couple of days has thrown us a curve, I think we were getting a little spoiled with the warm spring that we've had so far.  The crappie fishing is still OK but it hasn't been as good as the last two weeks.  We are catching crappies in the shallows now and the best tactic is still a 2 inch Puddle Jumper under a small casting bobber.  The sunfish are really starting to bite good.  The best set up for big old bluegills has been small hair jigs such as a Flu-Flu tipped with any live bait.  A wax worm, angle worm, or small leech will all work well.  Look for warm water bays for the most fish.  Both crappies and sunfish have been back in the small muddy bays.  Some of the better spots have been Green Lake on the south end of Gull lake, Bullhead Bay on Upper Gull, and North Long.  But don't be afraid to try a new lake, there are some real gems out there with some huge crappies.

04-13-05

We are really rolling now.  It's finally time for open water fishing here in the Brainerd - Nisswa area.  Most of the smaller lakes are wide open, while some of the larger bodies of water such as Gull, Pelican, and the Whitefish Chain still have some ice floating around.  I expect the bigger lakes to be totally open in a few days as well.  The crappie fishing has started out with a bang.  We have been catching some very nice fish the last couple of days.  Some of the best spots have been from shore.  Anglers are finding some great fishing at the Bar Harbor docks.  Boat anglers have been having success fishing the cabbage weeds in 5-8 feet of water.  With some warm weather look for more and more fish to start trickling into the shallow canals and smaller bays.  This morning we had great success using our favorite crappie lure, the Puddle Jumper!  If you haven't had a chance to try these great little lures, you owe it to yourself to give it a whirl.  They really are phenomenal.  The next two weeks will be prime time for catching big slabs.  If you have any questions, stop in and ask.  We'll try to point you in the right direction.

03-28-05

We are looking at the last few weeks to get out on the ice for crappies and sunnies before we need a boat.  I've been out a few times this last week and things are starting to change.  With the great warm weather we've had the ice has started to melt a little.  Ice thickness has varied from 10-20 inches, so be careful.  On most of our lakes we are limited to ATV or foot travel.  The crappie fishing has been real hit or miss lately.  One of the bright spots has been a very good afternoon bite on Upper Mission Lake.  Active crappies have been feeding up on the shallow weed flats in 7-8 feet of water.  Anglers have been catching them right below the ice, only a couple of feet down.  This time of the year I like to move around a lot until I find them.  Usually you will catch a couple out of a hole and they'll shut off.  If you keep moving you can pick off active fish fairly easy.  Next thing you know you've caught your limit.  So get out and try it.  The weather has been beautiful.

03-07-05

After this weekend and all of this beautiful weather we are having I know spring is right around the corner.  The crappie and sunfish bite is really starting to get good.  The fish are staging on the edge of the drop off.  Key areas are smaller bays and backwaters with some deeper water close by.  The crappies have been suspended in 10-20 feet with the sunfish a little shallower.  Over the weekend we did real well using plastic tails like a Puddle Jumper.  If the Puddle Jumper wasn't working small Rat Finkees with a couple of Euro-Larvae did the trick.  This time of the year some crappies will be swimming only a few feet under the ice surface, so don't be afraid to raise your bait up.  Check out the bays and smaller lakes for this hot bite, it should continue for the next month.

If you are looking forward to this summer, you are not alone.  We are starting to book a few fishing trips for the famous Sportland Guide Crew.  So give us a call and we'll set something up.  It should be a big year here on the Brainerd Lakes.

02-18-04

Just got off the water chasing some crappies.  They were biting light, real light.  I missed my share of bites that's for sure, but it was nice to be out there again.  The best results tonight came from 25-30 feet and the fish were suspended.  Wax worms produced the best results and a few bites came on small crappie minnows.  With the bite being so light I downsized to a number 8 Rat Finkee, it seemed to do the trick.  We have had a consistent crappie bite the last couple of weeks.  Not many big fish, but we've had decent action on many of our lakes.  It should continue to get better in the weeks to come.  The pike action continues to be very good.  So be sure to get out and enjoy it this last weekend of the walleye/northern season.  It's all done at midnight on the 20th.  Lots of dandy pike are cruising 8-10 feet looking for dinner.  With the walleye fishing very slow lately these are the best options going right now. 

02-03-04

A few crappies are starting to show up here in the Nisswa area. The smaller
lakes have been best. Anglers have had the best success using small crappie minnows on Glow Demons. Maggots have also produced some bites. It has been mostly an evening bite so far but a few crappies are starting to hit during the day.

The best lakes have been Clark, Nisswa, Margaret, and Upper Gull. The deepest water in the lake is where you want to look right now for active fish. Electronics are very beneficial since the crappies will be suspended. Our walleye fishing has been slow, which is typical this time of the winter. A few smaller walleyes and big perch have been caught on Gull. The best baits have been fatheads on small jigging spoons. For the big perch fish shallow mid-lake humps in 10-12 feet. The pike fishing continues to be a bright spot. We have had lots of action using tip-ups and shiner minnows in 10-16 feet. Most lakes have produced northerns this week. Good Luck!
 

01-16-04

With bitter cold temps this week the fishing nearly came to a halt.  The way the forecast is shaping up we should bounce back now in a couple of days.  That will be nice for the upcoming Ice Fishing Extravaganza on January 22 at Gull Lake.  The ice is in great shape and we expect a record crowd this year.  It is a wonderful event in which the proceeds are donated to a great cause.  It is one of the highlights of the winter here in the Nisswa area.  The bite has been good on Gull with lots of smaller 12 inch walleyes being caught.  Some nicer fish have been showing up for anglers fishing 14-18 feet.  The keeper walleyes have been caught on Gull and Round lakes.  Golden shiners or jigging spoons are producing most of the bites.  Our panfishing hasn't been the best so far this year.  A few sunfish and crappies have been caught in the evenings on North Long and Nisswa lake.  For anglers that are looking to update their gear stop in over the weekend and check out our Extravaganza sale.  We will be running sales on all portable fish houses, Vexilars, Marcums, Strikemaster Augers, and many rod and reel combos.  It will be the best pricing anywhere, don't miss out.

01-04-05

2005 is here and the ice fishing in the Brainerd area is going strong.  We aren't catching many eating size walleyes but the action has been very good.  Most fish are averaging from 8-12 inches and we've caught the occasional wall-hanger but our normal 14-18 inch walleyes have been a bit scarce.  Gull Lake, Pelican, and Round have all been providing similar results.  North Long has been producing better sized walleyes but fewer numbers.  Active fish have been very scattered, so we've caught them from 14 feet all the way out to 45 feet.  Just pick a good spot and you should catch a few.  Depth hasn't been a factor yet.  Jigging spoons tipped with fathead minnows have worked very well this week.  Some of our favorite jigging spoons are the JB Varmits and Rattling varmits.  Big golden shiners fished below a bobber or tip-up have produced walleyes as well as some monster pike.  For the pike suspend the bait 3-4 feet off the bottom in 12-18 feet along the weed edges.  Lake Edwards is providing some exciting pike action right now.  For crappies I'd hit one of our smaller area lakes.  January and February are prime time for crappies and bluegills.  Some good lakes to check are Mission, Nisswa, North Long, or Sylvan.  Small glow jigs tipped with a maggot or small crappie minnow will fill your bucket with some nice panfish.  The ice is starting to get thick so if you are in the market for a gas auger stop in to talk to us.  We can give you the best prices anywhere in the Brainerd Lakes area.