Let’s Go Fishing!
The bite is shaping up to be a good one for Fourth of July Week in the Brainerd Lakes Area! We’re targeting multiple species, and here’s how we’re catching them:

Crappies & Sunfish

  • Locations: Deep bays on edges of weedlines or in holes, green cabbage/weed beds adjacent to holes or suspended in deep water near bays
  • Depth: 10-18ft
  • Tactics: 1/16oz Lindy Lil Nipper jig under a Thill crappie float-keeping the jig above the depth of the fish (Same tactics for sunfish, but downsize and tip with a wax worm). 1/16oz Lindy B-MAX jig paired with a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum, cast and slow retrieve
    around schools/weedlines or shallow timber.

Large Mouth Bass

  • Locations: Back bays, warming water/channels, shallow weed flats
  • Depth: 2-15ft
  • Tactics: Hair Jigs, light chatterbait/trailer plastic, small suspending jerkbait, weightless or small 1/8oz split shot wacky rig – Cast and use a lift/fall retrieve, hopping on bottom or swimming through weeds

Walleye

  • Locations: Sand flats, developing weeds and rock transitions
  • Depth: 10-15ft flats, 20-26ft weed/rock edges
  • Tactics: Target walleyes by casting a 1/8oz egg sinker above a single hook with a leech (nightcrawlers work too). Lindy Max Gap BMAX jig and ¾ of a nightcrawler slow rolled over weeds or sand. Pitching and longline trolling the Smithwick Perfect 10 or Booyah Flashpoint is effective worked slowly. Also pitching a 1/4oz jig with a fathead can produce bites as well when hopping on the bottom.

Rainbow Trout (Requires Bonus Trout Stamp with Fishing License)

  • Locations: Roaming basin, above submerged trees, swimming along shoreline
  • Depth: 4-40ft, mostly in top 15ft of water column/shoreline shallower, scattered throughout the water column so let the jig sink at times.
  • Tactics: Cast a 1/16oz Lindy B-MAX Lil Nipper and slowly retrieve, single hook with a worm/split shot weight and small bobber. 1/4oz jig/swim bait work great for lake trout.

If you’re wondering where and how to fish, tune in to Visit Brainerd Baxter for weekly fishing reports by Hawg Hunterz Guide Service LLC. As always have fun, stay safe, and Happy Hawg Hunting! Learn more about Hawg Hunterz Guide Service HERE.

Plan your fishing trip to Brainerd today. Find excellent in-town hotels and visit one or more of the 400+ lakes in Crow Wing County and the Brainerd Lakes Area for an incredible multi-species fishing experience.