There’s still time to get out and catch big fish in the open water! Here’s how we’re catching various species of fish!

Here’s how we’re catching various species of fish:

Walleyes

  • Locations: Sand flats, hard/soft bottomtransitions, suspended out from mainlake points
  • Depth: 6-14ft flats, 20-26ft weed/rock edges
  • Tactics: Target walleyes by casting a 1/8oz egg sinker above a single hook with a creek chub or light sucker. 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 over the weeds. Pitching a 1/8oz jig with a fathead or rigging/dragging a large sucker minnow has been great for big fish.

Crappies / Sunfish

  • Locations: Deep bays on edges of weedlines or in holes, green cabbage/weed beds adjacent to holes or suspended in deep water
  • Depth: 12-25ft
  • 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). 1/8oz Lindy B-MAX jig paired with a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum, cast and slow retrieve around schools/ vertical jigging over suspended fish is also effective!

Largemouth Bass

  • Locations: Back bays, channels/bays/lily pads/docks, deep weedlines
  • Depth: 2-15ft
  • Tactics: Hair Jigs, light chatterbait/trailer plastic, small suspending jerkbait, weightless or small 1/8oz split shot wacky rig, sucker minnow under a slip float. Cast and use a lift/fall retrieve, hopping on bottom or swimming through weeds slowly

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. Learn more about Hawg Hunterz Guide Service and book your guided trip 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.