Minnesota guide Dustin Monson of Hawg Hunterz Guide Service gives his latest Buzz Bite Report for the Brainerd Lakes Area on October 12th, 2022.
Brainerd Lakes Area & Mille Lacs Lake Buzz Bite Report 10-12-2022
Brainerd Lakes Area fall fishing has been great for walleyes, northern pike and crappies!
Walleyes have made a split to two main locations; scattered weeds and flats (under 12ft) or deep around mid-lake humps (25-30ft).
Catch them using a jig/minnow combo, rigging 4-7″ minnows, such as “redtails” or creek chubs (sucker minnows can work too), or using a reaction style bait such as snap-jigging a jig/soft plastic or glide bait (jigging rap, shiver minnow, crystal reaper).
After dark, longline troll shallow-running crankbaits (such as a Smithwick Rattlin’ Floating Rogue) in 5-12ft, slow down the troll 1.2-1.8mph; if targeting fish in 10-13ft, slow-troll a Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue.
Find panfish on remaining green weed flats/weedlines in 6-15ft or over basin areas near bays in large schools, often over basins 25-45ft, suspended 10-15ft under the surface.
Catch multiple species trolling (.8-1.2mph) weedlines and big weed flats with spinner rigs tipped with a nightcrawler, minnow or soft-plastic imitation.
Casting and jigging a 1/16oz or 1/32oz jig tipped with a Mister Twister Sassy Stingum or minnow will catch crappies and rainbow Trout in inland lakes.
Catch northern pike trolling crankbaits along weedlines and over basin areas with a large forage base of tullibees if you want to specifically target big fish!
On Mille Lacs, target walleyes around hard bottom areas, such as gravel, sand and rocks (many schools of fish are showing up under 15ft on rock bars/reefs); target them rigging minnows, jigging minnows or trolling crankbaits such as the Smithwick Rogue Perfect 10.
Smallmouth bass are hanging around the tops of rock reefs in 5-16ft; cast rocks and pockets of sand in rocky locations; use Ned Rigs, jig/minnows and drop-shot minnows, nightcrawlers, or imitations. Fall fishing has arrived, let’s go!
Have fun, stay safe and Happy Hawg Hunting!
-Dustin Monson
Contact Information:
Hawg Hunterz Guide Service: Brainerd Lakes Area and Mille Lacs Lake
Email Dustin at mrhawghunter@hotmail.com or call/text at 320-293-2442 if you have any questions or to schedule a guided fishing trip.
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