John and Ashley Holmgren of Devoted Outdoors give their latest Buzz Bite Report for the Bemidji Area fishing on January 20th, 2023.
Bemidji Area Buzz Bite Report 1-20-2023
Unbelievable turnaround on the weather as of late in the Bemidji area! With all the warm weather the snow has settled and the lakes have become much more accessible. You still have to be cautious of slush and deeper drifts, but it’s way better out there than it was a few weeks ago.
Panfish bite has been good as long as you are willing to chase after them. Most fish are skittish and finicky. We have been using our Hummingbird Mega live to hunt them down and our Vexilar to pluck them.
Buddy system, one person on live and another with the auger and Vexilar. We have been finding our biggest fish roaming shallower to mid depth flats still.
They have been roaming in very small schools chasing baby perch. Some bigger fish coming out of the basins as well. Eater size fish are now schooled up heavily out in the deeper basins. Clam 1/32 Pinhead Pro spoons and 1/32 Snow drop tipped with a waxie have been the ticket.
Something you have to be aware of when you are fishing panfish in deep water 25’+ is Barotrauma. It is a real thing and just because they look like they are releasing good doesn’t mean they are. We don’t target panfish that we don’t want to eat in deeper than 20’.
Walleye and perch have been very good on all local lakes. Went out yesterday chasing jumbos and eyes and had very good success in 6-8’ last two hours of light on a mostly dead cabbage bed that still had a few good strands! We were jigging with 1/8th oz Clam Pinhead Pro tipped with a minnow head.
Weather is amazing! Get out fishing in the Bemidji area and enjoy it!
- John and Ashley Holmgren
