Minnesota fishing guide Dustin Monson of Hawg Hunterz Guide Service gives his latest Buzz Bite report for the Brainerd Lakes Area on October 26th, 2023.
Brainerd Lakes Area: 10-26-2023
The fall fishing is still on fire in the Brainerd Lakes Area! Water temps are in the mid-fifties on most lakes.
Walleyes continue moving around mid-lake humps, points and inside turns in 5-15ft. Check steeper edges near weeds/weed flats down to around 30ft if you’re not seeing fish in the shallows.
Many fish are inside weedlines and on top of weed flats. Our go-to presentations has been rigging/jigging creek chubs with a 1/4oz or 1/2oz sinker or jigging fathead minnows.
Catch walleyes on jigs paired with minnows. The best colors have been blue/glow, chartreuse or gold in a 1/8oz or 1/4oz. Some fish are still hitting a minnow and slip bobber presentation too; slip bobber presentations have been producing fish in schools around 5-12ft.
Crappies have been schooling up and roaming bays, basins and deep weeds. Find them on steep breaks, holes and flats in 10-18ft of water. Two main approaches for fall crappies are jig/plastic or jig/minnow under a slip bobber.
We opt for using Lindy Fatboy Tungsten Jigs and Mister Twister Sassy Stingum plastics to catch our fish. Sunfish are near the same areas as walleyes on edges of expansive weed flats in large schools, and will hit an angling worm or leech tipped on a small lead or tungsten jig casted or under slip floats/bobbers.
Weed flats and weed edges (or sunken wood) are the go-to structures in 6-16ft; also applies to the basins of main lakes, suspended in schools; use your electronics to find fish.
Catch largemouth bass and northern pike in bays and inside weedlines in 5-15ft on jig/minnow, soft plastic or wacky worm variations; drop shot techniques for bass are also effective. Trolling a Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue or using as a jerkbait is also effective.
Smallmouth bass are schooling up and hitting various presentations such as a War Eagle 1/8oz worm jig/Mister Twister 3″ Ned Ringer; many fish have moved into weeds or on rocks in 6-14ft, which have been smashing creek chubs on rigs.
Make sure to get out before the lakes start freezing up. First ice will be here before you know it! Good luck, stay safe and Happy Hawg Hunting!
-Dustin Monson
320-293-2442
