Minnesota guide Dustin Monson of Hawg Hunterz Guide Service gives his latest Brainerd fishing report on February 22nd, 2024
Brainerd Fishing Report 2-22-2024
Here in Minnesota we’ve got one weekend left in the walleye, northern pike, and bass season. The ice conditions continue to be inconsistent.
We’ve found ice thickness down to about 2 inches, and good ice up to 10 inches, so please be careful out there and check as you go!
Walleyes
The Brainerd fishing report for walleyes has been good. Walleyes have been aggressive, and cruising the shallows during the day, as well as overnight in clear lakes.
Walleyes are hitting minnows on tip-ups and set lines. Spoons tipped with a minnow head are also producing fish.
Perch, blue chrome, and wonderbread have been some of the better colors.
Focus on breaks, points, and humps in thirteen to twenty-two feet of water. During the day you want to fish a tad bit deeper.
Crappies
The Brainerd fishing report for crappies has continued to be good.
Lots of crappies can be caught in the mid-depth basins and along weedlines during low light periods in eight to twenty-two feet of water.
Most of those fish are going to be about five to ten feet off the bottom.
A 1/16-ounce or 1/32-ounce jig tipped with a plastic has worked great during the day.
Northern Pike
Northern pike are biting great in the Brainerd Lakes Area.
Most fish are being caught on tip ups with sucker minnows or shiners. A few fish can be caught on spoons tipped with a minnow head.
Focus on weed beds and weed lines in twelve to eighteen feet of water.
They are biting throughout the day, but it seems like the best bite for northern pike has been in the morning.
Bluegills
Bluegills have been hitting tungsten jigs tipped with euro larvae or wax worms. The bluegills have been really schooled and are aggressive.
Look for fish in shallow weed beds in eight to twelve feet of water or on main lake flats in sixteen to twenty feet of water.
The best bite for big bluegills has been right at sunset.
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass can be caught jigging the the shallow weed beds. Target weed beds between five and fifteen feet of water.
Those same weed beds that have bluegills and northern pike also have largemouth bass in them.
Small tungsten jigs paired with a wax worm or plastic are working well.
They can also be caught on small rattlebaits and on small minnow profile baits.
Set lines paired with shiners is another great way to target largemouth bass through the ice.
