Dustin Monson of Hawg Hunterz Guide Service gives us his latest fishing report on the Brainerd Lakes Area for June 19th, 2024
Brainerd Lakes Area Fishing Report: 6-19-2024
The Brainerd Lakes Area fishing remains great and the fish are hitting a variety of baits! Walleyes, northern pike, crappies and bass have been the main species of interest. Overall the bite has been good and there is a variety of fishing to be had.
Walleyes
Anglers can find walleyes in seven to fifteen feet of water or on twenty-three feet to twenty-six feet of water on large sand or gravel flats, weed flats and first break, wind-blown structure (rocks, weedlines, etc).
Catch Walleyes By:
- Pitching a slip bobber/leech to schools of fish, re-casting every 2 minutes.
- On sand flats, snap jigging a Jigging Rap or Moonshine Shiver Minnow is working for aggressive fish
- Anglers can also cast a Smithwick Rogue Perfect 10 near weeds or over flats. Try longline trolling Smithwick Lures Floating Rattlin Rogues after sunset into dark on clear bodies of water for walleyes in 4-10ft of water.
Panfish
Crappie and bluegills are roaming shallow and deep weed flats, channels, bays, areas near pencil reeds and emerging cabbage beds in 6-15ft. Some crappies can also be found suspended over deeper weeds in 20-25ft. Use your electronics to find schools before setting up, anchor a bit away and cast on to them. Fish are either holding tight to weeds or roaming the tops of them.
Target Panfish with Three Main Approaches:
- Jig and plastic under a bobber. We opt for using Lindy Fatboy Tungsten Jigs and Mister Twister Sassy Stingum plastics
- A jig and minnow has also worked well for crappies. If the fish are finicky try using a small tungsten jig tipped with wax worms
- Bobber paired with a Lindy Hair Jig is another great way to get bit. Move the bobber slightly to elicit bites.
Brainerd Lakes Area: Pike and Bass
Northern pike have been on weed lines and weed flats in ten to seventeen feet of water. We’ve been catching a ton of northern pike ripping a jerkbait or reeling a spinnerbait over the tops of the weeds. The fish are aggressive and we’ve been pulling in some hefty fish.
Largemouth bass fishing has been good. The water temperatures reached seventy degrees on most lakes and the fish are biting. Look for bass on deeper weediness in that six to ten feet of water. Some bass can also be found shallow on under docks and in heavy vegetation. Jig and craws, ned rigs, weighted senkos, and spinnerbaits are all deadly on those weed edges. Black, green pumpkin, and pink have been some of the hot colors for soft plastics. We are starting to see some fish hitting topwater up shallow in the evenings and mornings. Using weedless frogs in heavy cover or buzz baits.
Brainerd Lakes Area: Channel Catfish
Heavy summer rains have caused the Mississippi and Crow Wing River to stay high and turbid throughout most of June. There is no sign of that dropping anytime soon, so be prepared to fish a high flowing river. This means going up in weight with at least an ounce of lead or more at times. Beefing up your line as well so you can help pull these fish in the strong currents better. Cast to areas where slack water meets current, eddy’s or in current where it slows down/breaks.
Some good spots to target catfish in the Brainerd lakes area are the Brainerd Dam, Kiwanis Park, Green Point, and the Sylvan Dam on the Crow Wing River. You can find all sorts of other less pressured spots on the Mississippi or Crow Wing River via boat.
Brainerd Lakes Inland Trout
Brainerd Lakes area offers some fantastic trout fishing in mine pits and lakes. Anglers can catch trout by pitching Lindy Little Nippers, jigs, or spinners tipped with a piece of soft plastic or wax worm. Trout can also be caught trolling a smaller crankbaits.
