FISHING REPORT

There's a good crappie bite on Lake Carlos, Lake Le Homme Dieu, Lake Ida, and Lake Mina in 20 to 30 feet. An occasional walleye is caught during the evening hours on lakes Ida, Carlos, and Miltona. Setlines and shiner minnows seem to be working best. Look for sunfish in less than 12 feet on most of the area's small lakes.

Annandale area

There's consistent crappie action reported from Pleasant Lake, Cedar Lake, and Lake John during low-light periods over 20 to 30 feet. The northern pike are hitting on the weedlines of Cedar and Clearwater Lake. Clearwater and Sugar Lake are kicking out walleyes during the evening hours. Lake Marie is a safe bet for sunfish and northern pike in 14 to 16 feet. Dans Lake continues to give up a few sunfish and French Lake is giving up pike during the day.

Battle Lake

Consistent walleye action is reported off Otter Tail Lake in nine to 30 feet depending on the time of day. On West Battle Lake, you'll find walleyes 25 to 35 feet. There's sunfish being caught on Wall Lake, Dead Lake, Blanche Lake, and South Turtle Lake in 15 feet of water. Look to West Battle and South Turtle for crappies in 15 to 20 feet during the evening hours. A few bigger pike have been caught on the weedlines and flats of Otter Tail via sucker minnows.

Bemidji area

Look for steady walleye and perch action from lakes Bemidji and Plantagenet in 20 to 30 feet. The walleye bite has been best during the evening hours. Some good-sized crappies have started hitting on Lake Irvine in 17 feet just before dark. The small lakes in this area are worth noting for bluegills and northern pike action has been slow.

Blackduck area

Stay on the move and you'll find pods of perch on Blackduck Lake in 20 to 23 feet. The 14- to 18-foot breaklines of Blackduck Lake are giving up a few walleyes during the evening hours. Round Lake and Island Lake are better walleye options. Gilstead Lake, Rabideau Lake, and Pimushe Lake are providing the area's best bluegill and crappie action.

Brainerd-Nisswa area

The early-morning walleye bite remains most productive on Gull Lake, Pelican Lake and North Long Lake. The bigger fish are hitting jigging spoons or setlines with shiner minnows in 16 to 28 feet. These same lakes are giving up good numbers of pike in 8 to 16 feet. Rosy red minnows and glow jigs are the ticket for crappies on most lakes in 18 to 25 feet.

Cass Lake area

A few perch are coming off Cass Lake in eight to 12 feet. Look to Little Wolf Lake, Big Wolf Lake, and Pike Bay Lake with shiner minnows in 15 to 17 feet for walleyes during low-light periods. Northern pike are shallow and active on most lakes, and there are bluegills hitting on Grace Lake in front of the public access.

Chisago area

Sunfish are biting from the Eagle's Nest to the A-Frame in 6 to 11 feet on Chisago Lake. Look to South Lindstrom Lake for crappies in 24 to 26 feet. On North Center Lake, the sunfish and crappies are schooled together in 8 to 15 feet. There's some evening walleye action in 14 to 16 feet in the channel between Chisago and South Lindstrom.

Crosby area

Walleye activity tends to peak right at sunset on Pelican Lake and Serpent Lake in 20 to 28 feet. Jigging spoons and minnow heads are working best. There's been a lot of sunfish caught in 10 to 16 feet on area lakes, but the bigger fish are roaming the 6- to 9-foot weeds. Crappies are being found suspended over 26 to 32 feet on Bay Lake and Cedar Lake. Northern pike are hitting minnows on the deep and shallow breaklines of most lakes.

Detroit Lakes

Northern pike are cruising the shallows of Big Detroit Lake, Little Detroit Lake, and Island Lake. An occasional walleye report is heard coming off lakes Melissa, Sallie, Little Detroit, and Big Detroit in 20 to 24 feet of water. Look for crappies over 20 feet of water on Lake Melissa and Big Detroit Lake. The best sunfish action is taking place at Floyd Lake along the 15-foot weedlines.

Duluth area

Look to Fish Lake and Boulder Lake for walleyes and crappies in 10 feet during the evening hours. On Caribou Lake, the sunfish have started hitting in 10 to 12 feet and Rice Lake is a safe bet for pike in seven feet. Tip-ups and sucker minnows or smelt have worked best.

Ely area

Walleye anglers are having no problem catching walleyes on most lakes, but the majority of them have been small. Due to inconsistent ice depths, most have not ventured to new areas in search of larger fish. The shallow bays tend have better ice conditions and they now are giving up some good-sized pike. Crappie action also has picked up on many of the area's small lakes.

Fairmont area

Walleyes and crappies continue to bite consistently at Hall Lake in 20 to 23 feet with the best bite taking place during the early-morning hours. Look to Cedar Lake for a few walleyes as well during low-light periods. Northern pike and sunfish reports have been minimal.

Faribault area

There's a consistent sunfish bite on Hunt Lake in 15 to 20 feet. Shiner minnows are turning walleyes in 16 feet on Shields Lake early and late in the day. Look for suspended crappies over 20 to 35 feet on Lake Mazaska. Shields and Mazaska are turning out numbers of pike in 14 to 16 feet.

Grand Marais area

Big lakes like Saganaga and Gunflint have seen very limited angling activity due to slush. In fact, most lakes still have ice issues worth noting. The only walleye reports have come off North and South Fowl lakes where there's some evening action close to shore. Look to lakes such as Duncan and Daniels for rainbow trout.

Grand Rapids area

Northern pike are active in shallow weeded areas of lakes Pokegama, Wabana, and Swan. Walleyes are hitting during the evening in 19 to 26 feet at Sugar Lake, Trout Lake, and Wabana. Work 20 feet for limits of crappies at Big and Little Splithand lakes. You'll find crappies and sunfish in 17 to 23 feet on Little Ball Club and Big Cutfoot Sioux lakes.

Hackensack area

Panfish action has picked up in 12 to 15 feet on lakes like Five Point, Birch, Pleasant, and Ox Yoke. A few walleyes can be had during the evening in 20 to 30 feet at Woman Lake and Birch. Shiner minnows are turning numbers of northern pike along the weedlines of Woman and Birch lakes.

Lake Kabetogama

Glow jigs tipped with fatheads are turning a few walleyes, sauger, and perch in 30 to 35 feet. Crappie reports are nonexistent, but small sucker minnows are turning northern pike in 12 to 20 feet. The slush conditions have improved so look for more areas to be accessible soon.

Lake Mille Lacs

East - Although there is some vehicle traffic in the bays, most resorts only are allowing snowmobiles and ATVs on the main lake. There is a decent shallow perch and walleye bite in 11 to 13 feet. Look for the perch to be most active during the day with low-light periods providing a small window of walleye action. Reports off the mud flats and deep gravel indicate a slow bite.

West - Snowmobiles and ATVs remain the only option for travel on this end of the lake. Anglers venturing to the Seven Mile and Nine Mile flats are catching the most walleyes. Work the tops of the mud during low-light periods of the day and slide off the sides during midday hours. Look for scattered perch to be mixed with the walleyes. A few decent walleye reports also have come off Seguchie's Flat in 24 to 32 feet.

Lake of the Woods

The morning and evening hours have been best for walleyes and sauger. Bright-colored or glow-colored jigs are working best in 24 to 32 feet. Although the midday walleye action has been limited, there has been quite a few large pike taken in deeper water. The Oak Island area is producing walleyes on the 22- to 26-foot reefs. Walleye action also has improved on the Rainy River this week.

Lake Osakis

The best walleye action is taking place during the early morning hours in 24 to 30 feet on the north end, One Mile Bar, Two Mile Bar, and Four Mile Bar. Look for sunfish on the north end of Osakis in 18 to 22 feet and northern pike are an easy catch throughout the lake. Smith Lake is producing sunfish and you'll find suspended crappies over 30 feet of water at Maple Lake.

Lake Waconia

There's a steady crappie and walleye bite off Anderson's Reef in 13 to 20 feet. Center Reef is producing walleyes, crappies, and pike in 11 to 13 feet. Pillsbury Reef in Wagener's Bay is a safe bet for crappies in 18 feet. The weedlines in Waconia Bay are providing a mixed bag of panfish, pike, and an occasional walleye.

Lake Winnibigoshish

Perch reports continue to be "spotty" although the anglers who stay on the move with snowmobiles and ATVs are having some success. The sunken island north of Big Muskie Bar is producing perch in 18 to 25 feet, look to Horseshoe Bar in 30 to 35 feet, and at Moxes Hole in 25 to 30 feet of water. A few walleyes continue to be caught at sunset and tip-ups with shiner minnows are triggering pike throughout the lake.

Leech Lake area

There's a decent walleye bite on the 26- to 29-foot humps in Walker Bay during low-light periods on Leech Lake. The Pine Point and Narrows areas are the best options for jumbo perch in 12 to 15 feet. Setlines and shiner minnows are triggering walleyes on Kabekona Lake in 18 to 24 feet.

Park Rapids area

Walleye action has improved on Potato Lake during low-light periods in 18 to 20 feet. The weedlines of Portage Lake are kicking out northern pike and you will find active crappies here over 20 feet. The Crow Wing Chain is worth noting for sunfish in 12 to 14 feet early and late in the day.

Rainy Lake

The American Narrows area started giving up walleyes in 36 to 40 feet of water. Near Rainy Lake City, you'll find walleyes during the evenings in 25 feet and pike during the day in slightly shallower water. The Bushyhead Island area is giving up walleyes in 35 to 40 feet. ATVs or snowmobiles continue to be the primary means of transportation.

Red Lake

The cribs and rock piles on the south end are providing steady walleye action in 6 to 13 feet. An occasional crappie also has been caught in this area, but reports off the north end have been limited. Northern pike seem to be more scattered in recent days, although the southeast corner continues to give up several big fish every week.

Red Wing area

The warm weather brought plenty of boat fishermen to the Mississippi River last weekend and most caught plenty of walleyes and sauger below the dam. On the ice, the Baypoint Park area is kicking out walleyes in 8 to 12 feet. You'll also find panfish around the docks in this area. Look to Frontenac Pond for northern pike.

St. Cloud/Eden Valley area

Look to Rice Lake and Lake Koronis for walleyes in 16 to 25 feet. Long Lake and Browns Lake have produced walleyes in 12 to 18 feet. Pearl Lake is kicking out panfish and pike in 12 to 15 feet and look to Horseshoe Lake and Cedar Island Lake for suspended crappies over 20 to 24 feet.

Sauk Centre area

Consistent crappie action is reported on Sauk Lake in 33 to 40 feet, the north basin of Big Birch Lake in 24 to 33 feet, and on lakes Levin and Guernsey. You'll find sunfish in Hunter's Bay on Big Birch, Lilly Lake, Lake Villard, and Sauk. A walleye or two a night are coming off Sauk, Big Birch, and Big Swan Lake. Northern pike action is slow.

Starbuck area

The Glenwood end of Lake Minnewaska is producing sunfish and northern pike during the day in 12 to 14 feet. During the evening hours, move toward the Fish Hatchery area for crappies. Shiner minnows are turning walleyes on the east end of Lake Emily in 5 feet of water during low-light periods.

Twin Cities

NORTHEAST METRO - White Bear Lake is producing walleyes and crappies during low-light periods in 15 to 25 feet. The Bayport area of the St. Croix River continues to produce crappies. Rush Lake is giving up sunfish in 10 to 12 feet. Demonterville Lake and Bald Eagle Lake remain the area's best options for northern pike.

WEST METRO - There's a steady crappie bite on Hydes Lake in 12 to 14 feet. On Lake Susan, you'll hit crappies in 12 feet and at Wasserman Lake, the crappies are going in 18 feet. Whaletail Lake has kicked out a few crappies in 12 feet after dark. Look to the weedlines of Lake Auburn for pike in 10 to 12 feet. Sunfish and walleye action has been limited.