MINNESOTA FISHING REPORT

Sunfish and crappies are being found on Lake Mary and Lake Reno in 12 to 15 feet. Reno also has kicked out a few walleyes during the evening hours in 15 to 20 feet. Look to Lake Ida with setlines and small minnows for walleyes in 30 to 35 feet.

Annandale area

Crappies continue to be found suspended over deep water on Clearwater Lake, Cedar Lake, Pleasant Lake, and Lake John. Look for sunfish in 14 to 20 feet at Clearwater, Cedar, Lake Marie, and Indian Lake. The 12- to 16-foot weed edges of French Lake and Clearwater are giving up a few pike, but walleye reports have been limited.

Battle Lake

The east end of Battle Lake and Otter Tail Lake are giving up a few walleyes in 18 to 30 feet. Sunfish are hitting in 15 feet on lakes such as Star, Dead, Ellingson, and South Turtle. Look for suspended crappies over 23 to 25 feet at South Turtle, Ellingson, and Battle. The weedlines on Battle Lake also are holding northern pike.

Bemidji area

Perch and walleyes continue to be caught in 30 to 35 feet on Lake Bemidji and Lake Plantagenet. Expect the walleyes to be most active during the evening hours. Grace Lake is the area's best option for bluegills and northern pike in 10 to 12 feet.

Blackduck area

The 20- to 23-foot mud areas of Blackduck Lake remain a safe option for perch. Rabideau Lake is producing bluegills over 10 to 15 feet and Gilstead Lake is giving up crappies during low-light periods in 30 to 40 feet. Look to Gull Lake for an occasional walleye and bluegills in 10 feet. Northern pike are active on the weed edges of most lakes.

Brainerd/Nisswa

Walleyes continue to hit during low-light periods in 20 to 40 feet on Gull Lake and North Long Lake. These lakes also have produced some pike in 12 to 16 feet with sucker minnows. The south end of Gull, Nisswa Lake, and Round Lake are giving up sunfish and a few crappies in 14 to 20 feet.

Chisago area

The Pancake Island area of South Center Lake is producing sunfish and crappies, as is the south end of Chisago Lake in eight to 12 feet. North Center Lake continues to give up sunfish during the day and crappies after dark in 10 to 12 feet. Walleye action is limited, but you will find active pike hitting sucker minnows on Chisago in 10 to 16 feet.

Detroit Lakes

There's some evening walleye action in 21 to 24 feet at lakes Sallie, Melissa, and Big Detroit. The 12- to 15-foot weed edges of Floyd Lake, Big Detroit, and Sallie are producing crappies and sunfish. The deep and shallow weed areas of Deadshot Bay on Little Detroit Lake are worth noting for pike.

Duluth area

The cold weather has limited fishing reports. Most lakes continue to produce northern pike, but Rice Lake has stood out for bigger fish in seven feet of water. The good news is that ice has started to form in the Duluth area of Lake Superior. There's a possibility that herring and salmon anglers might be able to fish through it soon.

East-Central

Crappies continue to bite on Little Elk Lake in 10 to 12 feet of water and on Blue Lake over 22 feet. Northern pike are being taken on tip-ups and sucker minnows in 10 to 12 feet of water at Green Lake and Blue Lake. You'll also find walleyes on Green in 26 to 30 feet of water and crappies over 22 feet.

Ely area

Walleye and crappie action has been limited due to the cold. A few anglers are finding success fishing for lake trout with jigging spoons or minnows. Work the deep water of Burntside Lake, Knife Miners Lake, and Tofte Lake for the best numbers. These fish continue to be suspended as well.

Faribault area

Look to Lake Mazaska for crappies in 30 to 35 feet and sunfish in 20 to 25 feet. Small sucker minnows are turning northern pike in 20 feet or deeper at Shields Lake and Mazaska. The 20- to 25-foot bars of French Lake have kicked out a few walleyes via fathead minnows. French also is giving up crappies in 35 to 40 feet.

Grand Marais area

Brook trout remain active on Carrot Lake in 12 feet. Small jigs and waxworms or small jigging spoons are working best. Shiner minnows, ciscoes, chubs, and spoons are providing steady lake trout action in 45 to 55 feet. Better lakes this week have been Gunflint, East Bearskin, Loon, and Clearwater. Splake reports have been limited in recent days.

Grand Rapids area

Big Splithand, Little Splithand, and the north end of Bowstring Lake are safe bets for crappies in 22 to 28 feet. Northern pike are hitting sucker minnows in 14 to 22 feet at Lake Wabana, Big Trout Lake, and Lake Pokegama. Bass Lake remains the area's best bluegill option in 10 to 18 feet. Look for suspended lake trout on Pit Lake over 50 to 60 feet.

Hackensack area

Sunfish action has been limited to a few fish off Pleasant Lake and Five Point Lake in 12 to 18 feet. Woman Lake continues to give up a few good-sized perch in 20 to 30 feet. Northern pike have bit most consistently with lakes such as Webb and Portage giving up fish via sucker minnows. A "walleye or two" a night can be had off Pleasant Lake in 20 to 22 feet.

Lake Kabetogama

A mixed bag of walleyes, sauger, and jumbo perch is being caught in 26 to 34 feet on small glow jigs and minnows. Better areas this week have been near Martin Islands, Center Reef, Lost Lake Bay, and the mouth of the Ash River. Tip-ups and sucker minnows are producing northern pike throughout the bays and structure areas of the lake.

Lake Mille Lacs

East - The best perch reports are coming off the Four and Five Mile gravel areas in 28 to 32 feet. The Midget Flat and Blue Jug Flat have produced perch in 30 feet or more. Walleye action has been limited with just a few fish coming off Agate Bay Reef during low-light periods in 22 to 26 feet.

West - Look for perch and a few walleyes on the 23- to 26-foot rocks near Seguchie Point, Brown's Point, and Sherman's Point. The best walleye action is taking place during the evening hours on the Eight Mile, Seven Mile, and Sherman's flats. The edges and top of Seguchie Flat have produced a few walleyes during low-light periods.

Lake Minnetonka area

On Lake Minnetonka, the 15- to 18-foot weedlines in Brown's Bay continue to hold walleyes. You'll also find suspended crappies over 20 to 24 feet here. Work the eight- to 12-foot weed flats with sucker minnows for northern pike and small sunfish are an easy catch in most bays. Crappies and sunfish also are being found suspended over 40 feet at Lake Sarah and there is some evening crappie activity in 30 feet of water at Lake Independence.

Lake of the Woods

Walleyes, sauger, and jumbo perch are hitting in 32 to 34 feet about five to seven miles off shore. Further north, near Garden Island, rattle jigs are turning walleyes and sauger. Around Rocky Point, you'll find walleyes in 19 feet. Pink and white jigs have worked best for walleyes and pike on the Rainy River in 20 feet. At the Northwest Angle, 26 to 29 feet seems to be key around the reefs at Oak Island for walleyes, sauger, and perch.

Lake Waconia

Look for crappies in 23 to 25 feet just south of Pillsbury Reef. The best sunfish action is taking place on the 10-foot weed edge north of Pillsbury. Center Reef is producing panfish in 12 feet and look for northern pike off Harm's Point and West Center Reef in 10 to 13 feet.

Lake Winnibigoshish

Before the cold front, there was some steady perch action reported on the 24- to 30-foot humps between Raven's Point and Center Bar. The tops of these humps are producing walleyes during low-light periods. Perch also have been caught in 28 to 32 feet on Moses Bar and North Moses Bar. The 30- to 32-foot humps near Zoomer's have produced perch, as have Moxes Hole and Bena Bar. Rattle lures have provided better numbers of good-sized perch.

Leech Lake area

The cold weather has limited the number of anglers around the lake. The few who have ventured out are finding perch in 12 to 16 feet in Agency Bay and off Sand Point. The humps in Walker Bay and a few points are giving up an occasional walleye in 18 to 30 feet during low-light periods. Panfish action has been limited on area lakes and in the bays of Leech.

Mankato area

Small jigging spoons are turning crappies on Lake Washington in 15 to 18 feet. Waxworms have worked best for crappies on the south end of Madison Lake in 22 to 24 feet. A few walleyes continue to be caught at night on Lake Hanska in six feet of water. Sucker minnows are the ticket for pike on Little Jefferson Lake and East Jefferson Lake is giving up a few good-sized sunfish in 10 to 12 feet.

Park Rapids area

Look for bluegills early and late in the day in 14 to 16 feet on the Crow Wing Chain and Upper Twin Lake. Crappies are being found suspended over 30 feet of water throughout the Crow Wing Chain as well. An occasional walleye is pulled from 30 to 32 feet on small minnows at Fish Hook Lake and Potato Lake. The best northern pike option remains at Big Mantrap Lake in 12 to 14 feet.

Rainy Lake

The evening hours continue to be productive for walleyes and pike at the Rainy Lake City area in eight to 14 feet. Birch Point is giving up walleyes in 30 to 40 feet, as is the east end from Dryweed Island to the Brule Channel in 36 to 40 feet. On the Canadian side, lake trout action has slowed, but the Northwest Bay is kicking out slab crappies.

Red Lake

Walleye and northern pike action has held up despite the cold. Good reports are still coming from 13 to 14 feet throughout the lake and Center Bar remains one of the most consistent areas. The southeast corner of the lake has produced more crappies this week in 12 to 14 feet. Red glow jigs and minnows continue to work best.

Red Wing area

Anglers fishing from boats continue to catch big saugers below the dam on the Mississippi River. A jig and minnow is best in 18 to 28 feet. Ice anglers are finding walleyes and sauger throughout Lake Pepin. The Baypoint Park area is giving up panfish and sauger in eight to 10 feet.

St. Cloud/Eden Valley area

The islands area of Lake Koronis remains the area's best walleye option in 18 to 25 feet. Sunfish seem to bite best during the morning hours in 12 to 14 feet on Pearl Lake, Becker Lake, and Cedar Island Lake. Look for crappies after dark on Pearl, Horseshoe, and Long Lake in 15 to 22 feet. Northern pike have bit best on most lakes in 14 to 16 feet.

Twin Cities

NORTHEAST METRO - Northern pike continue to hit on Lake Jane, White Bear Lake, and Big Marine Lake in 12 to 14 feet. A few sunfish are coming off Demonterville Lake in six to 10 feet during the morning hours. Look to the St. Croix River for crappies in 25 to 35 feet.

WEST METRO - Sunfish remain active in 12 to 14 feet on Hydes Lake and Eagle Lake. Sucker minnows are triggering northern pike in 10 feet of water at Lake Minnewashta, Steiger Lake, and Lake Zumbra. There's some sunfish, crappie, and pike action on Whaletail Lake in 10 to 18 feet during the morning and evening hours.

Willmar area

Set up on the 10- to 15-foot weedlines of Lake Andrew for walleyes after dark. The 50-foot hole on Eagle Lake is giving up crappies and Diamond Lake is producing sunfish and crappies in 12 to 18 feet. The northeast corner of Green Lake, Norway Lake, and Games Lake have produced panfish as well.