State fishing report
Alexandria area: Walleye action has picked up again after a slow spell on Lake Ida and Miltona at about 20-30 feet using nightcrawlers or minnows. The Chain of Lakes (Carlos-Darling-Le Homme Dieu-Geneva) are the best lakes for bass action using plastic baits along weed lines. Muskie action has been slow lately but panfish action is good on most area lakes.
Cook area: Blackduck Lake has been the best lake for walleye action using leeches or nightcrawlers at about 9-12 feet. On the Littlefork and Vermilion Rivers, walleyes are being caught at about 1-8 feet using floating jig heads and nightcrawlers. Pelican Lake is a fun lake to fish for northerns and smallmouth and largemouth bass, using slip bobbers with leeches and nightcrawlers.
Lake Vermilion: After a slow couple of weeks because of recent cool weather, muskie and walleye action has improved. Anglers are using smaller bucktails near rocky points or deeper reefs from about 11 a.m.-3 p.m. or later in the evenings. Walleyes and bass are taking leeches and crawlers at 9-15 feet using slip bobbers near weed edges during early morning or late evening on Frazier Bay or the Muskrat Channel.
Lake Minnetonka: The best bass action has been near deeper weed lines using jig and pig combos at 15-18 feet during the daytime, surface or topwater baits at about 8-10 feet during the evenings. Anglers are working the main basin such as Browns Bay, Smith Bay and the points around Big Island for walleyes at about 25-35 feet using leeches or fathead minnows. Panfish are hitting on waxworms in smaller bays at about 8-10 feet.
Lake Mille Lacs: Muskie and northern anglers are enjoying the best action during the evenings mostly along the north end of the lake as well as Wahkon and Isle Bays. Walleyes can be caught at about 30 feet using spinners with nightcrawlers or leeches near mud flats or deep gravel parts of the lake.
