Here's a look at fishing conditions and hot spots around the region. Crappie and sunfish action is consistent in many lakes.
ALEXANDRIA AREA
Crappie action has picked up in the shallows, but the bigger females have yet to show up. Catching numbers of fish with minnows is not a problem on Lake Le Homme Dieu, Darling Lake, Lake Geneva and Pocket Lake. Expect sunfish to be mixed with the crappies in less than 5 feet of water.
ANNANDALE AREA
Crappies and sunfish continue to move in and out of the channels and bays on most lakes. The bigger fish are being found in 8 to 10 feet at the mouths of these areas. Lakes such as John, Clearwater, Pleasant, Cedar, Sugar, Augusta, Sylvia and Granite are worth noting. The bigger sunfish are being taken on small jigs, while minnows continue to work best for crappies.
BATTLE LAKE
Pink jigs and minnows are producing crappies in 4 to 8 feet of water at Bass Lake, Elbow Lake and Battle Lake. Look for sunfish on Stalker Lake, as well as the aforementioned fisheries.
BEMIDJI AREA
With the ice just going out late last week, panfish anglers have just begun checking their traditional panfish spots. Lakes such as Pimushe, Midge and Rabideau usually are the first to provide crappie and sunfish action in shallow water.
BLACKDUCK AREA
The entire area is now ice-free and there is some crappie action occurring in shallow water. Gilstead Lake and Rabideau Lake have been producing the most fish in 1 to 5 feet using small jigs and minnows. These lakes also will produce bluegills, as will Big Lake.
BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA
Crappies and sunfish are being caught with consistency from the bays of North Long Lake, Pelican Lake, Round Lake and Nisswa Lake. The best crappie reports are coming from the Bar Harbor area and ditch off Squaw Point on Gull Lake.
CASS LAKE AREA
The entire area is ice-free and there are some perch hitting in the shallow weeds of Cass Lake. Crappie and bluegill reports have been limited. A few more days of warm weather should move the fish shallow on most lakes.
CHISAGO AREA
The afternoon and evening hours continue to produce sunfish and crappies. Work the docks, channels and bays of Chisago Lake, North Center Lake, South Center Lake and South Lindstrom Lake for bigger fish. Plastics, waxworms and minnows are all triggering panfish.
CROSBY AREA
outdoors
resize text 
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters
