Lake Mille Lacs: The walleye bite is going strong on the big lake's mud flats, including Seven Mile, Eight Mile, Nine Mile and the East flat. Anglers are pulling lead core with Salmo hornet crankbaits across the tops of the mud flats or using three-way spinner rigs with nightcrawlers along the edges of the flats. Bass anglers are using tube jigs on the rock reefs on the south end of the lake and under the docks.
Crosby area: Walleyes are biting on Serpent Lake on bottom bouncers and spinner rigs in 26 to 28 feet of water. On other area lakes, walleyes are being caught by fishing the weeds with weedless jigs and a plastic worm. Bass action is improving in the weeds on Serpent, Bay, Clearwater, Horseshoe, Mission and Rabbit lakes; try using a Texas rig with a plastic worm. Anglers are also taking northern pike by trolling large stickbaits in deep water.
Ely area: The walleye bite on area lakes continues in shallow water, with most fish coming in from water less than 10 feet deep. Fall and Birch lakes are the two hot spots right now. Northern pike weighing up to 20 pounds are being taken from Birch, Shagawa and the Kawishiwi River by anglers using sucker minnows and ciscoes. Crappies are being caught in 9 to 12 feet of water on most area lakes, with some sitting right under the lily pads.
Mississippi and St. Croix rivers: The walleye and sauger summer pattern is established, with fish set up on offshore structure in 24 to 29 feet of water. Bait crawlers, leeches and minnows are all catching fish, with the bite changing from day to day. Gulls are on the water now, signaling the presence of white bass. Crankbaits, twister tails and spinners all catch white bass. Channel cats are very active right now.
Lake Waconia: Bass and sunfish are currently the main targets of anglers. Bass are being found on the weed edges or reefs from about 10-16 feet, using plastic worms with a bullet weight or a bass jig. Walleyes have been slower, but anglers have caught some using LindyRig withs crawlers or a leech at deeper depths on the south side of Kegs's Reef and Red's Reef at 20 feet or more.
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