State fishing report

Ely area: Walleyes are being caught on the reefs, using leeches in the early mornings or evenings on lakes such as Shagawa or Burntside. Northerns are taking spoons or spinner baits at 5-15 feet while crappies are being caught using small minnows on the flats about 12 feet.

Grand Marais area: Leaches, crawlers and fathead minnows have produced the best walleye action on Ball Club Lake and Gunflint Lake about 16-20 feet during the day and along weed edges during the evenings about 8 feet. Lake trout action has been decent using small Rapalas, spoons or jigs on Loon Lake.

Grand Rapids area: The best approach to catch walleyes recently has been trolling with spinners and shiner minnows or night crawlers near weed beds on lakes such as Bowstring and Sand. Walleyes are being caught on Pokegema, Trout and Deer lakes about 15-30 feet using leeches or nightcrawlers. Pokegema is producing the best panfish action.

Lake Waconia: Kegs, Anderson's and North Reef have produced the best walleye bite near the weed lines while northerns are hitting on sucker minnows. The best bass action comes from using topwater baits at shallow depths early in the morning or using live baits in the weed edges at 10-15 feet on parts of the lakes such as North, Center, Pillsbury and Cemetery reefs.

Rainy Lake: For walleye action, anglers are heading to reefs about 30 feet and using jigs with shiner minnows or worms or mid-lake humps around Jackfish Bay and Sand Bay. Good smallmouth bass action is best along rocky shorelines from Black Bay to Lost Bay. On the Rainy River, good walleye action can be found near the Roche boat access and downstream from the Ranier Rapids.

Willmar area: Anglers are pulling some walleyes out of area lakes such as Green, Eagle, Diamond and Andrew about 25-35 feet using night crawlers or leeches. Bass action is solid on Eagle, Nest or Diamond lakes. Northerns are active on most area lakes. The best lakes for sunfish and crappies are Eagle, Lake Florida, Diamond and Green.