Brainerd Guide
Fishing Reports

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 12-23-16
Temperatures have warmed up considerably in the Brainerd Lakes Area. It has been a nice change from the minus 20 degree+ lows we experienced last weekend. There is plenty of ice on the smaller lakes in the area. Most have 6 to 8 inches. The larger lakes are still questionable for anything more than light ATV traffic. The smaller lakes have been producing good crappie numbers throughout the day. Key locations have been steep breaks near deepwater holes. Most of the crappie schools are suspended 2 to 6 feet off the bottom and can be easily seen on the electronics. Small jigs tipped with a minnow have been accounting for most of the action. Pelican lake has been producing some walleyes in the evening. The best depths have been 26 to 32 feet. Shiner minnows rigged on a set line have been outproducing jigging techniques.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 11-28-16
What a beautiful November in the Brainerd Lakes Area. Most of the lakes are still wide open. I am almost disappointed I winterized the boat but who could have ever predicted such a beautiful fall in northern Minnesota. I spent the last few weekends with friends and family. The outings were all good. The deer hunt was a bit slower than previous years but this was the first deer season I could remember where we hunted in an orange vests and t-shirts. The pheasant hunting was exceptional this year while the duck hunting was a bit slower. All things aside, there were still plenty of new memories created to add to the photos on the wall. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends. There's nothing like family. Enjoy the next few weeks. Hopefully the weatherman will start bringing us some good.news. It's only been 28 days but I am getting the itch to start fishing again.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 10-31-16
The last open water fishing trip of the 2016 season is officially in the books. Thanks everyone for making this past season so special. This year's boat is now in storage and next year's boat has been ordered. Thanks everyone for all the last minute calls but my fishing season is now over. It's time to dust off the hunting gear and spend some time with family and friends. We have three big hunts planned in the coming twenty days. The first is a duck hunting trip to North Dakota, followed by an annual pheasant trip to southern Minnesota, then followed by a weekend of deer hunting in Pine River. The fishing has been good in the Brainerd Lakes area. The biggest problem has been trying to decide between fishing for crappies or walleyes. Both have been exceptional these last few weeks. The walleye have been in 33 to 46 feet of water. The crappie have been suspended off the bottom in 32 feet. The current conditions could hold for another two to three weeks if the weatherman's predictions hold true. So little time and so many options. It is a nice problem to have. Thanks again. PS: We are selling gift certificates again this year. They make perfect Christmas gifts for that special outdoors person on your list. Thanks again.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 10-14-16
The walleye bite has been nothing short of spectacular these last few weeks in the Brainerd Lakes area. The majority of the walleyes have been in 33 to 42 feet. Key locations have been steep water breaks. The season is winding down but the bite shows no signs of stopping. Thanks everyone for such an unbelievable season. Give us a call. We will be fishing right up until ice up this year. Life is Really, Really GOOD!!!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 9-23-16
The fall walleye bite continues to heat up in the Brainerd Lakes area as hungry schools of walleye slide off the weed line and head out to the deeper water. Key locations have been deep water saddles, islands, and points located close to steep breaks. The best depths have been in 26 to 35 feet of water. A healthy 3 to 4 inch red tail chub has been an effective bait the last few weeks. Tool up with a 1/2 oz sinker and a 1/0 hook to effectively catch more fish from these deeper waters. Line stretch becomes a big factor in deeper water so it is important to snug down of the fish before setting the hook. The bass have also dropped deeper on many lakes throughout the area. The crappie fishing should be heating up in the weeks to come as the crappie leave the weeds and start relating to the deeper waters. Enjoy the weather. The snow will be here before we know it but there is still time to enjoy some of the best walleye fishing of the season. Life is Really Good!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 8-23-16
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. Sorry for the delay but I have been in the boat every morning and afternoon since mid July and somehow posting a fishing report got pushed to the back burner. I don't know where August has gone but the walleye fishing has been nothing short of awesome these last three weeks. Key locations have been just outside the weeds on wind blown structures. The best bait has been a healthy, active, redtail chub. While many of the local lakes have been kicking out walleyes, the big disappointment of the season continues to be Gull Lake. There hasn't been a good walleye bite on Gull Lake this summer. This should be prime time for Gull Lake but for the second season in a row the walleyes haven't shown up on the second weed line in late August. Contrary to official reports the replacement of the previous, successful, twenty year old fingerling stocking program with the present, cheaper, fry stocking program has led to major decline in the walleye population on Gull Lake. There needs to be a change in this practice. The fry stocking program was previously tried in the late 80's to early 90's and failed. The return of the fingerling stocking program on Gull Lake in the early 90's spring boarded Gull Lake to a fantastic twenty year run as the Brainerd Lake's premier walleye fishery. There is an old saying about those who forget history and it has happened here on Gull Lake. So much for doom and gloom. The good news is there many, many other lakes in the Brainerd Lakes area. The fishing has been good and the Gull Lake problem will get fixed.. again. PS. I am sorry couldn't post everyone's picture from the last few weeks. Thanks for the fun.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 8-11-16
The water temperatures have finally heated up in the Brainerd Lakes area and so has the fishing. There has been an excellent walleye bite on many of the local lakes. Too bad Gull Lake is not one of them. The best spots have been just outside the weed edges in 14 to 16 feet of water. Minnows and night crawlers have been the most productive baits. The bite continues to improve as the young of the year perch population dwindles. Some of the afternoons have been as productive as the mornings, a sure sign that the fall walleye bite will be starting soon. The larger northern pike have been aggressive. The best baits have been large creek chubs. Jigging and Lindy rigging have been equally effective. The bass bite has been great. Many of the bass are now relating to the transition zones where the sand grass meets the cabbage. The bass are finally willing to chase a crankbaits. The sunfish have been active on the edges of deepwater islands that top out in 10 to 12 feet of water. Where has the summer gone? It will be September before we know it. Thanks everyone for making this season one for the record books. We really appreciate your business. The summer is starting to slip away but there are still a few more openings still left on the guide book. Thanks again. See you next week..
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 8-04-16
Whitefish Chain, Upper Hay, and Lake Edwards were the best walleye producers this past week. The larger main lake structures have been producing the most fish. We had multiple days of two and three man walleye limits on these three lakes this last week. Redtails and creek chubs have been the best baits. Gull Lake has been a BIG disappointment for walleye fishing for the second year in a row. The only walleyes being caught on Gull Lake are the larger, ancient, female fish and these are only being caught in small numbers. These walleye are being caught deep in the weeds in locations where few people have fished in the past. The fry stocking program has been a complete failure on Gull Lake. The Lake is in big trouble, but enough of that for now. The big northern pile action has been good on North Long, Edwards, and the Whitefish Chain. The sunfish are relating to the sunken islands that top out in 12 to 16 feet of water. August is here. Where did July go?? It will be September before we know it.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 7-20-16
The Whitefish Chain and North Long have been good choices for walleye this last week. Both lake have been producing good numbers of walleye with various year classes present. Key locations have the deeper weed edges in 14 to 18 feet. Creek Chubs and leeches have been the best baits. Gull Lake remains SLOW for walleye. The fry stocking program has been a TOTAL flop on Gull Lake. The only walleyes being caught are the larger, older, 20 plus inch fish in the weeds. The smaller year classes of walleye are totally absent on Gull Lake. It is a shame to see such a great lake mismanaged. The only ones benefiting from the Gull Lake fry stocking program has been the sunfish. The bass action has been good on most of the smaller lakes throughout the area. Key locations are the second weed edge in 12 to 16 feet of water. The crappie action has been good in the evenings. Key locations are good cabbage beds near deeper water.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 7-14-16
The bass fish has been strong throughout the area. The second weed line has been the best location for finding the most aggressive largemouth. Jig worm combinations in blue fleck, motor oil, and red shad colors have been producing the most fish. North Long, Whitefish, and Lake Edwards have been the best bets for walleye. Gull Lake has been SLOW for walleye. The few walleye being caught on Gull Lake are in the weeds. Small jigs tipped with leeches, suspended below slip bobbers, have been the best baits. Cabbage clumps on main lakes structures in 8 to 12 feet of water have been producing a few fish each morning. The walleye being caught on Gull Lake have been the larger, older, fish with only 1 to 3 fish per morning being the norm. This is the second summer in a row without a good walleye bite on Gull Lake. Let's hope things pick up..
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 7-07-16
Things have been busy in the guide business. The first sign you are more tired than you think is when you write a fishing report, crop the photos, and then forget to click the upload button on the report. Sorry I missed last week's report. I have a ton of pictures on my phone. I will try to load some more in the next few days. The water temperatures continue to climb in the Brainerd Lakes. The Whitefish Chain has produced some good walleye catches this last week but the walleye action has been inconsistent. Stable weather patterns would be a big help. The last few days have produced strong winds from a different direction each day with a few flat calm days thrown in to keep things interesting. The bass fishing remains strong throughout the area. Key locations are the second weed edge in 12 to 16 feet of water. Good stands of healthy crisp green cabbage are prime locations.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 6-28-16
The bass fishing has heated up in the Brainerd Lakes Area as water temperatures continue to rise. Key locations are the second weed edge in 14 to 18 feet of water. Good stands of crisp green cabbage weeds are prime locations at the current time. The walleye fishing has been fair on North Long, Whitefish, and Edwards. Gull Lake continues to be slow for walleyes. The larger pike have been showing up in greater numbers on the deeper weed edges in 18 to 22 feet of water. The Fourth of July is quickly approaching and the weatherman's prediction sounds like it is going to be a beautiful weekend.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 6-18-16
The walleye fishing remained good in the Brainerd Lakes Area this last week. North Long, Edwards, and the Whitefish Chain remain the best options for catching "eyes" but Gull Lake has started to produce too. Key depths on Gull Lake have been in 10 to 13 feet of water. The best locations have been right in the weeds. The best Gull Lake techniques have been shallow running minnow baits, crawler rigs, and slip bobbers. The walleyes have been just outside the cabbage weeds in 14 to 20 feet of water on the other lakes. Creek Minnows and night crawlers have both been effective baits. The smallmouth bite on Mille Lacs has remained strong. The largemouth action on the smaller local lakes has been good. The largemouth bass have moved to the deeper edge of the weeds. Key depths have been in 12 to 14 feet of water. Jig/worm combos have been producing the most fish. The sunfish are still spawning on some of the larger lakes but it won't last long. The pike have been aggressive on most of the lakes throughout the area. Hopefully the cooler weather is behind us. Bring on the sun and summer!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 6-09-16
The walleye fishing has shifted into gear in Brainerd Lakes area. North Long, Edwards, and the Whitefish Chain all produced good numbers of eyes this last week. Key location have been just outside the cabbage weeds in 14 to 20 feet of water. Creek Minnows, Chubs, and leeches have all been effective baits. The smallmouth bite on Mille Lacs has been excellent. Catches of 30 to 40 smallmouth bass on half day trips have been the norm. Key locations have been in locations with 9 to 12 feet of water where good sized rocks and rubble are found. Tube baits have been the ticket in these situations. The largemouth bass have moved from the backside edges of the cabbage weeds and have set up shop on the outer edge. The water temps are still cool so slower moving presentations have been working best. Key water depths have been in 10 to 14 feet. The sunfish are still spawning in 3 to 4 feet of water. Put the mower away and grab a fishing pole. It's time to go fishing!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 5-30-16
The bass fishing has been good in the Brainerd Lakes area. Key water depths have been in 8 to 10 feet. Prime locations are the backside edges of newly developing weed lines. The best bass lure has been a motor oil colored rubber worm rigged on a lime green jig with a stout hook. The nighttime walleye bite has started to slow as the walleye move to the deeper weed edge. The daytime walleye bite continues to improve as these fish move deeper. The crappie fishing has been good. Most crappies have left the reeds and are now relating to good stands of cabbage weeds. The local bite in the Brainerd Lakes should only get better as the water temperatures to continue to rise. Happy Memorial Day and a special thanks for all those who served or who are currently serving.
Thank You!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 5-23-16
The weather was beautiful this last weekend in the Brainerd Lakes. The crappie fishing was exceptional. Key locations were shallow areas with a good southern exposure. The crappies should remain in these spots for the next week or so before they head to the outer edges of the cabbage weeds. The daytime walleye bite was fair but nothing compared to the great evening trolling bite going on throughout the area. The bass are all over the shallows at the present time. Key depths are 3 to 5 feet of water on big shallow water flats. The new Minnesota fishing regulations permit catch and release bass fishing before the traditional bass opener on the Saturday of Memorial Day Opener in the past. A 7 inch power worm on a jig is an effective bait right now. Have a happy Memorial Day weekend. See you next week.
Life is Good!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 5-17-16
The weather has turned nice again in the Brainerd Lakes. It is a welcome change from the unseasonable lows we experienced on the Saturday of the Minnesota Fishing Opener last weekend. I spent Saturday celebrating my son's graduation from college in a warm auditorium. The reports I heard were mixed but the one consistent description was windy and cold. The best walleye action happened in current areas. I got cancelled on Sunday because of the weather, so the first chance I had to fish was on Sunday afternoon. I went out with my boys and we manage to catch some nice fish in 12 feet of water. The fishing was good enough to warrant another outing the following evening. The results last night were slow. We need some more stable weather to help establish a consistent pattern. I will be fishing crappies the next three evenings with KB from Nebraska. Hopefully I will have some more information later this week.
Life is Good!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 5-12-16
The cold winds have returned to the North. The last three days have been miserable. The good news is the weekend forecast calls for clearer skies by this Saturday's Minnesota Walleye Opener. Key walleye locations will be current areas and shallow water flats. There are a bunch of fish in the Narrows section of Gull Lake right now. This is good because Saturday's winds are predicted to be1 8 to 20 mph winds with gusts to 41 mph. This means the Narrows should be an excellent walleye option for those wishing to stay out of the wind and still catch some fish. The fishing bridge by Zorba's on CR 77 should be prefect for those anglers without a boat. There is also a great hole just north of the bridge for those anglers with boats. A spot tail shiner on a lindy will be the best bait choice for these locations. The water is still cold so remember to fish slow. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend. I will see you next week.
Life is Good!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 5-08-16
The best crappie fishing was found in less than 3 feet of water this last week. The muddy bottom areas continue to out produced all other locations. The crappie were much more active this last week as the water temperatures continue to warm. The best baits were small rubber grubs suspended below a bobber. Good colors were white, brown, and smoke. I expect the crappie action to only get better in the next two weeks. The Minnesota walleye opener will take place this next Saturday. I will be sitting out my first opener in over thirty years.  My oldest son Tyler will be graduating from college this coming weekend and I will be over in Duluth celebrating his accomplishment of getting into med school.  Live is Good!  I will be back in the boat with clients on Sunday. I'm expecting the walleye to be shallow. Key locations will be in less than 10 feet of water. Spot tail shiner location will be a key component to finding walleye this coming weekend. Good lures will be a blue or green 1/8 oz jig tipped with a healthy spot tail. Be safe, have fun, we will see you next week.
Life is Good!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 5-01-16
The crappie fishing was good again this last week. Key locations continue to be backwater areas with dark bottoms. The sun heats these spots quickly and water temperatures can be 10 to 15 degrees warmer in these locations. The best bait has been a crappie minnow on a plain hook. The weather is suppose to be beautiful this week. It is about time. The deeper cabbage crappie bite should kick in by the middle of the week if the current conditions hold. It finally feels like spring. The turkeys are gobbling and the suckers running. I should really put the fishing rod down and try and fill my turkey tag with my bow, but the fishing has kept me busy. The walleye opener will be here before we know it. Things are really starting to shape up in the Brainerd Lakes.
Life is Good!
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 4-24-16
The weatherman threw us a bone this last week. The crappies were quick to respond to the warmer weather. The best crappie action has been taking place in backwater areas with dark, soft, bottoms. Light jigs, tipped with a minnow, suspended below a casting bubble have been the best lures for these situations. Key water depths were less than three feet. There was some deep water cabbage action taking place on a few of the larger lakes, but nothing compared to the bite going on in the shallow water. The weather forecast looks colder this coming week. I hope it changes. The website work is still on going. We hope you like the look. Got to run. 
Life is Good!
JOHN