Mille Lacs Report

Yesterday I fished the west side for the evening bite. A good 8 inches of ice. Intent was to try out my new Showdown I bought at a charity auction. Working a 20 foot break I settled down into my shack to warm up, with the showndown in my deadstick hole. Looking away then back, I noticed the lure mark was about 3 times as big as it was 3 minutes ago. Thinking I have the gain too high, I leaned over to discover my bobber was down….duh! Landed this 26 inch walleye, big head, sunken in body. Not marking much I put on the Slender Spoon to try. Within 15 minutes I landed a 24 inch fish, again skinny. My last fish was a complete surprise, about a 3# eelpout. I haven’t caught one of these in at least 5 years.

That second one is sure beautiful. Good to see one!

Thanks for the report. Dang, this is one skinny 26er! Great markings on that pout. They are cool looking fish.

-J.

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Thanks for the report. Dang, this is one skinny 26er! Great markings on that pout. They are cool looking fish.

-J.

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They are dressed in their Mille Lacs Lake Camo

I was really surprised when it came through the hole. Telling a few others about the “rare” catch, they too had commented about not catching an eelpout for at least 4 years. I am not sure what it means but it’s probably good. I let it back down the hole as you are right, it really was a beautiful marked fish. Another observation, despite the zebs I thought the water was quite murky for Mille Lacs. Starting with a bright orange jigging rap, usually I can see them down 12 feet or so. This one disappeared at around 8 – 10 feet. It wasn’t long ago (before the zebs) that one year I could see the lure to 20+ feet hitting the bottom of a flat.