Mille Lacs trip with wife advice

I am taking my wife to Mille Lacs Saturday through Monday. She almost never gets out fishing with me and I want to see her catch fish and have fun. I have only fished Mille Lacs a few times and have primarily fished spinner rigs and bobbers on the mud flats on the NW side of the lake. I do not have the gear or knowledge to troll deep raps accurately – as it sounds like that is a best tactic for now, so I plan to avoid deep water trolling. Also, I tried Smallies last year on the south side near rocks/boulders, but had zero luck.

What advice would anyone be willing to share? If I do spinner rigs, what bait/tactics/speed should I consider? If going for smallies, sounds like crawfish colored raps in 2 to 3 fow around rocky areas, or same tactics in around 14 fow? I would love any advice for success. I am hoping she is busy catching fish that I can land/snap a pic and release – maybe get her more excited for future fishing adventure.

As a side note – I am thinking Whitefish Lake as a back up if there is wind/having no luck on Mille Lacs. I am happy to get in to walleye, smallies or pike – whatever will get us action on either lake – or another local lake if recommended.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might be willing to share and I will update with pics/fishing report after the trip!

Brian Offerdahl wrote:

I have only fished Mille Lacs a few times and have primarily fished spinner rigs and bobbers on the mud flats on the NW side of the lake.

I’d say stick with what you know. Should work out just fine. Crawlers on the spinners and leech or minnow on the bobber rigs.

-J.

Spinners with crawlers or leeches or bobbers with leeches should produce fish for you in the areas you mentioned. Mud flats on the north end. Do not necessarily need lead core to troll the deep mud flats either. Pick up a couple #11 Deep Rapala Tail dancers and let out 100 to 150 feet of line. Troll over the tops of the mud flats. Those lures will dive to 30 feet deep. Good way to learn the deep trolling tactic and an easy way to fish out there.

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brian Offerdahl wrote:</div>
I have only fished Mille Lacs a few times and have primarily fished spinner rigs and bobbers on the mud flats on the NW side of the lake.

I’d say stick with what you know. Should work out just fine. Crawlers on the spinners and leech or minnow on the bobber rigs.

-J.

This exactly! And you’ll catch them and have a bast!

Just remember you can’t walleye fish or use live bait until 6am on Saturday.

Crawlers and spinners will work fine. Bobbers and leeches also.
rust your electronics …find the fish before fishing.

Many ways to catch fish out there.

Get some crawfish colored flicker shads and troll them in 10-15’ rock. Let them out until you hit bottom and reel up some. It won’t take long to catch something.

Well, we did ok on our trip. 1st evening we went to boulders in 12 fow near a drop off and bobber fished. Pulled in one walleye with numerous misses.

Second day – Sunday – was too windy, so we went to Camp Lake and mostly trolled around the lake, also did some casting. We caught quite a few small pike and a few bass. It was decent fishing – nothing too excited.

Monday morning, we went back to the 12 fow near a drop and had small fish nibbling on our leeches under bobbers. Decided to go out to the 7 mile mud flat and did bobbers which produced nothing. Switched to lindy rigs – red/white/gold and trolled around. We had a few bites and caught a 20.5″ walleye. Left there because it was slow and nobody seemed to be catching fish. We went back to boulders and rockes in 12 fow and trolled. We had numerous hits and misses, but did pull in one walleye and one smallmouth. We only trolled for about 30 minutes, then loaded up to go home. Wish we had done more trolling around boulders as that definitely gave us the most action. Best lure was a crawfish colored Salmo.

gimruis wrote:

Just remember you can’t walleye fish or use live bait until 6am on Saturday.

How about daylight Saturday morning?? This is just a poke!