Smallies?

Hey guys. Hoping for some help here!
I will be in the Twin Cities for an extended weekend the 17th-20th (coming from CO) and may be able to fish for one of those days. I was thinking about possibly hitting Mille Lacs for some smallies. How has the smallie fishing been up there? If I was to make the trip, what type of structure and techniques should I be investing in?

Thanks!
Phil

Not sure if you know of the restrictions on Mille Lacs right now. Can’t fish walleyes so only smallies and northerns/muskies are being targeted. Can’t use live bait for smallies. They are pretty pressured right now but look for any rocks that you can find and throw all the artificial lures you can think of at them. You’ll probably end up catching as many walleyes as you do smallies.

I haven’t been out in a little while. Was pretty hot last weekend. Just got about 5 inches of rain and dirtied the water up and probably will cool it down some. Guessing it will push some fish up shallow. As stated they have been getting hit pretty hard lately but definitely still worth fishing as a 22in is lurking somewhere. Last time out hair jigs were the ticket for me. Top water have been decent when the lake lays down. If I get a out again before you come I will give you an update. Otherwise check out Tony Roach on utube he usually post a report every couple weeks.

If there is a big bug hatch going on when you’re there, try a small black hair jig or a topwater with feathers on the back treble. Those fish gorge on the bugs when they hatch so something that represents them can work. Be prepared for some tough fishing as people have already stated the immense amount of pressure on those fish.

Is it really that busy up there with bass fisherman? Such a big lake it seems crazy to think all those fish are pounded daily.

Curious to real lake observations, everytime I drive by with lots full there is lots of room left out here

Deuces wrote:

Is it really that busy up there with bass fisherman? Such a big lake it seems crazy to think all those fish are pounded daily.

Curious to real lake observations, everytime I drive by with lots full there is lots of room left out here

I haven’t been there since the July walleye closure started but the three times I went in May/June it was absolutely a zoo…and most of who I encountered were not walleye anglers, they were targeting smallmouth. Twice I got there before 7am and the lots were already full with people parking on the road. Perhaps it has died off some since but with smallmouth now the primary target, I have to imagine its just as hard as it was before. Ya, its a big lake but contrary to popular belief, there aren’t millions of them.

Deuces wrote:

Is it really that busy up there with bass fisherman? Such a big lake it seems crazy to think all those fish are pounded daily.

Curious to real lake observations, everytime I drive by with lots full there is lots of room left out here

Nick,

You are not mistaken. I’m looking out there most every day.

Yes, there were quite a few boats earlier…walleye tournament days would see hundreds of boats scattered out across the flats with plenty of inshore boats targeting bass. For a few weeks I’d watch a parade of bass boats right out in front, definitely a hot spot area between the two Myr Mar reefs and in towards the shore.

The last couple weeks they’re all but gone. I expected to see more activity right before the walleye closure, but there wasn’t near what I expected to see.

Since then? Where are all the bass boats? From where I’m at, I can look towards the south and see how many boats are on the Garrison reef and this past 7-10 days there just aren’t many at all anywhere I can see.

I left on Wednesday to gather supplies for family vacation coming up and will be back tomorrow. We’ll see if anything looks different?

To the OP Hornster Phil, coming from Colorado…will you be bringing your own boat or have access to one? Just curious?

I could be wrong but I think the heat had something to do with it over the last 7-10 days. I know I was swimming more than fishing during that stretch.

I am on the East Side and the fishing pressure from opener on seemed about normal to last year. During the spawn, there are spots that are not left alone the entire couple of weeks, let alone a single day. Pressure is intense on the bass on this side of the lake.
Seems like maybe more folks that don’t know the lake are showing up. I experienced numerous occasions this year where I am on a small hump and boats come from a mile away to circle me with their SI. Haven’t really experience this much in previous years.
The pressure has died off as of late, my guess is the heat and two weeks steady of constant bug hatches have slowed things down. It has been really tough for me the last couple of weeks.

I was out this AM and there were quite a few boats but the lots when I left were pretty empty.

I just spent 2hrs casting for smallies in 6-9ft on the rocks. No bass but I did see (3) 25″ish dead walleyes floating in a 300 yard circle near the point of Cove Bay.
Didn’t look like they where more than 2-3 days a-float. Still plenty of boats on the water as well.

Went out today for a few hours. Pretty slow for us. Caught a couple smallies on drop shot and a walleye on a hair jig. No one was doing great from the boats we chatted with.

All fishing should be closed if walleye is! Beside Smallies taste better out of cold water!

mikek, take a hike. We don’t need another smallie post hijacked with those of your ilk. Start your own post and folks like you can have at it, unlike you the samllie guys won’t derail a walleye post.

mikek wrote:

All fishing should be closed if walleye is! Beside Smallies taste better out of cold water!

So should pike, muskie, and panfishing be closed too then? Moron

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mikek wrote:</div>
All fishing should be closed if walleye is! Beside Smallies taste better out of cold water!

So should pike, muskie, and panfishing be closed too then? Moron

YES!! Read my post MORON#1. It’s Says ALL!
I take back the #1, as I see you signed it!
I do really mean it about the taste!

Don’t all fish taste better out of cold water?

All fish taste better if they are immediately surrounded by ice, have 2 coolers if you are bringing beverages, guess you can get a parasite if you have cans in with your fish.