June 26, 2026 "Blue Skies + Calm Seas = Wiggle Worming Walleyes"

If there’s one presentation that can make some of my fishing students cringe, it’s “wiggle worming”. If there’s one presentation that leaves other students beaming with pride, it’s “wiggle worming”. Admittedly, it takes a bit of focus to get the hang of it. However, the sense of accomplishment that students feel when they master this presentation is absolutely worth the effort.

Well Jeff, you might be thinking, if it takes that much effort to be proficient at “wiggle worming”, then why bother teaching it?

The answer to that question is simple, it’s because when push comes to shove, wiggle worming helps me to help my customers put fish in the boat at times when most other presentations just won’t work. Days like yesterday, fishing on glass smooth water, under sunny skies and hot temperatures, for example.

In recent days, there’s been a lot of chatter about insect hatches. Some folks have reported seeing large scale mayfly hatches around the region. On Thursday, we did not experience mayflies, but there were several other, smaller bugs going airborne above the surface water. Gnats, Midge and Caddisflies in large numbers. On my graph, I could see clouds of what appeared to be larvae hovering over edges of soft bottom regions of the lake. Near the suspended clouds of larvae, I spied small pods of assorted fish. We identified some species by catching them; sunfish, small perch and pike, bullheads and walleyes were all boated in the same general location.

To a limited extent, other presentations worked on some of the fish species. We caught numerous northern pike, and a couple of walleyes using jigs and minnows. The sunfish, bullhead, more northern and some small perch grabbed spinners tipped with fathead minnows. Leeches attracted some bites, but I can’t recall catching any fish on them. The wiggle worming, 1/8-ounce live bait jigs tipped with night crawlers caught almost all of our keeper sized walleyes.

Looking at the weather forecast for today, I see a slightly less sunny and maybe somewhat breezier version of yesterday’s conditions. So, hopefully with some luck, my crew Don and Randy will have retained their wiggle worm training from yesterday, and we can pick up where we left off.

If you’re headed to the lake to pursue walleyes today, I’d encourage you to pack nightcrawlers and lightweight, 1/16- and 1/8-ounce live bait jigs. If you’ve never tried it, or even if you tried it without success, give wiggle worming a fair chance. Whether you love a challenge or not, this presentation works, and it is DEFINITELY worth the effort to learn it. There are a lot of references and tutorials available on the internet, but for a quick start guide, use this link to my article, “Wiggle Worming Walleyes 101”.

If you’re planning a weekend fishing trip, but don’t care about catching walleyes, then grab your spinner rigs. Weed growth is developing and water temperatures are rising. The mixed bag, action bit may not be at its peak, but there are fish to be caught in the weeds. Most lakes will offer a chance to bag some panfish, perch, (in lakes that have them), bass, walleye and northern pike are all using the vegetation right now. I wouldn’t expect limits of any one species, but there should be enough action and variety of fish species to make a good day. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

Brainerd MN Area Fishing Report June 25, 2026

"Fishing has been very good in the brainerd lakes area. Summer patterns are in full swing and fish are setting into predictable areas and locations.

Walleyes are primarily located in 12 to 20 feet of water with the best range being 16 to 18 feet of water, just off the weed edges. The best weeds to find are good cabbage weeds. Bigger fish are beginning to suspend farther out off the weed edges but not to far from the schools of eater size walleyes.

As for presentation bobbers have been the most consistent. Most of my clients fish have come from leeches but mix in crawlers as some pods or fish have had a preference to one or the other. Small jigs have worked but a plain hook under the bobber has better. Another option that has been working is a 1/16 to 1/8 ounce jigs tipped with a half nightcrawler. Lightweight jigs are essential for maintaining position above vegetation and swimming your bait above the fish. Spinners are also a great option to cover some water during this time as well.

Largemouth bass are up in the weeds and provide good consistent action. Bobbers with live bait, casting spinners, swim baits, and ned rigs. Sunfish are on weed edges or tucked right up in the weeds. Bobbers with a part or crawler works great.

Hopefully the weather evens out and we can get more consistent weather and the bite will get even better. Good luck and tight lines!" — Joe Billiar, Crooked Hat Guide Service • 507-469-2714

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report June 24, 2026

"Northern Pike anglers continue to find big active pike cruising shorelines, mouths of shallow bays and even in rivers. Medium to large size sucker minnows have been hard to come by, but if you can't find them, don't stay home! Get some frozen herring or smelt and float them under a bobber, you will likely be surprised at how good they work! If you still don't want to try them or can't, then large spoons, large swim baits or minnow baits have also been very effective for pike right now. Regardless of what you're using, fish in 6 to 12 feet of water.

Walleye anglers reported mixed results this last week on Ely area lakes. Anglers that struggled were mainly on the lakes where the mayfly hatch was most active. If mayflies were active on your lake, crawlers definitely shined over leeches in many cases. No mayfly hatch happening on your lake, leeches definitely produced more walleyes than crawlers.

Regardless of the lake, anglers often found the best success pulling spinner rigs in 15 to 23 feet of water. Again if mayflies are active, focus on those mudflats, if not active, rocky humps and rocky shoreline on that rock to mud or sand transitions were the best areas to find active walleyes. Gold, perch and pink were the best colors this last week.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent for many anglers right now. Topwater bite has been going strong early in the morning and during cloudy days. On those sunny days, try throwing chatterbaits, tumbleweeds, wacky worms and in-line spinners around downed trees, over rocky flats and in and around current areas in that 4 to 10 feet of water

Panfish anglers have been finding some great fishing in the smaller Ely area lakes. Anglers have been reporting that crappies and sunfish have largely pulled out of the shallows, into 6 to 12 feet of water right now. Weeds are a plus, but downed trees have been good too. Crappie anglers have been reporting a great evening bites with small twisters and paddle tails, fished close to the weedbeds, about 2 to 3 feet under the surface.

Stream Trout anglers have been having some really good luck fishing for rainbow trout this last week. Anglers have mainly been fishing with split bobbers anywhere from 5 to 25 feet of water, tipped with a nightcrawler. Long line trolling small, brightly colored minnow baits or small spoons has also been very effective for anglers. Many angler reported they would often just look for surface activity when deciding where to fish for the trout.

Lake Trout anglers were finally able to get out to lake trout waters this last week and found cooperative lakers. These anglers reported that they were finding lakers in 25 to 40 feet of water. Anglers had good luck trolling deep diving white, white/blue and blood nose colored crankbaits. If you're fishing from a canoe, drifting while jigging heavy tubes, bucktails or squid tails has also been very effective for catching lakers." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

Wired2Fish June 24, 2026 "Minnesota Is On A Fish-Catching Tear With 9 Record State Fish Landed This Year"

"The next time you catch a big walleye in Iowa, Nebraska, or Kansas, thank a fisheries biologist.

Chances are, that fish wasn’t produced along some rocky bank or riprap in a reservoir. Instead, it originated as fishing’s version of a “test-tube baby.”

For years, fisheries crews have given Mother Nature a huge boost in building walleye populations at aging reservoirs. They work the night shift on cold early spring nights to net walleye that have moved in to spawn, then they take over from there. They milk the females for eggs and the males for milt, then mix them together and ship the mix to..." Read Story and Learn More >> Minnesota Is On A Fish-Catching Tear With 9 Record State Fish Landed This Year

Lake of the Woods Fishing Report June 23, 2026

"It was a great week of fishing on Lake of the Woods. Some walleyes are starting to transition to the mud, and one reason why may be the mayfly hatch that's underway.

Throughout the summer months, various insect hatches are common on big lakes like Lake of the Woods, and they're a tremendous food source for walleyes, saugers, perch, and plenty of other fish. As we've mentioned before, not every fish is doing the same thing — but this time of year, they're all really focused on food, and right now there are a lot of options on the menu. Here's where things stand this week across the system.

Big Traverse Bay (South Shore)

On the south end, the deep mud is holding big numbers of walleyes and saugers. With the hatch underway and many other food sources available in and around the mud, the fish have moved to where the food is, offering more than one way to take advantage of the situation.

Some anglers are still vertical jigging with a jig and minnow, which continues to produce. Many have been pulling spinners and crawlers, which is working very well with good success. Spinners do a nice job of covering water as fish spread out over the mud flats. Other anglers are trolling crankbaits, which is also an effective way to cover water and find active fish. Any of the three is a solid option — it often comes down to how you want to target them and naturally, what the fish want on a given day.

Rainy River

A nice variety of fish are being caught on the Rainy River. The walleyes may not be stacked in the river the way they are in spring and fall, but there's a strong resident population that lives in these forage-rich waters all year long, and they're always available for anglers willing to work for them.

Smallmouth bass tend to fly under the radar here, but they're in good numbers and well worth targeting. Pike can be found in many areas too, especially the back bays and along the first break of the river out from shore.

Sturgeon harvest season opens July 1, 2026 and runs through September 30, 2026. Anglers who purchase a $5 sturgeon tag in addition to their Minnesota fishing license can harvest one fish in the 45 to 50 inch range, or one over 75 inches, per calendar year. That said, many simply catch and release. Sturgeon are in big numbers in the river and are, in most cases, the largest freshwater fish a person will ever catch, and represent a genuine bucket-list experience. Fishing for sturgeon is a great reason to plan a mid-summer fishing trip. Target them on your own or grab a resort guide with all of the equipment and sturgeon know how.

Northwest Angle

Good fish are going on both sides of the border up at the Angle. On the Minnesota side, both sand and mud are producing nicely right now. Naturally, with so many islands, there are always plenty of fish relating to rock structure — but this time of year, the tip is to look just adjacent to those rocky areas, out on the mud.

In addition to the great walleye bite, muskie season opened this past weekend. Lots of big muskie pictures are floating around and the word is the weekend was great.

Just like the Rainy River, don't forget about smallmouth bass. With all of the islands, bass are everywhere and definitely don't get the love they do vs other parts of the country.

Before You Go

A quick reminder on the regulations. The combined walleye and sauger possession limit is 6 fish total. Anglers may possess up to 4 walleyes total. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately, with one walleye 28.0 inches or larger allowed in possession.

Lodging and guides are available all around the lake. Want to make life easy and catch a bunch of walleyes? Stay at a nice resort, step aboard a charter, or hop in with a guide, and make some summer memories. The guides bring the boat, the gear, and the local know-how — all you have to do is show up. They even clean your fish!" — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

June 23, 2026 "End of the Line For Sundin's (formerly) Trusty Yukon"

Well, it’s official, and sadly, I must report the passing of my trusty Yukon. People used to ask me how long I planned to drive the 2012 XL Denali model and I’d say, “until it doesn’t move anymore.” As of yesterday, a mechanics inspection confirmed that due to a transmission failure, it does not move anymore. With nearly ¼ million miles on it, a new transmission exceeds the value of the vehicle and so for me, it’s the end of the line.

I’m not much of an auto trader, I hang on to them as long as possible, so I don’t shop around too much. I’ve been lucky in that regard because most of the best vehicles I’ve owned have been sold to me by customers and friends. So, I’m hoping maybe somebody has an inside track on the next long-term relationship with a pickup truck, or heavy-duty SUV that’s suitable for trailering my boat, and the Hippie Chick’s travel camping trailer.

If you know of a decent second hand ¾ ton, or even a 1-ton pickup truck that’s available now, I’d sure appreciate a heads up. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

June 23, 2026 "Leeches for Multi-Species Fishing"

Tommy Accomando wrote, “Hello Jeff. My friends and I enjoy your reports and articles so I thought this would be a good place to ask a professional a question that has had me curious for about a year now.

Sometime last year I was told that fish, walleye specifically, would rather hit a medium size leech over an extra-large leech. That advice went against my fishing sensibility, which seems to be hardwired to the bigger bait, bigger fish philosophy.
Seeing as though leeches are pretty much my favorite bait to use because they are so durable and easy to deal with, I figured I would get an expert opinion. Any other words of advice about leeches would be greatly appreciated as well.

I'm the type of fisherman that likes to catch fish no matter the species, rather than target a specific breed. So, I use leeches the most for trolling with little Joe's to catch northern pike. Considering I've been fishing over 40 years, and I've only discovered how much I like using leeches in the last 5 years or so. What else should I know about this easy-to-use bait? Thank you, Tommy

A) Tommy, I agree that leeches are an incredibly versatile, clean and easy to use live bait option. That said, the answers to your question are subjective, and highly dependent on the specific size, or species of the fish you're targeting. For example, your anecdote about using medium size leeches vs larger ones for attracting walleyes. Here, the “big bait, big fish” theme really does apply.

As a fishing guide, I am most often tasked with catching harvestable size walleyes, not trophies. To accomplish this, I am in the camp that favors moderate sizes and when available, I’d purchase “large” or “medium-large” for most fishing trips. Friends who fish in walleye tournaments would offer different guidance. They would likely suggest using the largest, liveliest leeches you can find. This is especially important for “scopers” who single out and target the largest fish they can locate.

Another time that I favor smaller size leeches is when trolling spinners on multiple species fishing trips. A medium, or medium small size leech on a spinner often encourages strikes from quality sunfish and walleyes. At the same time, smaller leeches help discourage strikes from small perch, and tiny sunfish, a problem that occurs often when we’re using night crawlers.

Presentations matter too, for slip bobber fishing, larger, livelier leeches typically outperform small, semi-dormant ones. Fishing with leeches on jig heads, like we did last Saturday calls for large leeches, but doesn’t require jumbos. Lindy rig fishing, especially on lakes where zebra mussels exist, is one time that the larger, healthier leeches are better than smaller ones. To keep the hooks above zebra mussels and potential snags, strong swimmers are mandatory. We often combine leeches with floating jig heads to ensure that they stay in the strike zone.

One bit of guidance that you might find useful is to allow the fish to dictate which baits you use, and how you’ll present them. Start with what the fish appear to be doing, then tailor your presentation, including the size of your live bait, to most effectively target them.

Avoid becoming overly reliant on any one presentation, or live bait option. Flexibility, or adaptability is really the key. The most successful anglers make adjustments that they believe will lead to the best results in terms of catching your specific target species. Sometimes the fish want something different than what we want to give them, ready to make changes.

I’d suggest reviewing the report from yesterday, June 22, 2026. In it, you’ll find a timeline that demonstrates how adapting to the fish’s changing preferences helped my crew catch more walleyes. — Office Call or Text 218-245-9858 or EMAIL or Facebook or X

June 22, 2026 "Convincing The Convince-Able?"

The problem with working theories is that there is almost never any single, definable moment defines when the theory becomes fact.

Take my report from last Saturday for example, in it, I said, “To me, the lake (where we fished on Friday) was almost ready for the big party, and as soon as the fish feel a warmup, or sense the availability of vulnerable prey, the action will pick up. I can feel the fish moving, albeit slowly, toward their mid-summer migrations and feeding patterns.”

Okay, so almost as if the fish had read my report and completely agreed with my assessment, they showed up en masse for the party on Saturday. For the first time this season, we had schools of hungry fish showing up in increasing numbers throughout the day. And as population of those hungry fish grew in the territory, we were fishing, their feeding preferences changed in real time; here’s the timeline.

• 8:30 am, arrive at the lake, launch the boat and head toward the first spot, a mid-lake sand bar adjacent to the lake’s soft-bottom mid-lake basin.
• 9:00 am, drift the breakline using jigs tipped with golden shiners. Graph shows some fish, but no large schools, we get a few bites, land 2 walleyes and then move to another spot.
• 10:00 am, begin drifting the breakline at spot #2 using jigs tipped with golden shiners. Marking additional fish on my electronics, repeat the drift after catching 3 walleyes, picking up 2 more. Before leaving the 2nd spot, we have gathered 7 keeper walleyes for the crew.
• Noon, arrive at spot #3 and begin drifting the breakline using jigs tipped with golden shiners. Walleye activity is picking up, we gather 2 or 3 more, and by 1:00 pm, have amassed a larder of 10 fish. On subsequent drifts, the action slows and despite seeing even more fish on my graph, the jigs and minnows are becoming less effective.
• 1:00 pm, Carl asks for a leech, we present the bait using a 1/8 ounce live bait jig. Soon, maybe within 5 minutes he catches a nice walleye. Now, I add ½ night crawler to my live bait jig and soon, add another walleye to the larder.
• 2:00 pm, we have now, one by one, converted the full crew over to fishing with jigs and leeches while I continue to present night crawlers. Walleyes continue to respond favorably to the live bait presentations. We catch and release several large fish in the protected slot, along with some more keepers.
• 4:00 pm, with 17 walleyes in the livewell, we move back to spot #1 hoping that more fish had shown up there, and that we could pick up 1 last fish to make the crew’s full limit. Within minutes, we have the 18th fish, I conduct an official census confirming that I’ve counted the fish correctly. I announce that for the crew, we are filled out.
• 4:15 pm, just for fun, we make one final drift. Now that we’re filled out, the fish bite even better and before we’ve wrapped for the day, every one of us catches and releases 1 or more additional fish before leaving the lake at 4:30 pm.

Coincidence? Maybe, or just possibly, this date really did mark the beginning of a new, summer peak fishing period. The only way I’ll know this for sure is when and if that scenario plays out again on other lakes in my home region.

Along the path of attempting to prove my theory, I’ll add one last fact that does lend credence to it. Because my fishing crew was large, 6 people total, I enlisted the services of Justin Wiese, from my “Sundin’s Short List” of fishing guides. Like me, my counterpart enjoyed an easy fishing day, also amassing limits for the fishermen in his boat. Thank you Justin not only for your performance on Saturday, but also for taking great care of the "Cronies" on their annual fishing trips!

Justin didn’t chronicle his experience in complete detail. I do know however that he was fishing nearby, on similar structures and using similar presentations. I know too that like me, my colleague did not enlist the services of his forward-facing sonar to accomplish his mission. According to Lamar Popp, one of my long-time customers and friends, it was one of his best fishing days in the 30 plus years he’s been fishing with me.

Okay, so if the next week’s reports feature more stories about locating walleyes on insect breeding grounds like mid-lake flats and bars adjacent to soft bottom. And if the stories feature catching more walleyes on leeches and yard bait than on minnows. And if I can continue to pin down larger, and growing schools of actively feeding fish, then possibly I will transfer my working theory over into the “proven fact” column on my daily log.

Whether it was knowledge, or just dumb luck that led me and my crew to the walleyes on Saturday, I’ll take it. For me, it was the “easy day” of fishing for the 2026 open water season. Using relatively simple, drifting and jigging techniques combined with simple, “old-school” electronics, the livewell filled steadily. Overall, I think it was my best performance of the season.

It’s going to take a few days for me to report back on the working theory and the semi-scientific process of proving or disproving it.  Sunday, I didn’t fish because it was all about Father’s Day and I enjoyed some of our kids and grandkids. My dinner was cooked form me while a putzed around in the yard and garden, spoiling me rotten, I must say. Today, I’m forced into some down-time because of the transmission failure of my fish-mobile. Tomorrow I’ll be back to work, and soon afterward will report on the results of that trip.

If you’re here on vacation this week or heading up on a day trip to your favorite Walleye Lake, check out its mid-lake flats. Marl, the semi-soft clay-sand-snail-shell mixture is the substrate where most insects hatch. Watch your graph for signs of hard bottom that transitions into softer bottom areas. This is the type of structure that we located and fished on our trip last Saturday. Experiment with minnows, night crawlers and leeches until you learn which of them is the preferred bait for the day. Good luck out there! — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

June 20, 2026 "The Slow Journey Into Summer Patterns"

You’re invited to an annual party, and it’s one that you really look forward to every year. You don’t want to miss a single minute of it, so, excited and filled with anticipation, you arrive early. When you get there, you can “feel” that the party will be a good one, but at first, there’s not a lot going on. The caterer is late, and there’s nothing to snack on. Your “plus 1” begins to get anxious, dropping hints that maybe this won’t be as much fun as you’d hoped. But you are confident it will be, and your advice is to hang in there, soon, the party will begin, and when it does, it will be great, “we just have to be patient”, you say.

Eventually, the caterer arrives, the spread of snacks and drinks is on the table. People begin streaming in to the room and the "buzz" of conversation begins to fill the space. The party is in full swing, and you smile because finally, your expectations are realized.

That sense that something big is about to happen is the way I feel about the 2026 fishing season. The fish are ready, the party decorations are in place, and they’re beginning to gather in their favorite early summer locations. The problem, I think, is that the caterer is late and until the food finally arrives, the fish can’t get into their full-scale party mood.

Exceptions exist, like always, but for many of the lakes I’ve fished this summer, fish are scattered far and wide. If we fish a dozen spots, we can catch a fish or two on all of them but seldom locate anything like a large “school” of fish.

Water temperatures began to rise a few weeks ago, and when they did, fish activity picked up. Recently, they’ve declined, the water temps on some lakes are down as much as 10 degrees from what they were on June 1st. Yesterday, we fished Trout Lake, one of the Grand Rapids areas deeper, clear water lakes and found an average surface temperature of 63 degrees. Thursday, on Bowstring, a relatively shallow, dark water lake, I noted surface readings of about 64 degrees.

Besides the cooler than average water, these two lakes have little in common. But this season, they do have another characteristic in common. Both lakes have scattered fish populations. When we find them, they can be caught, but “the trick” is to keep moving, looking for small, widely dispersed pods of fish.

What will gather the fish and trigger the start of summer peak fishing patterns will be insect hatches. If you think of it, the bug hatches that we used to fear, have turned out to be our best friends. When clouds of the fully developed larvae show up on our graphs, we can see baitfish and small gamefish gather to feed them. Soon afterward, larger gamefish show up too and before long, the “party” goes into full swing.

Yesterday, we could see good weed growth developing and small gamefish gathering there. Bass, northern pike and small perch were active, especially early in the day. In deeper water, we found smallmouth bass and spotted small pods of walleyes on the electronics. They were sluggish, and difficult to catch, but early in the day, they were somewhat cooperative. To me, the lake was almost ready for the big party, and as soon as the fish feel a warmup, or sense the availability of vulnerable prey, the action will pick up. I can feel the fish moving, albeit slowly, toward their mid-summer migrations and feeding patterns.

Yesterday morning, (June 19, 2026) I wrote about the upcoming weather forecast and a predicted period of calmer, warmer weather. My guidance was that I think it may represent the end of the persistent late-spring fishing patterns that have been locked in for a while now. The warming trend, combined with calm seas and sunshine, should signal the beginning of “summer peak” fishing patterns. We’ll know soon enough and if I’m wrong, I’ll be the first to say so. For now, though, I’m optimistic, lets see how the week unfolds. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

June 19, 2026 "Calming the Calm-Able"

Check this out, NOAA 7 Day Forecast for MAX Minnesota:

• Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind, then becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Sunday Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind, then becoming north around 5 mph.
• Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind.
• Tuesday A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. Calm wind, then becoming south around 5 mph.
• Wednesday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind, then becoming north around 5 mph.
• Thursday A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind.

Okay, if you’re asking first why Max Minnesota, it’s because for me, Max represents the center point of my typical summertime fishing territory. The weather pattern there will usually be similar to the patterns I’d find in Bemidji, Blackduck, Bowstring, Washkish, and several other north-central Minnesota lakes regions.

If you’re asking whether I trust the long-range forecast, the answer is no, I don’t. Still, it’s the only reference available for me to formulate a rough plan for the upcoming week.

Let’s just say that the forecast is accurate, and these calmer conditions do persist over the next week, what will it mean? I’m thinking that it could well represent the end of the persistent late-spring fishing patterns that have been locked in for a while now. A warming trend, combined with calm seas would likely signal the beginning of a new, “summer peak” period. If water temperatures begin rising again, insect hatches will likely be increasing and walleye migrations away from shoreline areas into mid-lake flats and bars could begin in earnest.

For me, this could be very good news because fish, especially walleyes, have been scattered and difficult to pin down. Yesterday for example, we caught 1 walleye at almost every stop. They seemed to be distributed all around the lake, but without a well-defined, stationary source of food, had no reason to be gathered together in any one spot. An event such as a full-scale bug hatch would serve to produce that food source and would, theoretically, encourage Walleye to gather in larger schools.

Let’s see how events unfold this week and be mindful of the potential for the change. Whether the timing is perfect or not, this might at least be a more relaxing week on the water. Without fighting the whitecaps and cold-water temperatures, we should find more fish in a positive feeding mood. Follow along, and I’ll be sure to fill you in as the week ahead progresses. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

June 19, 2026 "Minnesota Lead Fishing Lure Ban?"

Earlier this week, Tom Dunham wrote; “I just spent my 2 glorious weeks in Minnesota again. We missed seeing you at Gosh Dam Place one night. Now I’m back in Iowa, at work, booo.

I have a question for you regarding the proposed ban on lead fishing sinkers and jigs in Minnesota. If I understand it right, the legislation hasn’t passed yet, is that correct? I think I already have a lifetime supply of your jigs, but I’m looking ahead at alternatives just in case.

When I look at Lindy’s B Max tungsten version of the live bait jig, I see a bigger head portion and a smaller gap from the eyelet to hook tip. Wondered what you thought of them, if you’ve used them, and of course what your plans might be in a lead-free future? Maybe we should be free of lead based fishing lures voluntarily on our own, but I don’t have enough information to know that for sure.”

A) Tom, I honestly don’t know whether the proposed ban on lead sinkers and fishing jigs is needed or not. Granted, my observations from the lakes are anecdotal, but in some 45 years of fishing, I have only ever spotted a half dozen dead birds. Most of them were killed by obvious causes, such as fishing line entanglement. Still, I do accept the possibility that certain, really small size sinkers would be better manufactured using non-toxic alternatives.

To learn more about the science behind the proposed ban, I’ve reached out to both my Minnesota state senator, and my Minnesota district representative. Updates will be ongoing, but here’s one of the early replies to my inquiries. This, just in from the administrative assistant to my representative Ben Davis, Minnesota District 6A.

“Rep. Davis does not sit on the Environment Committee, so he would not be privy to discussions regarding this bill, so I reached out on his behalf to get some intel from the committee itself.

Historically, members of our caucus haven't favored lead tackle bans, although the issue has never risen to the level of needing an “official” caucus position. Various versions of this bill have been around forever but never making it across the finish line as it’s just not a widely popular idea. Lead alternatives are way more expensive and can perform differently, and there’s not a lot of conclusive proof that there has been a negative overall effect on loon and swan populations (both species are doing quite well in Minnesota).

As far as studies or data behind the bill, you will have to reach out to Rep. Curran and others on the DFL, the bill authors (as no members of our caucus are on the bill). Here is where the bill was at last session; not much movement since February 2025 that I can see.” Follow link to see Update on Minnesota HF 1387.

As we receive more information, I’ll provide additional updates, but for now, I can’t see how the original deadline of July 1, 2027 for beginning the ban can be met. Despite the progress or lack of it in Minnesota, there are other states that already have bans of lead fishing lures. Because of that, my of the fishing tackle manufacturers have already moved away from lead lures and instead offer only lead-free alternatives.

You mentioned Lindy’s B-Max, bismuth fishing jigs. The sales manager for Lindy had promised to send some of them for me to try, but to date, I haven’t received any samples. So, I’m afraid that I do not have any firsthand experience using them. I have tried some of the tungsten jigs made by Berkley, Northland and other makers, and have no complaints about their effectiveness. However, I do have complaints about the cost of purchasing them and that’s why I plan to continue using the jigs I already own for as long as possible.

When I was in the fishing tackle business myself, we attempted to produce lead-free jigs. The ones I offered were made of tin, and were actually very affordable, and also very effective. But even at less than $1.00 per jig, they were deemed too expensive by the public, and sales were dismal. I still have my own stash of the tin jigs and use them frequently with good success.

The discussion will continue, and I’d encourage you to check in often to track any updates. In the meantime, industry experts are invited to offer comments and scientific data that would either support, or discourage the proposed ban going forward. We’d love to hear from you! — Office Call or Text 218-245-9858 or EMAIL or Facebook or X

June 18, 2026 "Mixing the Mix-Able Mixed Bag, Action Bite"

Drizzle, breeze, weeds and spinners go together like peanut butter and jelly, and my crew have fished with me long enough to know that. So, after Tuesday’s session of hard-core walleye fishing, Larry Horseman gave up his idea about fishing for smallmouth bass on Wednesday, and offered his friend, Bobby Cox, the chance for more of a mixed bag fishing trip. Perch fishing, our revised main goal, was the highest priority, and a mixed bag of pike, panfish and rock bass would be secondary. Oh, and I mentioned yesterday too that 1 walleye would also be nice, if possible, to finish off their limits for the trip home.

That sounds like the start of the mixed bag, action bite season, doesn’t it? Yes, that’s exactly how it worked out. We caught limits of nothing, but boated some of everything, including many pike, some rock bass, a few sunfish, one crappie and about half the limit of perch. Yes, and Larry’s first fish of the day was the single walleye that the crew “needed” to fill their limit.

As we motored out from the boat ramp at the south end of Bowstring Lake, the only use-able landing because of the lake’s extremely low water level, I rigged up the spinners. And motored out toward the shallow breakline, 6 to 8 feet of water. When we began trolling, our spinners, tipped with fatheads were following along the steeper portions of that shallow breakline. That’s where Larry’s walleye was caught, and northern pike, small ones were plentiful there. Here, the boys were catching those small size pike as fast they could reel them in, but not much else. So, I moved out further, toward a shallow flat with heavier weed cover.

On the weed flat, there was more of a mixture, some rock bass, a handful of assorted size perch and a lot more pike kept us busy, but after an hour, we’d only managed to capture 5 “keeper” size perch. So, we moved again, this time to focus on even deeper weeds, along the edges of the lakes deeper water breakline. Again, northern pike were the most plentiful but this time, there were better numbers of good perch in the mix. I wouldn’t call it a hot perch bite, but there were enough to hold our attention.

If there was a “spot-on-a-spot”, it was a patch of eelgrass that laid between the heavier cabbage and coontail weeds. I’m reluctant to call it the pattern because we did catch perch in other terrains too but it seemed like a high percentage of them came from the eelgrass patch. In fact, at one point we experimented with jigs and minnows. From a spot-locked position, we pitched the lures into the grass patch and hopped them vertically. That presentation produced a few nice perch, but it wasn’t long before the action slowed down and we resumed trolling instead.

Why the trolling worked better, I think, was because the perch were scattered, rather than tightly schooled. It’s not that they weren’t willing to strike the slower, jig-minnow presentation, it’s just that there weren’t a lot of them banded together at the place we stopped. By trolling instead, we encountered numerous small groups of fish, and that afforded us a higher catch rate.

The spinners we used, hammered silver, #3 Indiana blades behind a 2/0 Aberdeen hook tipped with fatheads worked well. The sinker weights, 1/8-ounce bullet style, suspended the lures a couple of feet above the grass. I substituted night crawlers occasionally, and they worked too, but didn’t really change the mix of fish we were catching.

I consider myself lucky that the spinners were working for us yesterday because the fathead minnows we used were of very poor quality. If I would have needed decent minnows for jigging, I would have had a problem. So far, I haven’t found a bait shop that offers any really good fathead minnows. The shiner supplies are pretty much dried up and alternatives like rainbows, small pike suckers or dace are in short supply too.

We’ll see how the minnow situation looks today, but if you’re a bait shop owner and have a supply of better minnows, now is a good time to let us know and receive a free plug to advertise your shop.

Earlier I mentioned that we caught some rock bass. Some of you may recall the name Bobby Cox from past reports and that Bobby, among others, loves to harvest the rock bass we catch. If you’re turning up your nose at the idea, I’d invite you to take a couple of them home and try them. They are actually very tasty, hard to tell apart from other panfish, I think. For folks who encounter them, especially families fishing with kids, the action can be really good and they can achieve very large sizes in some lakes.

One rub, for many, is that they have heavy rig bones, so I suggest using the fillet knife and cut around the rib cage rather than cutting through it. Another potential rub is that rock bass, in some lakes, can get patches of icky, blotchy looking sores. Possibly caused by Heterosporis, a microscopic disease, the affected fish should be, according to the MN DNR, destroyed rather than consumed.

Okay, today I’ll be back in pursuit of walleyes, and naturally, the ideal fishing conditions that we had yesterday have given way to sunshine and relative calm. We’ll see what happens, and of course, I’ll fill you in on the details tomorrow. Have a fabulous day! — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report June 17, 2026

"Walleye • Several days of high winds and rain put a damper on the hot shallow water walleye bite this last weekend, for many. As things settled down many anglers noticed walleyes are starting to transition out to the deeper mud flats, in 15 to 25 feet of water, during the day.

Anglers have been reporting that they have noticed that walleye caught out here have their stomachs full of mayfly larvae. Out here smaller size leeches and crawlers, fished on spinner rigs to cover ground has been very effective on these fish. Shallow water bite with leeches, fished under a slip bobber or paddle tails continues to keep catching walleye, but many anglers have noticed this bite slowing on some lakes. Anglers looking for this bite are finding the best times have been early in the mornings or late in the evenings in 4 to 8 feet of water now. Rocks continue to be the key here.

Smallmouth bass • Just like last week the lake you're on will determine where they are with the spawn. Majority of lakes are now spawning or post spawn now. If your lake is post spawn you should be enjoying some of the best bass fishing anywhere in the country right now.

Square bills, chatterbaits, tumbleweeds, wacky worms, any kind of topwater and spinners is catching all the bass you could ever want right now along rocky shorelines that have large rocks, downed trees or shallow rock flats, all in that 5 to 10 feet of water right now. Don't overlook current areas/rivers, this time of the year! If your lake still has spawning bass, slow down your presentation. Ned rigs, tumbleweeds, wacky worms and suspending minnows baits continue to be lights out for these spawning fish.

Northern Pike • With high winds and a quick drop in water temperatures, some very big pike continue to be caught while fishing right off the docks this last weekend. The largest sucker or creek chubs you can find, fished under a bobber, did the trick on more than one lake in the Ely area, for anglers. If watching a bobber move around off your dock isn't your thing, large swim baits, spoons and large topwater baits were also very effective. Emerging weedbeds are the best areas to find pike, but the mouths of shallow bays and river mouths are also great areas to find pike.

Panfish • Panfish anglers were reporting that sunfish and crappies have vacated the shallow waters and are now being found out in deeper water right now. 8 to 15 ft of water around emerging weedbeds or over mud flats eating mayfly nymphs coming up out of the mud. Small to medium size leeches have been very effective out here." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

Lake of the Woods Fishing Report June 16, 2026

"Variety is a good thing, and right now, there are many different "bites" happening across Lake of the Woods. The consistent factor through all of it is that anglers are catching good numbers of walleyes. Included in most castes are plenty of eaters, walleye and sauger under 19.5 inches, also in the mix are some nice fish in the protected 19.5 to 28 inch slot. Anglers always have a good shot at catching a true trophy walleye over 28 inches and some of those are showing up now as well. Whatever you're after, the opportunity is there and here's where things stand this week across the system.

Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) • Three main techniques are catching fish right now, both here on the big water and also up at the Angle and on the Rainy River. The two used most often are vertical jigging with minnows and drifting with bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses. The third technique producing well is trolling crankbaits. Any of the three can be the right call on a given day, so it pays to stay flexible.

Depths are varying depending on the kind of structure you're fishing, and that's worth understanding because it opens up your options:

Some walleyes are set up along shorelines targeting schools of minnows, anywhere from 6 to 19 feet. Good numbers are also holding over deeper mud, feeding on minnows and on the larvae that emerge from the mud during bug hatches — picking them off before they ever make it to the surface and become a bug. That deep mud is typically 20 to 33 feet. Still other walleyes are working rock piles, targeting crayfish and the forage that lives among the rocks, most often in 20 to 25 feet. Add it all up and there's no shortage of ways to get on fish.

On color: Lake of the Woods has stained water, so gold, pink/white, chartreuse, orange, glow white, or a combination of these tends to work well. This past week, gold, pink/white, and bubblegum were strong. A good rule of thumb is to lean on gold and brighter colors when the sun is out, and shift toward more solid colors on cloudy days. Better yet, start the day with a few different jig colors going on the boat and let the walleyes tell you what they want.

Rainy River • In addition to walleyes, the Rainy River is offering up a nice mixed bag. Saugers, smallmouth bass, pike, and crappies are all in the mix, and the same techniques working out on the lake — jigging minnows, dragging crawler harnesses, and trolling cranks — carry over here nicely.

Looking ahead, the lake sturgeon season re-opens July 1st, and plenty of anglers are already planning some nice summer days soaking worms on the slow-moving river. It's a relaxed, rewarding way to spend a day on the water once the season is back in.

Northwest Angle • Up at the Angle, anglers are reporting good walleye catches combined with a mixed bag coming in from both sides of the border. Anglers are looking forward to the muskie opener this weekend on Saturday, June 20, 2026. Lots of fish have been spotted and the population is strong. Lake of the Woods is a world-class muskie fishery, and the NW Angle puts you right in the heart of it. Otherwise, there was a good shoreline bite in 10 to 15 feet this past week, with the walleyes cooperating for those working the structure.

Before You Go • A quick reminder on the regulations, since the fish are coming in across all sizes right now. The combined walleye and sauger possession limit is 6 fish total, with up to 4 being walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately, with one walleye over 28.0 inches allowed. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required.

Many anglers bring up their own boats, which is a great way to explore. Another option is jumping on a resort charter boat or a smaller guide boat. Guides bring the know-how, the experience, and all of the equipment for a stress-free and successful trip — an easy way to shorten the learning curve and get right on fish." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Wired2Fish June 16, 2026 "Fishing for White Bass Means Lots of Bites and Lots of Fights"

"The next time you catch a big walleye in Iowa, Nebraska, or Kansas, thank a fisheries biologist.

Chances are, that fish wasn’t produced along some rocky bank or riprap in a reservoir. Instead, it originated as fishing’s version of a “test-tube baby.”

For years, fisheries crews have given Mother Nature a huge boost in building walleye populations at aging reservoirs. They work the night shift on cold early spring nights to net walleye that have moved in to spawn, then they take over from there. They milk the females for eggs and the males for milt, then mix them together and ship the mix to..." Read Story and Learn More >> Fishing for White Bass Means Lots of Bites and Lots of Fights

Lake Winnie Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report June 15, 2026

"The walleyes are trying to cooperate, they really are! Last week, they’ were “stacked up” along the upper edges of main lake breaklines as they migrate away from the shallows, toward deeper water. On a recent fishing trip, Larry Lashley and his crew reported, “We could see the fish swimming under the boat. Fishing at the Sugar Bar, 14 to 16 feet of water was full of fish. We caught some of them. But struggled to get most to bite, but they were definitely there, and one of these days, we’re going to figure out how to catch more of them”.

Seeing the fish, watching them swim around under the boat is exciting, and it helps boost confidence that an angler is fishing in “the right spot”. That’s one good thing, but that same ability to see the fish also points to a problem; ultra clear water. If we can see the fish, then they can see us too and when they’re alerted to our presence, they become more difficult to catch. So, if your goal is to catch walleyes, then working out how to present a lure to them before they detect your presence is the key.

June 13, 2026 "Consistently Inconsistent" Fishing Updates, Reader Questions and Head Scratchers"

So far, this entire fishing season has just been odd, that’s the only way I can say it. There’s been things that happen at the times that you think they shouldn’t happen and there’s been things that don’t happen at the times that you think they should happen. On certain mornings, I go out believing that the fish probably won’t be active, but then they are.  Other days, I leave the dock believing that they will be active, but then they aren’t. That’s why my summation of the fishing season so far this year is that fishing has been “Constantly Inconsistent”.

This has been a week absent of any underlying “super-trend”. Instead, it’s been one in which erratic weather has forced changes in fishing patterns from one day to the next. Along with those daily changes has been inconsistency in the harvest rate for my customers. One day, like yesterday (June 12, 2026) the day’s catch looks great, but the next day, or maybe the previous one, maybe not so great.

Notice that I used the term harvest rate, and not the term catch rate. That’s because we generally catch a lot of fish, it’s just that sometimes we’re not catching the ones we target. On other days, we do catch the target species, but they are not of proper harvesting size. Thus, again, the headline, “Constantly Inconsistent”.

If you’re thinking that sounds bad, hold on for a minute, it isn’t always bad. Sometimes the inconsistencies lead us to pleasant surprises like the day we started our search for walleyes but stumbled into a great crappie bite instead. Or the day we were looking for perch but discovered a boatload of walleyes hiding in the weeds. Overall, the unexpected, pleasant surprises have outnumbered the disappointments, I’d say. So, going forward, I’m prepared to go with the flow and adapt to whatever opportunity pops up.

Presentations, like fish patterns have been inconsistent too. This week, we’ve caught walleyes using jigs and minnows, wiggle worming, jigs and plastics, trolling spinners, using slip-floats and leeches and shallow running crankbaits.  We’ve caught fish on the rocks, in the weeds, along steep breaklines and on sand flats. On a couple of days, we’ve had so much fishing gear laying around that we’ve been tripping over it.

Again, if the inconsistency seems troubling, it’s not; you understand why, right? Yes, you’re right, with all of the variations in presentations, it means that almost everybody on the lake will come up with an idea for both presentations and fish locations that will work. It’s likely that your favorite lures and baits are likely to produce something.

Despite the wide array of options, I do think there are a few key presentations that stand out, and ones that I’ll focus on next week.
First, wiggle worming, the jig and night crawler combo has caught at least some fish on every lake we visited this past week. I like wiggle worming this time of year because along with walleyes, we often catch bluegills and bass on them.

Slip floats and light jigs will be rigged and ready for action in my boat every day. The bobber and leech combo, or the bobber and night crawler have also produced a few fish every time we’ve tried them.

Jigs and minnows continue to produce walleyes, and I’ll be using them this week too. One caveat, small pike have been on a rampage lately and my jig supply has taken quite a hit. Starting today, I’ll be rigging fluorocarbon leaders to help protect against some of the bite-offs by the small scissorbills.

Along with these 3 main presentations, I’ll experiment with plastics more too. Every year, there are more new offerings, and I gain more confidence in using plastics. Last Tuesday, Berkley’s 1/4-ounce jigs tipped with Northland Tackle’s “Eye-Candy” produced some very nice fish.  All white, along with yellow orange combinations were good colors for me, and I’ll try some others this week as well. Naturally, whatever I learn will be shared with you too.

Okay, the week ahead is going to be a good one, I think. Water temperatures have risen into the upper 60s and even low 70-degree range on some lakes. Weeds are developing, and habitat options for baitfish and predators are improving. Feeding intensity will be on the rise, algae blooms will develop and anglers will have a better shot at getting close to fish that have been boat shy, especially on the clearest water lakes. If you’re heading for the lake this weekend, you are liable to find some active fish.

There’s one final bad news, good news scenario that I want to share with you. Many of you will recall my past reporting about Eldon Skoglund, who I dubbed the Norwegian Hammer on one of his particularly great fishing dates. Eldon, a long-time customer and friend, spent a lot of days in my boat, and shared fishing trips with most of his family over the years. Sadly, “the Hammer” passed this year and will be remembered very, very warmly.

The good news? Even with Eldon’s passing, the Skoglund clan continue to carry on the Father’s Day weekend fishing tradition and yesterday, 9-year-old Nick Skoglund tip-toed into my boat for the first time. Nick’s dad John, along with his uncle Jason, have been fishing with me since they were kids too. Together, they represent the second and third generations of Skoglund family members to fish with me. If you go back further, grandpa Joe Chrz, the one who started all of this fishing, makes it a total of 4 generations that I’ve known, fished with and respected.

As you have seen in the accompanying pictures, Friday was a good day to be Nick. Using his own special jigging style, Nick boated walleyes, northern pike, rock bass and one big fat crappie. With luck, I’ll get the chance to see Nick’s progression not only as an angler, but as what I suspect will be a good person like the rest of his family has, and continues to be.

— Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report June 10, 2026

"Walleye • Anglers enjoyed a fantastic week of walleye fishing this last week. Slip bobber and leech bite is going strong right now and should continue until the mayflies take over. Anglers found active walleyes all over wind swept rock humps, rocky shorelines and rocky points, in 12 to 15 feet of water during the day and 2 to 8 feet during the early mornings or evening hours.

Rock to mud transition areas have been the key during the daytime hours. Anglers can catch walleye this deep with a slip bobber and leech, but many have been using spinner rigs tipped with a leech, crawler or minnow to catch their walleyes. Hot colors this last week were black, gold and orange/chartreuse.

Bass • Now this part depends a lot on your specific lake you are fishing. Smallies are either getting on their beds, on their beds or just starting to come off their beds. If smallies are not quite on their beds yet, crawfish or minnow colored suspending minnow baits have been lights out in that 4 to 8 feet of water. If smallies are on their beds, Ned rigs and tubes have been lights out. Simply drop the bait on or near the bass beds and wait for the smallies to pick it up. If bass are starting to come off their beds or are off their beds, well the best bass bite of the year is starting to happen. If bass are crushing topwater baits, that's a great sign you are on a post spawn bite. Topwater, crankbaits, wacky worms, Ned rigs and paddle tails will all catch you a ton of aggressive bass.

Northern Pike • Many pike anglers floated a large sucker right off their docks and caught several 30 to 40 inch pike. As cool temps return this next week, anglers should expect this bite to keep going strong. Other anglers reported excellent fishing with large swim bait, large x-raps or large spoons. Best depth this last week was 8 to 15 feet of water near mouths of shallow bays or a small stream.

Panfish • Just like with the smallmouth bass, the lake your fishing is going to determine where the oafish are with spawning. Some lakes are just starting, while other lakes panfish are already done spawning. If panfish are just starting, anglers have been having great luck fishing small hair jigs right under a bobber in 1 to 4 feet of water. If panfish are already done, they likely haven't left the area and are located out in a little deeper water in 6 to 12 feet of water, in the emerging weedbeds. If they are out here a small minnow or red worm, fished under a bobber has been very effective.

Lake Trout • Anglers continue to also enjoy some great lake trout fishing. Many anglers have been simply vertically jigging paddle tails, tubes, bucktails or heavy spoons over 20 to 80 feet of water. Being near structure doesn't seem to be as important as being near the bait schools the lake trout are feeding one, so many anglers have been simply drifting over deep water or trolling over deep water until they connect with some lake trout.

Stream Trout • With many stream trout lakes in the area receiving a fresh stocking of stream trout, the stream trout fishing has been very good for anglers. Anglers fishing from a boat have been trolling small, brightly colored minnow baits, behind cowbells in 10 to 40 feet of water. Anglers fishing from shore have been having great luck fishing with small spoons or a night crawler either floated off the bottom about 3 to 5 feet or fished under a bobber about 5 to 10 feet down." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

Today's Feature Fishing Report: Jeff Sundin - June 10, 2026 "Minnesota DNR Launches NEW Electronic Licensing System"

NEWS RELEASE: "The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources today launched the first phase of its modernized electronic licensing system for anglers, hunters and trappers, replacing a system that has served the state for more than 25 years.

“The Minnesota DNR is thrilled to bring this modern licensing system to Minnesotans today,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “This new system is a major step forward in how Minnesotans and visitors alike access hunting and fishing opportunities through flexible and convenient license purchase and storage options.”

The new ELS offers more flexibility than ever — three ways to buy a license (mobile app, online, or in-person from a license agent) and three ways to carry it (paper, PDF, or stored in the app). Customers can purchase and store licenses, and even register harvests from anywhere, including areas without cell service. Customers can access the new system on the DNR website or by searching “Minnesota DNR Licensing” in the Apple or Google app stores.

As before, every license sold helps support conservation and management efforts, ensuring Minnesota’s fish and wildlife resources are sustained for future generations to enjoy.

“In addition to improving customer service, this new system enhances our ability to manage and conserve natural resources by providing data and insights that support wildlife and fisheries management,” Strommen said. "License sales in Minnesota fund efforts, from habitat restoration and protection, fish and wildlife management, innovative lake management planning, stream restoration, invasive species prevention, and more.”

While the new system is intuitive and user-friendly, the DNR and its vendor partner PayIt have plenty of how-to resources available to assist people in making the transition. Users can find those documents and videos in the online system or in the digital app. There are also staff available to answer questions and help users at 888-646-6367 (MINNDNR) or 651-296-6157.

"The new system brings a modern user experience to hunters and anglers in Minnesota, making it easy for everyone from newcomers to lifelong enthusiasts to enjoy the state's natural resources," said PayIt President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Nieto. "We're incredibly proud of our partnership with the Minnesota DNR and look forward to supporting their conservation mission for years to come."

Today’s launch is a major milestone, but not the finish line. The DNR will take feedback and make refinements as people adopt the system. Phase two of the launch will happen at a later date and will involve the addition of a recreational vehicle and watercraft titling and registration module to the new system. For now, the titling and registration process will remain the same, and the legacy system for those transactions will remain operational.

Once all phases have launched, the new ELS will support more than 3 million transactions across a catalog of more than 400 license and permit products each year, as well as watercraft and vehicle registrations.

Updates from the Minnesota DNR about the new electronic licensing system are available online at the >> Minnesota Electronic Licensing Webpage

Lake of the Woods Fishing Report June 9, 2026

"Walleye and sauger fishing has been on fire across Lake of the Woods. All three of the proven methods are putting fish in the boat right now. Vertical jigging with minnows, pulling spinners and crawlers, and trolling crankbaits. Water temps have climbed to around 69 degrees, and with the warm temperatures holding steady, the fishing should only continue to be strong. Here's where things stand this week across the system.

On Big Traverse Bay at the south shore there are several bites going at once right now, which is a good problem to have. The biggest takeaway: not every walleye is doing the same thing, so there's more than one way to get on fish.

Across the south shore in 13 to 19 feet of water, there have been good numbers of walleyes spread across many different areas. These fish are being caught a variety of ways, but jigging and pulling spinners have been the most common. If you're not sitting on a good school, consider covering water, troll a Shad Rap or your favorite crankbait in 10 to 15 feet along shore, and good things tend to happen.

Looking for something different? About five miles out in 30 feet of water, some nice fish are showing up for anglers willing to run out and look. And on the north end of Big Traverse Bay, 22 to 26 feet has been holding good numbers as well. Between the shallow shoreline bite, the deeper water, and the north-end schools, there are plenty of options depending on how you like to fish.

Some good reports of walleyes are coming out of the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay. Work the edges of the channel, and with the stained water on the river, don't be afraid to slide up shallow into 6 to 10 feet deep, those darker waters allow walleyes to feed comfortably in skinny water.

Northern Pike are being found in the bays and, often enough, right around the schools of walleyes, so an unsuspecting walleye angler may end up with a bonus on the line. Smallmouth bass are scattered through the usual spots, rock, weed edges, and current breaks.

A note for the sturgeon crowd: the sturgeon season is currently closed and will reopen July 1st.

The Northwest Angle has put up some good fishing this week on both sides of the border. On the Minnesota side, some fish are still holding on shoreline structure, while others are beginning to slide out onto the mud. As the warmer water kicks off the bug hatches, that mud bite will only get better, it's one of the patterns worth watching as the season progresses.

It's a true multispecies destination up here. Along with the walleyes and saugers, expect pike, smallmouth bass, crappies, and jumbo perch in the mix. With 14,552 islands and waters full of fish on both sides of the border, NW Angle resorts are located perfectly to access both.

Mark your calendars: muskie season opens Saturday, June 20th on both sides of the border. Lake of the Woods is a world-class muskie fishery with good numbers of fish and a healthy population over 50 inches, and the NW Angle sits right in the middle of some of the best water. If muskies are on your list, this is the place.

Reminder About Lake of the Woods Fish Limits

A quick reminder on the regulations. The combined walleye and sauger posession limit is 6 fish total. No more than 4 of the 6 are allowed to be walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately. Anglers may posess one walleye over 28.0 inches. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required.

The northern pike posession limit is 3 fish. All northern pike between 30 and 40 inches must be released immediately. Anglers may posess one northern pike over 40 inches.

Want to make life easy? Guides and charter boat captains are on good fish right now, jump in with one of them and plan on some good success. Everything is provided, along with the local know-how that makes the difference, and prime dates fill quickly, so it's worth booking ahead." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Lake Winnie Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report June 5, 2026

"Walleye fishing on Lake Winnibigoshish has been a tale of heroes and zeros. Some days, yesterday’s zeros are today’s heroes, and other days, yesterday’s heroes are today’s zeros. Land at the right school of fish, at the right time, and you’ll score a great catch. Miss out on the timing, and it could be a struggle.

There are a handful of areas that have, and continue to hold good schools of fish, that’s the good news. The trouble is that those areas are widely known, and the fish in these regions have been heavily pursued. With all that pressure, the term “boat shy”, pops up frequently when anglers talk about their fishing trips. Many boaters report finding and spotting fish on their electronics but then go on to say that they struggle to make those fish bite.

An important lesson to remember is that despite being heavily pursued, those “boat shy” fish must still feed at some point on most days. So, the trick to success is to ..." Read >> Bowen Lodge Lake Winnie Fishing Report June 5, 2026

Wired2Fish June 9, 2026 "How Fisheries Give Walleye — and Mother Nature — a Better Chance"

"The next time you catch a big walleye in Iowa, Nebraska, or Kansas, thank a fisheries biologist.

Chances are, that fish wasn’t produced along some rocky bank or riprap in a reservoir. Instead, it originated as fishing’s version of a “test-tube baby.”

For years, fisheries crews have given Mother Nature a huge boost in building walleye populations at aging reservoirs. They work the night shift on cold early spring nights to net walleye that have moved in to spawn, then they take over from there. They milk the females for eggs and the males for milt, then mix them together and ship the mix to..." Read Story and Learn More >> How Fisheries Give Walleye — and Mother Nature — a Better Chance

Lake of the Woods Fishing Report June 3, 2026

"Summer is settling in on Lake of the Woods, and the fishing is following right along. Water temps are climbing, the walleyes are feeding, and there's good action to be found from the south shore all the way up to the Northwest Angle. Here's where things stand this week across the system.

Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) • The walleye bite has been good, and it keeps getting better as the water warms. The Lake of the Woods Tourism wave buoys are reading surface temps of 65 to 69 degrees right now, and the fish are responding to it. Most anglers are working 20 to 27 feet of water and vertical jigging, which has been the bread-and-butter approach for finding good numbers of walleyes and saugers.

With the stained waters of Lake of the Woods, a gold jig paired with a bright color such as pink, orange, glow white, or chartreuse is hard to beat. Tip it with a frozen emerald shiner or a live minnow and the walleyes and saugers have a tough time resisting. Color and contrast do a lot of the work in this kind of water, helping fish key in on your presentation.

Mornings and evenings, some anglers are trolling shorelines with crankbaits and having good success. Walleyes take advantage of a variety of forage opportunities both offshore and close to shore, so don't overlook the shallows. And remember, not every walleye in the lake is doing the same thing. There are a lot of opportunities out there, and finding the pattern that's working on a given day is half the fun.

For anglers who want to keep things simple, the resort charter boats are dialed in on nice schools of walleyes. Guides and charter captains take the guesswork out of it. Step aboard and everything's included. Rods, reels, bait, a licensed charter captain, and fish cleaning upon return are included. Dress for chilly mornings and layer up as it can get warm during the afternoon. Bring your sunglasses and sunscreen, and pack a good camera. Memories will be made.

Rainy River • The Rainy River is still holding some nice walleyes along with a mixed bag of other species, making it a great option for anglers who like variety. Typical river structure like holes, flats, weed edges and shoreline structure can all hold fish.

Smallmouth bass have been especially active. Try current breaks, shoreline structure, rocky areas, and the water near bridges, all of which give smallmouth the ambush points they like.

Nice pike can be found around docks, weed edges and in the bays and feeder rivers that enter the Rainy River.

A note for the sturgeon crowd: the sturgeon season is currently closed and will reopen July 1st.

NW Angle • Up at the NW Angle, the jig bite for walleyes is on. One of the things that makes the Angle special is the choice it offers, Some anglers slide over the border to fish Ontario waters, while others prefer to stay in Minnesota waters. Both are available to you, along with all 14,552 islands. There's a good fishing spot and an adventure around just about every corner. Expect strong multispecies action up here, with walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, and smallmouth bass all in the mix.

This area is nice for small boats as well. With so many islands, the water isn't so big and there is always a leeward shoreline or island to fish behind.

The Muskie Fishing Season • Opens Saturday, June 20th on both sides of the border, mark your calendars! Lake of the Woods is a world-class muskie fishery with good numbers of fish and a healthy population over 50 inches, and the NW Angle resorts sit right in the middle of prime water. If muskies are on your list, this is the place and the time.

Before you go, be sure to check on the fishing regulations. The combined walleye and sauger possession limit is 6 fish total, with up to 4 being walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately. Anglers are allowed to possess one walleye over 28.0 inches. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required.

June, July and August are great months to be on Lake of the Woods. Warm days, excellent fishing, and a comfortable stay at one of the area's resorts add up to the kind of trip that's worth making. Resort fishing guides and charter captains are ready to put you on fish, with everything provided and the local know-how that makes the difference. Prime dates fill quickly, so it's worth booking ahead." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

Wired2Fish June 3, 2026 "Two Summer Bass Fishing Lures That Produce"

"Summer offshore fishing can produce some of the best bass action of the year. In this video, Caz Anderson explains how he targets aggressive offshore bass with a simple two-lure approach built around spinning gear and forward-facing sonar. From roaming fish over deep water to bass holding on offshore brush piles, Anderson breaks down the patterns that consistently produce during the summer months.

Summer Bass Fishing Lures for Open Water: One of the primary summer bass fishing lures featured in this video is a minnow. Anderson explains why a heavier jig head helps keep the bait in the strike zone longer while maintaining a natural profile. He also details how this setup excels for suspended bass that move quickly through open water. This works especially well when bass ..." View Video and Learn More >> Two Summer Bass Fishing Lures That Produce

Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report June 3, 2026

Lake Trout

Anglers fishing for lake trout continue to enjoy some good lake trout fishing this last week. Success seemed equal rather you were trolling deep diving minnow baits, spoons or vertically jigging tubes or bucktails over deep water. Thanks to the jump in water temps, the majority of lakers are being found in 25 to 50 feet of water now. 

Walleye

Fishing for walleyes just keeps going strong thanks to the jump in water temperatures, now averaging 68 degrees. This week, walleyes are actively feeding on everything presented to them. Minnows on a jig or lindy rig, leeches on a lindy rig during the day or slip bobber during the evening and even crawlers tipped on a lindy rig or jig and half a crawler are all working great for walleyes right now.

No matter what you are using, they all have one thing in common. During the day fish them in that 12 to 15 feet of water range. Target areas right along the mud/rock transition lines. During the evenings the walleyes slide up to 2 to 8 feet of water, again over the rocks. This is a great time to fish a slip bobber and a leech right off your campsite or dock. Paddle tails, jerk baits and minnow baits have been equally effective here too. Hot colors this week have been orange/chartreuse, gold, and pink/white. 

Smallmouth Bass

With the sudden jump in water temps, bass through the Ely area are in full spawning mode. Many lakes may already be done. As the bass wrap up their spawning, it will take them a few days to recover, but when they do the hottest, funniest bite of the year, the topwater bite, will be in full swing. Classic topwater baits like torpedoes, skitter pops, spooks, poppers and whopper ploppers will be the baits to throw. 

Panfish

Lots of reports of both crappies and sunfish spawning are being reported from all over the Ely area. Crappies and sunnies are both being reported being seen in water so shallow their fins are coming out of the water. Anglers have been having the best luck fishing with small hair jigs, fished under a bobber. Oftentimes anglers are doing best fishing these jigs without anything on them, just under a bobber. Key here is to simply hang your bait right in front of the fish as long as you can to get them to bite. Chartreuse, pink/white and white have been the hot colors this last week. 

Northern Pike

Lots and lots of anglers reported excellent pike fishing this last week while fishing a large sucker, under a bobber, right off the dock in 6 to 12 feet of water. Large soft plastic swim baits were also reportedly very effective on huge pike. Areas to focus on are emerging weeds, river mouths and the mouths of shallow bays.

Stream Trout

Thanks to reports of freshly stocked trout in many of the more popular stream trout lakes, fishing was very good this last week. Many anglers reported that casting small spoons, small brightly colored minnow baits, and floating a crawler under a bobber or off the bottom has been very effective. Anglers should focus in 10 to 40 feet of water for active trout." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

June 1, 2026 "Gathering the Gather-Able on Upper Red Lake"

It’s not easy putting into words, the sensation that I, along with Dick and Paul experienced on Upper Red Lake yesterday. Yes, the fish were biting, and surely, we could have taken lots of pictures of ourselves holding the pettiest ones. The thing is though, none of us were in the mood for that. Instead, our attention was focused gatherings other than just the fish in our livewell. Our attention was focused more on gatherings of families, couples and groups of friends who shared the lake with us.

The scene was the complete opposite of what we’ve seen on many lakes lately. We didn’t see as many of the glorious high-end rigs occupied by “super-anglers” who were “scoping” pods of fish and targeting the biggest ones for their social media pages. Instead, we saw dozens of boats, assorted sizes, shapes and colors, everything from huge pontoons, down to one couple who were fishing from a 2-seat paddle boat. Most of the boats were occupied by folks who were just out for a few laughs, a tug on their lines and for the lucky ones, an evening fish fry.

We commented, more than once, about the kids we saw, and how they all looked so happy to be there. If they were stressing out about anything, we couldn’t see it. Can you guess what else we didn’t see? You’d be right if you said I’ll bet there weren’t too many of them fixed on the screens of their cell phones. Yes, there were some, but nowhere near as many as we’d have seen in most other settings.

According to a recent article in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, it was learned recently that Minnesotan’s harvest a lot more fish than previously believed. The reason for that, I believe, is not because people are greedy for fish. No, what I think they are most hungry for is their shared experience of pursuing, capturing, and sharing the catch with friends and family. To relieve the generations old traditions and to satisfy the “hunter gatherer instincts” that have lived within our souls since our primordial ooze.

In a time when we could easily find a lot of things not to be proud of, the scene at Red Lake yesterday wasn’t one of them. The experience renewed my enthusiasm for being a fisherman and realize how proud and thankful I am for the friendships and family bonds that have evolved through my own fishing experiences. I’ll bet too that lots of folks who we saw on the lake yesterday would tell you the exact same thing.

If the scene on the lake wasn’t convincing enough, then the scene at the Gosh Dam Place was icing on the cake. There, 5 separate groups, 6 if you count my crew, were gathered, enjoying the “catch of the day” fish fry. One family, from Grand Rapids was there with a relative who’d come all the way up from New Mexico. Others were there from all around the country, Georgia, Tennessee and who knows where else.  Everybody in the place had something in common, they were all happy, telling fish stories and enjoying the fruit of their efforts. Again, decided by Dick, Paul and me, the scene was NOT what’s wrong with America.

Okay, since this is a fishing report, I suppose I should say a few words about the fishing at Upper Red.

Walleyes continue to populate shallow flats and the preferred water depths varied and changed throughout the day. At midday, when the sunshine was bright, and water temperatures peaked, we had our best action along the steepest breaklines. Typically, the well-defined 4-to-6 foot drop off provide plenty of action, I focused my effort on the 5-foot depth target. During the afternoon, cloudy conditions developed and the fish spread out. Small, isolated patches of gravel and rock in water depths of 6 to 7 feet became more important.

Presentations mattered not in terms of catching fish, but in determining which fish we caught. While we trolled crankbaits, catching fish over 17 inches was easy. In fact, the percentage of “overs” was so high that we were forced to put away the crankbaits and change presentations to gather some smaller fish for eating.

We saw plenty of folks catching “eaters” using jigs and minnows, and I was thinking about doing that too. But I got a tip from a friend about his success with trolling spinners. Because we already had the trolling rods out, it was simple to rig the spinners for a test run. And it didn’t take long to figure out that the spinners worked fine too. A 1/8-ounce bullet sinker, a 3-foot leader with #3 hammered silver blade and a dead spottail shiner worked well for us. That said, I’m sure that other color combinations probably would work too.

One we began using spinners, the size structure of the fish we caught was smaller. It was easy now to get smaller, 14-to-15-inch fish, but we didn’t get a lot of 16-inch fish. I suppose there’s been a lot of pressure on that size range, and they’d been thinned out a little bit. Still, we did get enough of the sweet sixteen-sized fish to be satisfied.

My preferred trolling speed while using crankbaits was 2.5 mph, and the lures were #5 Flicker Shads. It seems like the color preferences change periodically yesterday; purple variations were in vogue.

For trolling spinners, 1.0 to 1.2 mph was my preference and like I said, bright silver blades brought us the best luck.

Today, day 5 of fun with Dick and Paul represents a shift in our focus. We don’t “need” too many fish, so I’ll be looking for a spot where we can harvest a few of these, and a couple of those. Maybe we’ll find something interesting that we haven’t tried yet. If so, I’ll let you know tomorrow. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

Wired2Fish June 1, 2026 "What Lures We’re Throwing in June 2026"

"When you look at the whole picture, June is a wild month for bass fishing.

In the northernmost stretches of the States and into Canada, some bass are just now hitting the beds. Meanwhile, in the extreme south, bass have been done spawning for months and have already moved past the post-spawn funk. And in the middle, some bass are out on ledges, some are in the shallows, and some are still in that funky in-between stage.

With lots to cover, we connected with anglers from the West Coast, up North, and in the South to paint as broad of a picture as possible, while still looking at the specifics of each region. Here are the lures we’re all throwing in June. Modern single-prop baits like ..." Read Story and Learn More >> What Lures We’re Throwing in June 2026

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Helping your fellow fishermen and women stay abreast of fishing conditions in your area is good for everybody and it's easier than you think! You don't have to write a book, you don't have to share your secret fishing spots and you don't even have to mention your lake. You see, with just a few words about general trends, seasonal patterns or local weather conditions you can help steer your fellow anglers to more gratifying fishing experiences. So, be like Dan and Sean, and become a duly deputized "Cub Reporter", it's good for fishing and that's good for everybody!

Use the Contact Us page, or if you prefer to be "social", use our community page on facebook Fishing Reports Minnesota, that is the Facebook counterpart to this page and it is open to the public, so you can post your own fishing update or just share a photo of a nice catch.