Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 03-12-23
Old man winter just doesn't seem to want to go away this year. We received 13 inches of snow yesterday and they are talking more by this weekend. It has been many years since I have seen this much snow in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The snow banks are getting ginormous. The good news is it can't last forever. "I hope". April will be here soon. The deep snow and slushy conditions have put a hamper on the local ice fishing action. There hasn't been much foot traffic on the ice. It's just too much work.. Snowmobiles are about the only effective method of transportation right now. The walleye and northern pike seasons are closed until the May opener. Panfish, whitefish, and eelpout are about the only game in town. The eelpouts have started to spawn and have been producing some fun action in the late afternoons and evenings. The crappie have moved shallower. The sunfish action really hasn't started yet. This should all improve once we get rid of some more snow. We have another litter of shorthairs on the way. Greta should have her pups sometime in the first week of April. The VRBO is really shaping up. Thanks for all the calls. We really appreciate it. Think happy thoughts of spring. We will be back in the boat before you know it. JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 01-26-23
The crappies continue to bite in the Brainerd Lakes Area. Key locations have been shallower with the best bite happening after dark. Glow jigs tipped with waxies have been effective baits. The walleye action was slower this past week. The best depths have been 24 to 28 feet. Most action is occurring in a 45-minute window around sunset. Set lines and active jigging have been equally effective. There are 12 to 16 inches of ice on most of the larger lakes in the area. Deep snow has made off-road travel difficult. There are still some pockets of slush under the snow but conditions have improved. The JC's ice fishing tournament is a go. The best tip is to get away from the crowds. There are some nice perch, 9 to 12 inches, in 12 feet of water with the catch of catching a pike. The other option is to head deep. The tullibees are cruising 15 to 20 feet down over 30 to 40 feet of water. Small jigs tipped with waxies are an effective bait. The VRBO is getting closer and closer to being ready. Have a great week.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 01-17-23
Last week's milder temperatures definitely increased the lake traffic in the Brainerd Lakes Area. With highs in the upper twenties, it made for ideal portable ice fishing conditions. The ice roads are still in good condition but yesterday's rain did create a few areas with standing water. The additional water weight has caused the lake ice to sag in these locations. Any holes drilled near these locations will just cause more water to push up from below and add to the problem. The crappie bite remains the best ticket for action. The walleye bite has been fair but inconsistent. The best walleye depth has been 18 to 22 feet. Set lines tipped with a shiner minnow continue to outproduce jigging methods. Most of our ice houses are now booked for weekends for the rest of the season. We still have some weekday openings if you are interested. The VRBO is taking shape. We now have the entire interior repainted. Now it is time to decorate. We will be posting more pictures in the weeks to follow.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 01-11-23
The local ice conditions continue to improve in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The deeper snow has made off-road travel difficult for most vehicles other than snowmobiles but there are a bunch of plowed roads on most lakes at the current time. The main lake of Gull is still a bit sketchy. We have found ice depths that vary from 6.5 to 12 inches. Those are not the best conditions for exploring. We advise checking ice depths on foot before dropping a plow and making a new road. The walleye action was sporadic this last week. One night would be good and the next night slower. Set lines tipped with shiner minnows have been out producing active jigging on most nights. The crappie action continues to be good. The trick right now is getting away from the crowds. Glow jigs tipped with minnow or waxies have been the best baits. We still have some openings left mid-week for the ice houses but the weekends are almost fully booked. Thanks for the calls, we will see you next week.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 12-30-22
Last week's colder temperatures really managed to firm up the slushy conditions on the local lakes. There are still a few isolated pockets to be found out there but travel conditions are much better now. We now have all of our rental houses out and we are catching fish. The best walleye action has been occurring a half-hour before sunset to a half-hour after. The best depths have been 18 to 22 feet. Active jigging techniques were producing the most fish last week but set lines have been matching their results this week. The best bait has been shiner minnows. The morning walleye bite has been good too but not as predictable. The crappie action has been good on most lakes. Key locations have been the deeper holes on the smaller lakes and sharp breaks that extend into the main-lake basin. The best crappie bite has been occurring one hour before sunset to a few hours after sundown. The crappies are willing to chase a jig right now. Active jigging with a depth finder is an effective combo at this time. The best baits have been glow jigs tipped with a minnow or plastics. The larger pike are patrolling the edges of the weeds throughout the day. The best activity has been from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
JOHN

Brainerd, Minnesota
Fishing Report: 12-20-22
Sorry about the lack of fishing reports lately but we were totally overwhelmed with the irons we had in the fire this fall. I don't know how we did it all but we got the entire exterior of our VRBO cabin refinished, the interior of our own house repainted, most of the VRBO's interior repainted, a batch of pointer puppies raised, and a few puppies trained, all while taking a bunch of fishing and hunting guide trips. I'm getting tired again of just thinking of it. The good news is I can see the bottom of the to-do list, The bad news is the 17 to 18 inches of wet heavy snow the Brainerd Lakes Area got last week didn't help us any. The extra snow weight has caused the ice on many of the larger lakes to sag, resulting in water seeping up through any holes or cracks in the ice. Gull Lake has a bunch of standing water trapped on top of the ice right now, making ATV traffic extremely tough if not impossible in many areas. The ice conditions on the smaller lakes are much better. The ice was thicker on these lakes and could handle the extra weight of the snow. The current weather conditions are also in our favor. The forecast is calling for lows in the minus teens for the remainder of the week. This should help firm things up. Happy Holidays to you and yours. Thanks again for such a great year. Michelle, I, and the rest of the guides at Brainerd Guide Service look forward to taking you fishing and hunting in the year to come.
JOHN