The Crappie action in the Park Rapids area is on fire and the fish just keep getting bigger. Crappies up to 16 inches have been caught this week using 1/16 oz jigs tipped with a small white twister tail or a Croppie minnows making a long cast and slowly swimming the jig back to the […]
The walleyes are still shallow due to the late shiner spawn. Try 5-10 ft of water with a jig tipped with a minnow. Make long casts or drag the jig behind the boat to avoid spooking the shallow fish. Smallmouth bass are just starting to head shallow, getting ready to spawn as well as the […]
The walleye fishing has really ramped up throughout the area despite the crummy weather patterns. Look for them in shallow water in the 4-8 ft range. Cast and snap jig 1/8 oz jigs along the sand/gravel patches found near shore or shoreline related flats—especially if there is a little wind blowing in. Tip the jig […]
The waters in the Park Rapids area are warming up rapidly! With the water temps in the high 40’s to low 50 degree range, the fishing opener was good for most with a mix of Walleye and Pike—found in the shallows near shore 5-10 ft. of water using lie bait rigs and shiner minnows. Trolling […]
Go big or go home! Bigger hooks for more Spring panfish. I love big hooks—bigger than what you would think. Hooks do not scare the fish, they attract fish—especially the colored hooks available today. These larger hooks will decrease the number of missed fish by increasing hooking percentage. For bluegills I prefer a #8 or […]
Feeling that tug on the line, an angler sets the hook and reels in a small sunfish, then asks the perennial question: Should I keep it? From a DNR press release: Sunfish, also known as bluegills and pumpkinseeds, are a go-to species for anglers looking for a meal and many anglers may be surprised to […]
It’s no secret that the biggest crappies of the open water season are found in the shallow warm waters of Spring hidden in some form of cover such as pencil reeds, sunken timber, or near the edges of cattails. The problem starts when a live crappie minnow is used under a float. It’s just a […]
There is still a bit of ice fishing to be had in the Park Rapids area—but not for long. We have been focusing on perch and other panfish like crappies and bluegills. And of course the accidental bass or pike is caught (must be released—season closed) so that adds to the fun as well. Shallow […]
Learn about Fishing from the Pros at the Park Rapids Lakes Area Fishing Expo! The Expo will be at the Riverside United Methodist Church. Friday, April 12 from 6 – 9 PM. Chip Leer, a 2019 Inductee into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, TV and stage host of the world’s most prestigious walleye tournament […]
If you like late ice crappies-this is the time to grab a room and ice fish the Park Rapids area! Fish are staging for the spring melt on the drop offs just outside spawning areas. Some crappies and Bluegills are already cruising the shallow weedy flats just outside old bulrush beds from last year in […]
