Maybe you like to go and catch a mess of fish, fillet them and use them as the centerpiece of a healthy meal. Or maybe you just enjoy catching fish and releasing them, simply appreciating the opportunity to be outside and active. Whatever the reason for fishing, opportunities to do it abound in Minnesota. There are a wide variety of fish species to target with bass, crappies, muskies, sunfish and walleyes among the most popular.
Lakes
Log on to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website to learn more about the lakes you plan to fish. Look in the upper left-hand corner of the site for the "Lake Finder" link and click on it. Type in the name of the lake you want to know more about. You can learn more about the fish populations of the lakes in the state, as well as about the location of public access sites and any special fishing regulations that apply to the lake.
Differences
Minnesota features a variety of landscapes as you travel north to south, and each is home to a different type of lake. In the Arrowhead region of the northeast, the lakes have deep and cool water. Vegetation is not present in great amounts, but rocks are. Smallmouth bass, trout and walleyes are the main species in these lakes. The lakes in central Minnesota tend to be shallower and more fertile than those in the northeast. While most of these lakes have good populations of bass, crappies, northern pike, sunfish and walleyes, the fish communities are more varied than anywhere else in the state. The southern part of the state is primarily agricultural, and the lakes have shallow, warm water. Bass, sunfish and walleyes are the three most commonly pursued species in these lakes.
Large Lakes
Good fishing can be had in many of Minnesota's more than 10,000 lakes, but there are some that stand above the rest and are known as consistent fish producers. Lakes such as Lake of the Woods, Leech, Mille Lacs, Minnetonka and Vermilion are nationally known and draw many fishermen from inside and outside Minnesota each year. Their large sizes and varied fish populations mean they can handle all the fishing pressure that's targeted at them. Most of these large lakes are known primarily for their walleye fishing, but each offers good fishing for multiple species.
Weed Edge
When the water warms up in Minnesota during the summer, most fish vacate the shallow water and head to deeper, cooler water. For many of them, the deep weedline is a place they can find shade, protection and a meal. The deep weedline forms at the depth where the sun no longer can penetrate to the bottom of the lake. Many species of fish--ranging from bass and sunfish to walleyes and northern pike--can be found just inside, along or outside the weed edge. One of the best multi-species presentations is a 1/8- to 1/4-oz. mushroom-head jig tipped with a 4- to 7-inch plastic worm. Bounce the rig along the bottom or work it in a swimming motion back to the boat.
Winter Fishing
It is possible to fish year-round in Minnesota, but if you do, part of it will be spent fishing atop the ice. Ice generally covers the lakes from about December until early or middle April. Winter fishing requires different equipment than does open-water fishing. Rods and reels are smaller, as is the line and tackle anglers use. But anglers should target the same types of spots. Weed edges and drop-offs are good, as are beds of vegetation. Most anglers target crappies and sunfish during the winter months, but some lakes also offer good walleye and northern pike fishing, too.
Licensing
A fishing license is required to fish any of the waters in Minnesota. Many anglers choose the license type that allows them to fish from March 1 of one year until April 30 of the next year. As of 2010, the cost of that license for Minnesota residents is $17 and for nonresidents is $39.50. Other types of licenses are valid for shorter periods of time.
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