Upper Red Lake is a premier fishing lake in northern Minnesota, with most anglers targeting walleyes and black crappies. The resorts on the lake are popular lodging destinations, offering cabins and RV camping sites. Resorts cater to anglers who fish open water and, in the winter, those who go ice fishing.
Significance
Upper Red Lake covers nearly 108,000 acres in northern Minnesota's Beltrami County. It is a large, bowl-shaped lake that does not have much structure and does not get particularly deep. However, it is considered one of the top walleye lakes in the state and it also has a remarkable crappie fishery. In addition, some anglers at the lake catch northern pike longer than 40 inches, which is considered a trophy-class fish.
History
The lake was closed to walleye fishing for a 10-year period beginning in the late 1990s. Commercial netting and illegal sport fishing had decimated the walleye population, so the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians closed their respective portions of the lake and began a walleye-stocking program. The Red Lake Band controls all of Lower Red Lake, which is connected to Upper Red. The lakes reopened to walleye fishing in 2006. During the time the walleye fishing was closed, a world-class crappie fishery was developed on the lake. That fishery drew anglers from around the state and nation and many resort owners credit it with saving their businesses.
Resorts
The fishing resorts on Upper Red Lake are open year-round. West Wind Resort, for example, offers seven cabins as well as ice-fishing houses. There also are 15 recreational vehicle sites. Mort's Dock and RV Campground also offers RV sites and a variety of ice-fishing houses during the winter months. Both Mort's and West Wind, as well as most other resorts on Upper Red Lake, also rent out boats and motors and have accesses by which you can reach the lake.
Fishing
During the open-water season, most of the walleye fishing is concentrated along the drop-off that rings the lake and begins in about six feet of water. Trolling crankbaits is an effective way to find and catch fish. Once you locate a school of walleyes, slow down and fish the area more thoroughly with a lead-head jig tipped with a minnow. Pike anglers also troll crankbaits on Upper Red, though the baits they use are as long as 10 inches. Silver is a productive color to use for pike. During the spring, the lake's crappies are concentrated in shallow areas near shore that are protected from the wind. During the winter, both walleyes and crappies roam the open-water portions of the lake, searching for food.
Regulations
You must have a valid state fishing license to fish on Upper Red Lake. In addition, special regulations apply to the lake. You may keep as many as four walleyes per day, though only one may be longer than 26 inches. You may keep three northern pike but all fish between 26 and 40 inches must be released and you can keep only one longer than 40 inches. The daily black crappie limit is 10.
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