Night Bite Walleyes – Lake Mille Lacs
I heard about the fantastic night fishing for Lake Mille Lacs walleyes for years but never had the chance to experience it until I hooked up with ex-Hibbingite Robert Makela.
Castaway….Robert Makela, aka “Castaway”, moved from the Hibbing area several years ago, settling in Elk River. An outdoorsman, his passion for fishing was kept alive by plying the now nearby waters of expansive Lake Mille Lacs for trophy walleyes, something he’s been doing for over twenty years now.
Although Makela fishes “the big pond” year ’round, it’s the onset of fall’s cooler weather that gets him pumped. Fall temps mean cooler water and that results in a very predictable, big walleye bite, especially during the dark of night.
Night Owl….Trips out onto the lake usually take place near sunset and last well into the night, staying as long as the bite is happening or until someone feels the urge to get some sleep. A typical fall trip runs from 6:00 pm until midnight or perhaps even 2:00 am. It basically all depends on how the fish are biting and
how the weather is treating you.
It’s not that fish can’t be caught during the daylight hours. It’s just that this locked-in presentation is so phenomenal for big fish that it’s in your best interest to do the night thing. How good is it? Well, consider the fact that Makela spent over 80 nights last year fishing Lake Mille Lacs in the fall. That’s practically every day, or should I say night. Back in his Hibbing days, Makela was on the boxing team. Now days, he prefers to spar with big fish.
Preparation is Key….Hop in his boat, a deep and wide Lund Tyee, and you’ll soon see that everything has it’s place. If you don’t see it, it’s more than likely not needed. The floor is clean. Nothing can be tripped on or get in the way, as most all of the gear is stored on the deck in front of the windshield. There is no room for error when fishing at night.
Some of the trolling spots are out of the way little hotspots. Then again, sometimes you have to share spots with the general fishing public, which requires a good deal of precision and courtesy, a prime reason for making sure that all running lights are in good working order.
Castaway also has interior lighting to make things a bit more “comfortable” and when a fish is caught, it’s time to turn on the mini spotlights that he has affixed to each side of the windshield. These adjustable lights work great when good lighting is needed for removing hooks from big walleyes and many times, the net. They also work well for getting a good photo of a great fish.
Best Presentation…..Makela prefers to use 6′ 10″ Berkley telescopic trolling rods and Daiwa Sealine- 17 line-counter reels (he has eight of these combos ready to go). The rods are nice to “fold down” and get out of the way, when not needed, and the reels allow you to put that crankbait back behind the boat at just the right length. Each reel is spooled with 20 lb. test Power Pro line, which is highly sensitive and has only the thickness of 6 lb. monofilament. The amount of line let out depends on the depth of water being fished, which is usually from 6 – 12′, and the type of crankbait on the end of the line.
Crankbaits used vary from #5 and #7 Shad Rap style baits to #12 and #14 size “stickbaits”, which were used when I fished with him on two occasions. For stickbaits, Rapala “Husky Jerks”, “Floaters”, and shallow running “Smithwicks” are the guide’s choice. Color? That’s another whole, new ballgame, as a best color can vary from night to night.
Pulling these cranks anywhere from 60 to 100′ back with superlines allows even the novice to detect when an oak leaf or weed interrupts the lure action. Sometimes a quick, hard sweep of the rod can shake the intruder and get the bait back to it’s wobbling, tight-wiggle action.
Limits and Slots…..Last year, it was typical to reel in anywhere from 20 – 50 fish per night. This year, it’s not like that but it’s still pretty darn good. We caught 15 fish on our outing, which included two 27″ers, a 26″, and two 25″ers. All of which were released. We also were able to take home a limit of eaters and they are nice, as the slot allows anglers to keep a 4 walleye limit of fish under 22″.
The regulations state “all 22″ and larger and 28″ and smaller must be released to the water except one walleye over 28″ may be taken.” This allows an angler to keep that trophy is so desired and believe me, there’s plenty of them out there.
Contact Castaway….For more information on fishing Lake Mille Lacs or to set up a guide trip with Robert Makela, call (612) 747-3961 or e-mail him at [email protected]. (on a side note, Castaway guides year ’round and that includes throughout the winter. Be sure to ask him about first-ice trophy walleyes and late-ice jumbo perch) Written by Greg Clusiau, Keewatin, MN.
"Fish til it Hurts!"..... Greg Clusiau
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