Hey guys, me and 2 other guys are booking a trip to fish Mille Lac's at the end of July. We will be driving from NY....1100 mile trip one way. This will be the first time I have ever done anything like this.
My question is, what phase are those sallies going to be in at the end of July? Spawn and post spawn? I saw videos online of guys getting pre spawners/bed guarders in mid June.
End of July should be pretty much full on summer phase
so deeper, in their schooling pattern?Originally Posted by basscat tyler
Probably the toughest time of year to find them. It will be summer pattern for sure. If I was driving that far, I would do it May/June or October.
May and June are busy for me with work...or I would love to get out there in May if I could. October I'm busy doing open tournaments up here.
Ya theyll be deep and schooled up. If you find em youll find a lot and you can get on schools of 4 and 5 lbers
great. Thats the pattern we are looking for.
There's something special about throwing grubs, spinnerbaits and lipless cranks at docks that time of year when it's bright and sunny. We are also having a warm early spring so I expect spawning to be done earlier in June than usual. For what it's worth I like that time of year, but prefer lipless cranks (craw colored) on the rock transitions and edges close to deep water.
thats much more information then I was looking for. I appreciate it. That kind of info making a 20 hour drive sure can help! LOL
Not meant to hijack, but what's the story with October?
Possibly cold and windy. Should be schooled deeper off of points and deep rock piles. Drop shots and jerk baits should be the deal.
For what it's worth, I had a couple really good days up there this past July with a shaky head and, to a lesser degree, a drop shot (I'm also a terrible drop shot fisherman). Green pumpkin/orange was the ticket with the orange part of the equation being really important - it was getting bit 5 to 1 over plain green pumpkin. After catching a crawfish on that drop shot of all things I figured out why: It was bright orange, almost like it was colored in by a kid or something. It didn't look real.
Fish were on the edges of reefs in about 10-12 feet of water on the biggest rocks you could find. I was hopping the shaky head like a you might fish a tube.
I had a much more difficult time catching them in October, though maybe that was just me. About the only thing I could get bit on then was a Neko rigged Senko and those bites were still very hard to come by.
I'm not sure I caught more than 5 fish all year last year up there on moving baits, but I also tended to go when the wind was very calm. I'm sure that played a big role.
This is a different year with what I suspect will be massively increased bass fishing pressure, so your mileage may vary.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
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I'd also keep an eye on the weather. If the wind comes up, you will be screwed and sorry you drove that far to sit at the landing. 10 mph up there is like 25 anywhere else.
can't be any worse then the 120 mile long wind tunnel called champlain :)
anyways, due to my son starting pre school, and my wife's job schedule change I am not going....but my buddy still are.
Even if it's windy on ML, there are plenty of other lakes close by to fish and have a ball. Incidently, I have fished on Lake Champlain and know that N or S wind can make it real rough.
Theres always spots out of the wind on mille lacs. Hope your friends have a good trip!
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