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This past week, the weather was good and the fish, for the most part, were cooperating.

Most walleyes, pike, bass and crappies have slowly settled into their summer spots and will be there throughout the remainder of the season. However, a lot of that depends on the body of water you are fishing at.

At smaller lakes, bass spawn is over and done, but at larger lakes, you’ll still find bass up on the beds. Jig and minnow, slip bobbers, leeches and crawlers are producing walleye on Lake Bemidji, Lake Plantagenet, Grace Lake and Gull Lake in 10 to 18 feet.

Most crappies are now out on the deeper water cabbage areas and small jigs and plastics are working well. Bluegill are up on the beds in shallow water and a slip bobber and small leeches will turn a lot of fish.

Bemidji area: A jig and minnow or slip bobber and leech is producing walleye in 8 to 12 feet on Lake Bemidji, Lake Plantagenet, Grace Lake and Gull Lake. Bluegills are up shallow on area lakes and you’ll find some crappies in 4 to 8 feet along emerging reeds and cabbage.

Bass fishing has been excellent with plastics in shallow areas on all lakes.

Bemidji area resource can be contacted at (218)Ìý556-7172.

Contributed

Blackduck area: A jig and minnow or slip bobber and leech continues to turn walleyes at Island Lake, Gull Lake and Blackduck Lake in 10 to 14 feet. Crappies and bluegills are hitting around docks or in the reeds throughout Gilstead Lake, North Twin Lake, South Twin Lake, Blackduck and Gull. Bass remain shallow and active on most lakes as well.

Blackduck area resource can be contacted at (218) 835-4636.

Cass Lake area: Walleye are biting early and late each day. Long-lining a leech or minnow in 15 to 18 feet has produced well on Cass Lake, Pike Bay Lake, Lake Andrusia and Wolf Lake. Troll crankbaits along the shoreline breaks in 6 to 8 feet for walleye on these lakes at night.

Good-sized perch continue to be caught on Cass and Andrusia on the 6- to 8-foot rocks and sand. Hit the bulrushes or shallow sand on Kitchi Lake for bluegills and a few crappies.

Cass Lake area resource, can be contacted at (800)Ìý279-4831.

Upper Red Lake: Walleye action remains strong with a jig and minnow, crankbaits, spinners, live bait and a slip bobber with leech in 4 to 6 feet. The east and north shores have both been producing big numbers throughout the day. There’s some crappies in the mix, especially from the bulrushes and shoreline along the north shore.

Upper Red Lake area resource can be contacted at (218) 647-8998.

Lake Winnibigoshish: A jig and minnow is still producing the majority of walleye in 8 to 15 feet on Bena Bar and Long Bar or off Raven’s Point in 10 to 17 feet.

Vertically-presented jigs tipped with minnows or plastics are also producing walleye off the Little Muskie and Big Bend areas in 30 to 36 feet. Perch action is starting to improve, with reports of nicer fish being caught at the mouth of the Mississippi River and Sugar Point in 10 to 15 feet.

Lake Winnibigoshish area resource Lake Winnie Resort Association can be contacted via its website,

It’s a great time to be out fishing on the Bemidji area lakes. Please remember to practice selective harvesting. By doing so, we will continue to have great fishing for years to come.

Dick Beardsley is the owner and operator of Dick Beardsley Fishing Guide Service in Bemidji. He can be reached at (218) 556-7172 and dick@dickbeardsley.com. For more information, visit