Hello all! Getting ready for our second ever trip this June! I am curious if any of you have targeted panfish before. Last time, we did not even try but this time I would like to. I have heard there are giant bluegills and other panfish in the BW. Is this true? Also curious what bait you are using. Can I take live bait like maggots for bluegill or what is the regs on that? Any info is appreciated!!

Bald Eagle, Gabbro, as well as parts of the Kawishiwi have good populations of crappies. We used slip bobbers and minnows and did really well. Also got some giant slabs trolling and jigging for walleye.

Other than that I can't really say. I've heard Mudro has a good bluegill population.

I think getting people to give up bluegill spots is tougher than getting walleye spots. I have caught some big bluegill fly fishing with small poppers. But it wasn't my spot and therefore I am precluded from sharing the lake.

Unfortunately yes !!! , not on purpose by any means ....

There are some very nice bluegills and crappies to be had. I've never specifically targeted them other than a couple times when we were struggling catching Walleye for dinner. Mostly would use slip bobbers tipped with a leech. I would guess a good percentage of the lakes have decent panfish populations. The biggest sunfish i have ever caught in my life I caught last year on accident trolling a floating jig head on a lindy type rig tipped with a leech.

Huge bluegills in Malberg Lake. Biggest I have seen. I mean big boys. Nice crappies in Bald Eagle Lake.

I have caught crappie on Lynx. I’d think they would range over to Shell but I cannot confirm. I got them slip bonbering from camp, average size. You’d think if you worked you might find bigger fish.

I have caught huge bluegill and ONLY huge bluegill on Upper Pauness Lake. Pretty little day trip in there.
I was catching them walleye fishing with a nighcrawler on the bottom both from shore and from the canoe. ..I'm talking SLABS. They were really fun to catch.

boondock: "I think getting people to give up bluegill spots is tougher than getting walleye spots. I have caught some big bluegill fly fishing with small poppers. But it wasn't my spot and therefore I am precluded from sharing the lake."

+1

Pine lake out of ep1 has a good population of them

walllee: "Unfortunately yes !!! , not on purpose by any means ...."

My thoughts exactly.

WhiteWolf: "

boondock: "I think getting people to give up bluegill spots is tougher than getting walleye spots. I have caught some big bluegill fly fishing with small poppers. But it wasn't my spot and therefore I am precluded from sharing the lake."

+1"

fair enough my friend lol. I am just getting a feel for if its worth targeting them

Caught some huge gills on Gull by some shallow water reeds, NW of Mudro EP. It was a fun stop for a few minutes. Leeches seemed to take them just fine.

they are in basswood too

SPOTPRES1: "

WhiteWolf: "

boondock: "I think getting people to give up bluegill spots is tougher than getting walleye spots. I have caught some big bluegill fly fishing with small poppers. But it wasn't my spot and therefore I am precluded from sharing the lake."

+1"

fair enough my friend lol. I am just getting a feel for if its worth targeting them"

Definitely worth targeting.

Years ago on Ensign I remember finding two big patches of weeds in the east end of the lake, and I killed the panfish with a fly rod and a little popper.

The constant pop pop pop of surface feeding 'gills is awesome.

Agnes has huge crappies. You can find them early to mid summer in the same areas you usually catch walleye on structure. Might need to go with smaller baits to increase your numbers, but they are there. I've made multiple trips to Agnes, and have caught and seen several in the 14-15" range.

As with everything, use good judgement and practice catch and release on those large ones. Photos will serve justice to disbelievers. :-)

Malberg is known as a decent bluegill lake. Bring a thing of waxies (or gulp waxies) and a couple small jigs wherever you go, just in case.

One of these years I am going to do a Panfish / Largemouth bass only type of trip. I love catching huge panfish on light tackle, super fun. And tossing spinnerbaits and rubber worms into weedbeds and fallen trees in canoe country would be a hoot. Gotta do it!

Basswood has turned into a lake with lot of crappies.

I've caught nice Bluegills in Fourtown and Boot. Leech and bobber

As others have noted Basswood is loaded with panfish which we run into each June in shallow weedy bays. Look for outer edges of pads and use jigs with small plastic minnows or twisters...no need to waste valuable leeches on them. If you find them, largemouth are close by, usually you need a weed less surface lure tied on to some braid. Great break from walleye/smallie fishing.

WhiteWolf: "

boondock: "I think getting people to give up bluegill spots is tougher than getting walleye spots. I have caught some big bluegill fly fishing with small poppers. But it wasn't my spot and therefore I am precluded from sharing the lake."

+1"

I'll take it a step further and say giving up good panfish lakes should be outlawed. WHO DOES THAT?!?! WHY??????????????????

yesssssss SLABS!!!

I meant Malberg Lake in my earlier post, not Mudro. I changed it. I catch big gills at home but those were some real pigs.

Best bluegill spot? Mudro entry, September. Message me if you want the lake.
Best crappie spots Agnes, Lac La Croix, Boulder River, Gabbro.

Got into some very nice perch on Ensign one year, mostly 9-12 inchers if I recall correctly.

We caught a load of 'gills on Boot just west of the portage into Fairy.
Someone else has already marked it on the map.