Brainerd Lakes Area Fishing Report 7/18/2025

The water temperature is holding steady in the mid to upper 70s, which means walleyes have fully transitioned into their summertime patterns.

Location

I've been consistently finding walleyes on:

  • Mid-lake humps: These are underwater "islands" or rises in the lake bottom, often surrounded by deeper water. Walleyes use them as ambush points for baitfish.

  • Deeper mid-lake weed lines: The edges where dense aquatic vegetation (specifically those tall, green cabbage weeds) meets open water. These provide excellent cover and feeding grounds.

  • Gravel and rock structures: Areas with scattered rocks, rubble, or gravel on the lake bottom, which can attract baitfish and provide hiding spots for walleyes.

Focus your efforts in 18-25 feet of water, and utilize your side imaging to pinpoint those crucial weed beds and baitfish concentrations – this will significantly increase your chances of getting more fish in the boat.

Baits

  • Northland Tackle Short Shank Tungsten Jigs tipped with a crawler have been my go-to bait. I've had success pitching and twitching them along the bottom, or ripping them through weeds to trigger reaction strikes. For calmer and shallower water, an 1/8th oz jig in Olive, Moonlight, or Firetiger has been particularly effective.

  • For those tougher midday bites, a slip bobber and leech combination has been highly effective. Whether fan-casting over structure or making precise casts to schooling fish, they can't seem to resist a leech.

  • Northland Tackle Puppet Minnow is an excellent reaction bait for low-light periods when walleyes are more aggressive. A 1/4 or 5/16-ounce size, allowed to crash to the bottom and then snap-jigged back to the boat, has been consistently producing bites. Top colors to try include Silver Shiner, Pink Tiger, and Wonderbread.

Rods

  • For my jigging presentations, I rely on my Mr. Walleye series 7' medium light rod. This rod offers great sensitivity for detecting subtle bites, combined with a strong backbone for solid hooksets and excellent action to keep fish pinned all the way to the net.

  • When using a slip bobber, I opt for the 7'6" Mr. Walleye slip bobber rod. Its longer length is perfect for making long, accurate casts and provides superior action to keep that walleye pinned securely until it's in the boat.

Respect the Resource

Please continue to practice catch-and-release, especially for larger fish, and always be mindful of slot limits. With the warmer water, it's crucial to release those bigger fish quickly to minimize stress and ensure their survival.

Brainerd Lakes Area Fishing Report 7/2/25 

 

July is here and the Walleye’s are biting great! The water temp is in the high 60s to low 70s, and that means Walleyes are transitioning to summertime patters. 

Our top producing techniques have been a mix of pitching / dragging jigs with either crawlers, leeches and pitching slip bobbers with crawlers or leeches, Northland Tackle Smeltinator Underspin Jig with an Eye Candy Paddle Shad or Minnow plactics. 

Presentations: 

Jigging: Using a Northland Tackle short shank tungsten jig in either 1/8oz or 1/4oz depending on depth and wind conditions with a crawler or leech.  

Slip Bobber: When the fish gets finicky, I like to slow down and use the slip bobber presentation to get the more inactive fish to bite. 

Jig and Plastic: Jig and plastics are a great search tool to use to find those more aggressive fish in the school, either snap jigging on bottom or twitching it suspended in the water collum can be a great way to produce bites. 

Locations 

Mid-Lake Structures: Look for walleyes on humps, saddles, and points that extend from shore into deeper water. These structures often hold baitfish and provide cooler, more stable conditions. 

Deep Weed Lines and Edges: Walleyes will often relate to the edges of healthy, green weed beds, particularly cabbage and coontail. They might be found right on the break line where the weeds meet deeper water, or tucked within the weeds themselves, especially during bright sunlight. 

Sand and Gravel Flats: Large, expansive sand or gravel flats, especially those that are wind-blown, can be productive. Walleyes will cruise these areas in search of forage. 

Rod Setup: For the jigging presentations I’ve been using my Mr. Walleye series 7’ medium light, this rod has great sensitivity with a great backbone to get a good hookset and has great action to keep those fish pinned to get them in the net. For my slip bobber rod I use the 7’6” Mr. Walleye slip bobber rod, a longer rod helps with making long and accurate casts to get right where you want to be.

 

Want to get in on this hot walleye bite? TR Guide Service offers professional, guided fishing trips across the Brainerd Lakes Area. We have limited availability remaining in  July, so don't miss out on the opportunity to experience a memorable day on the water with a local expert. 

The first two weeks of June have provided some excellent walleye action across the Brainerd lakes Area, with water temperatures holding steady between 63-67 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range has kept the walleyes active and largely predictable.

Most of our success has come by focusing on weed edges, with the majority of the active fish positioned in the 13-20 foot range. These transition areas between healthy green weeds and deeper water are holding plenty of bait, and the walleyes are cruising them consistently.

Our top producing techniques have been a mix of jigging and slip bobber presentations:

  • Jigging: We're finding aggressive biters using Northland Tackle Tungsten jigs in 1/8 oz to 1/4 oz, depending on the exact depth and wind conditions. The most effective colors have been green, pink, and olive.

  • Slip Bobber: When fish are a bit more spread out or finicky, a slip bobber setup with a 1/8 oz Northland Tackle jig tipped with a leech has been incredibly productive. Leeches have definitely been the most consistent bait, though crawlers are also starting to get bit more frequently as the water warms.

Additionally, don't overlook trolling crankbaits! Early mornings and late evenings have been producing some solid bites, especially for covering water and finding active schools.

The walleyes have generally been quite aggressive, particularly during low-light conditions. We have noticed a slight slowing and increased finicky behavior during the midday sun, so adjusting techniques and locations during those times has been key.

With the upcoming stable weather patterns, we anticipate the walleye bite to remain consistent or even improve over the next couple of weeks as these patterns solidify. Now is a fantastic time to be on the water!

Book Your Brainerd Lakes Fishing Adventure!

Want to get in on this hot walleye bite? TR Guide Service offers professional, guided fishing trips across the Brainerd Lakes Area. We have limited availability remaining in June and July, so don't miss out on the opportunity to experience a memorable day on the water with a local expert.