Fishing
Chippewa National Forest

Little boy holding a fish he caught on one of the Chippewa's lakes. As glaciers sculpted northern Minnesota's landscape 10,000 years ago, they also carved some of the nation's best fishing lakes. The frozen snow, rock and ice formed deep clear basins, now home to trout. Rich sediment filled other lakes resulting in vegetation and other small aquatic animals and minnows for walleye, bass and panfish to feed on today. These fish, along with others, are in turn dinner for northern pike and muskellunge.

The Chippewa National Forest is over half lakes and wetlands and offers ample opportunities for the beginning and expert angler. With 23 National Forest campgrounds, and a number of resort communities, Forest visitors can find a wide array of accommodations. Fishing equipment, rental boats and guides are available in most localities. Launch services are available on Leech, Cass, and Lake Winnibigoshish.

Best Fishing Lakes   

Location
Walleye/Northern/ Muskies
Bass
Panfish
Trout
Blackduck Big, Rabideau, Blackduck, Pimushe, Round, Island, Dora, Clear, Whitefish, Moose, Big Rice Kitchi, N. Twin, Rabideau, Gilstad, Noma, Meadow, Bass, Big Rice Kitchi, N. Twin, S. Twin, Rabideau, Gilstad, Noma, Moose, Meadow, Bass, Pimushe Benjamin
Cass Lake Cass, Andrusia, Pike Bay, Portage, Leech, Kitchi, Lake 13 Windigo, Lake 13, Sucker Lakes, Big, Lost, Lydick Sucker Lakes, Buck, Windigo, Blue Sky, Silver, Lost, Lydick  
Deer River Big Cut Foot Sioux, Winnibigoshish, Little Cut Foot Sioux, Bowstring, Sand, Six Mile, Little Ball Club, Little Winnie, Ball Club Big Cut Foot Sioux, Little Cut Foot Sioux, Little Sand, Sand, Little Ball Club, Little Winnie, White Oak, Sugar, Vermillion Big Cut Foot Sioux, Little Cut Foot Sioux, Middle Pigeon, Winnibigoshish, Bowstring, Sand, Six Mile, Little Ball Club, Little Winnie, Leech Lake River

Marcell Jessie, North Star, Little Jessie, Turtle, Spider, Wabana, Little Long, Big Ole, Little Turtle, Little Bowstring, Johnson Turtle, North Star, Spider, Bello, Wabana, Clubhouse, Jack the Horse Bello, Big Island, Burns, Arrowhead, North Star, Graves, Clubhouse, Holland, Pughole, Spider, Gunderson, Big Ole Bee Cee, Trout, Caribeau, Kremer, Moonshine, Lucky, Bluewater
Walker Leech, Hovde, Townline, Boy, Long, Ten Mile, Inguadona, Steamboat Lee, Gadbolt, Horseshoe, May, Portage, Stocking, South Stocking, Ten Mile Leech, Moccasin, Little Bass, Big Bass, Three Island, Little Sand, Cedar, Howard, Pine Diamond, TeePee, Hazel

Seasons

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates fishing seasons in Minnesota.  The Fishing season begins in mid-May for northern pike and walleye, and early June for muskellunge and bass.  These seasons run until the middle of February.  Trout season runs from mid-May to October and mid-January to middle of March.  Trout lakes in Cass County are closed to winter fishing.  You can fill a stringer with panfish year long.  Fishing on the Chippewa is good throughout the summer, but usually best in late spring and fall when waters are cool.  Ice fishing is a popular sport December through February.  Walleye fishing is very popular on area lakes.  

Licenses

Minnesota fishing licenses are required of all persons 16 years and older. Trout stamps are also needed for trout fishing. Within the Leech Lake Reservation, special licenses are not required for fishing.  Licenses are available at bait and sporting good stores throughout the Chippewa National Forest.  The Minnesota DNR issues an annual Fishing Regulation booklet which outlines rules, seasons, limits, fish identification, and safety measures.  Copies of the booklet can be obtained at any of the Chippewa National Forest offices or by calling 888-646-6367.

Resource Management

The DNR, Leech Lake Reservation and the Chippewa National Forest are partners in managing the fishery resource.  The DNR is the lead agency for surveying, stocking, removing rough fish, renovating lakes and streams, and improving lake access in Minnesota.  Management by the Leech Lake Reservation includes both game and non-game species.  The Reservation conducts lake surveys, habitat improvement projects, rough fish removal, ad operates a fish hatchery which is open to the public in early spring.  The Chippewa National Forest fishery initiative began in 1987.  Under this program the Forest Service is responsible for protection and enhancement of fish habitat and providing boat access, in cooperation with the DNR and the Leech Lake Reservation.  

Safety

Area lakes provide a variety of recreation opportunities.  Choose the serene quiet waters of a small hidden lake nor the excitement of the larger, open waters.  Whatever your desire remember to always think safety first.  The Chippewa National Forset is home to three of Minnesota's largest lakes:  Leech, Cass and Lake Winnibigoshish.  Small craft warnings are issued for these lakes when winds exceed 12 m.p.h.  Smaller lakes offer safe and successful fishing alternatives.  All boats must have a readily accessible U.S. Coast Guard approved Type l, ll or V wearable lifejacket for each person on board.  Type lV throwable devices are no longer acceptable primary lifesaving devices.  In addition, on boats 16 feet or longer (except canoes and kayaks), there must be at least one U.S. Coast Guard approved Type lV throwable device, such as a buoy, cushion, or ring buoy, immediately available.  

Bait

Fish

Preferred Bait
Muskellunge Large plugs and spoons, jerk baits, bucktails
Northern Pike Wobbling spoons, crank baits, or spinners with live bait (crawlers, leeches) or sucker minnows
Walleye Chubs and shiners, leeches crawlers, crank baits, jigs with live bait
Bass

Largemouth

Smallmouth

Poppers, plugs, leeches, plastic worms, crawlers, spinners baits, spoons

Floating plugs/surface baits, crayfish, live frogs, jigs

Panfish

Perch

Crappie

Bluegill

Minnows, insect larvae, worms

Minnows, maribou, jigs, plastic minnows, streamer flies, and wax worms

Worms, small jigs, flies, wax worms

Trout Inflated worms, spinners, corn for rainbows; spoons and jigs for lake trout

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