Fishing is a great opportunity for recreation in Kandiyohi County for locals and visitors alike. With so many lakes, ponds, streams and the Crow River, the opportunities for angling enthusiasts are nearly endless.
Game fish found in Kandiyohi County Lakes include Sunfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye and Northern Pike making the Willmar Lakes Area a popular Minnesota fishing destination.
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Fishing Reports
Fishing Report for 9-21-21
The walleye bite is picking up in the Willmar Lakes Area but most fish remain scattered. Anglers should stay on the move until fish are located, then drop a jig or live bait rig tipped with a minnow. Some walleye have been found near the green weed areas which hold baitfish. Bass are responding well to jigs, plastics and crank baits along the weedlines. You can also find northern pike and panfish along the edges of the weeds using crank baits and spinner baits for northern pike and small plastics…
Fishing Report for 9-9-21
The fall fishing patterns have begun to take hold in the Willmar Lakes Area. As the lake temperatures have begun to cool, anglers continue to find active bass and panfish along the deeper weedlines of Big Kandiyohi, Point, and Nest lakes. Crappie have been responding well to small jigs and plastics on Long Lake and Foot Lake. Walleye have been active in the early evening on Ringo, Green and Eagle lakes. Jigs and rigs tipped with minnows and night crawlers are starting to turn the majority of fish. As the…
Fishing Report for 8-26-21
The walleye bite remains slow in most areas, but a few have bitten when using jigs tipped with minnows or plastics. The Northern pike, bass and panfish action has been excellent, especially along the deep weed edges. Please take note that launching a boat has been difficult on some lakes due to low water levels.
Fishing Report for 8-10-21
The walleye bite in the Willmar Lakes Area has been a bit slower, but the bass and panfish bite has been excellent. Bass anglers are having success along the deep weedlines on most area lakes. If you spend a little time locating a school of fish, you should be able to catch quite a few. Anglers have found that the largemouth bass are usually in 15-20 feet of water and found near the weedy areas that hold sunfish. Smallmouth bass have been found in shallower waters around 5-10 feet. Panfish…
Fishing Report for 7-27-21
Anglers have found active bass and northern pike in the deeper weedlines using crank baits, spinner baits, and jig and sucker minnow combinations. Walleye have been found along the outside edge of the weeds and in depths of 18-25 feet. The early morning and late evening are still the best times to find active fish. Nightcrawlers and shiners are working best. The lakes to try this week are Elkhorn, Long, Big Kandiyohi, Diamond and Green. Panfish remain active along the weedlines. For the most action, use a small plastic bait…
Fishing Report for 7-13-21
What a great time to plan a fishing getaway in the Willmar Lakes Area! Early morning and evening hours remain the best times to fish. Anglers have been pulling good numbers of sunfish and crappie from Norway and Games lakes when using wax worms and power bait. South Long Lake is giving up active northern pike in the evenings along the weedlines when using crank baits, soft plastics and nightcrawlers. Bass and northern pike have been very active on the Crow River when using lures. The walleye have moved to…
Fishing Report for 6-29-21
Summer patterns are fully established already for most species in the area due to the record high temperatures and dry month of June. Despite the heat, walleye, bass and panfish remain active. Anglers are having the most success catching walleye along the deep weed edges in 15-25 feet of water during early morning and evening hours. Nightcrawlers on live bait rigs with bottom bouncers have been the most productive. You’ll also find bass and crappie in the weedlines around the 12-18 foot depths. Crappie have been most eager to bite…
Fishing Report for 6-9-21
Fishing for walleye and bass has actually improved over the past week despite the hot temperatures. Early morning and late evening hours have been best for walleye with the most active lakes being Eagle, Big Kandiyohi and Foot between 12-20 feet. Walleye anglers are having success using crawlers and leeches on live bait rigs in deeper water during the day and a jig and minnow combination in the shallows during low light hours. A good night bite is being reported by anglers trolling crank baits on the weed flats. Smallmouth…
Fishing Report for 6-1-21
It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend to be out on the lakes in Kandiyohi County! To avoid the recreational boaters, try fishing on some of the smaller lakes in the area. Active fish are being reported on George Lake including bass, crappie and northern pike in roughly 5-10 feet of water using crappie minnows. Active bass are also being reported on Long, Calhoun, Ringo, Henderson and Nest lakes. Anglers have been pulling nice sized walleye from Foot Lake while using shiners. Still, the best time to catch northern pike…
Fishing Report for 5-25-21
Anglers had a slow start to the season with not many walleye being caught over fishing opener weekend. But the warm weather we’ve had lately has certainly perked up the fish. Walleye action remains high around sunset and sunrise when using spot tail shiners. Popular walleye lakes this past week included Foot, Willmar, Long, Big Kandiyohi, Norway and Ringo. Nice sized crappie have been pulled from South Long Lake and Ringo Lake near the shallows as well as from shore on Foot Lake near the fairgrounds. Sunfish have been eager…
Fishing Report for 5-11-21
As anglers get ready for this year’s fishing opener on May 15th, they continue to catch good numbers of panfish. Crappie and sunfish continue to be pulled from shore of Foot Lake near the fairgrounds, from the south bay of Elkhorn Lake, and under the Highway 23 bridge in Nest Lake. You can also find active crappie along the north end of Long Lake and some nice sized sunfish by the dam of Lake Calhoun. As the temperatures warm up, look for panfish in 4-8 feet of water, along the…
Fishing Report for 5-4-21
Anglers are enjoying the active spring bite on area lakes. The panfish bite has started to heat up with the majority of fish coming in on jigs tipped with a minnow or plastics. Anglers had the most success in 4-12 feet of water from 8pm until just after dark. Panfish including perch and crappie can be found in the shallows in the late afternoons and in deeper waters earlier in the day. Look for them near the weeds and along the shorelines and water temperatures increase. Anglers will want to…