Nisswa Fishing Guides in Brainerd, MN

The ice conditions on the west side of Gull Lake, especially near the river, can be sketchy early in the season. Most Brainerd fishing guides will not drive trucks on less than 14 inches of good ice. Safe access to the ice from the west side of Gull Lake is not possible until late in December or early January on some years. There is a good current that flows through the western part of the lake. This is one of the reasons why the ice on the west side of the lake is so unpredictable. Even some of the fishing guides in Nisswa, Minnesota have found this out the hard way. I don't know what hurt this Nisswa fishing guide more: His truck falling through the ice or the rest of the fishing guides in Brainerd, Minnesota giving him a hard time for the next year? Royal Karels, one of the original Nisswa Guide League members, will tell you that there just is not a fish worth dying for.

Brainerd Fishing Guide Spots

Don't waste time trying to fix tangles is the best advice a Brainerd fishing guide can give when fishing walleyes on Gull Lake, Minnesota. The evening walleye bite on Gull Lake usually lasts less than thirty minutes. Key times are from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. This is one of the reasons why so few Brainerd fishing guides actively guide in the winter. The bite is literally over once it starts. Swedish pimples are tough lures to beat when fished with good electronics. Every fishing guide in Nisswa, Minnesota have their own favorite colors. Blue/chrome, black/gold, and perch are usually top choices. Walleyes tend to be aggressive during first ice conditions. Drop the lure to the bottom and let it strike hard. The little clouds of silt the lure kicks up will attract baitfish and then predators. Watch the electronics closely. Fish will sometimes move into the cone to get a closer look. Slow the presentation down if the fish doesn't strike. Most Nisswa fishing guides will use their electronics to see how walleyes react to their presentation. Walleye can sometimes be teased into hitting by adjusting the speed of the lure to their reactions.