Detroit Lakes Fishing Report (7/9/25)

Grab your rod and reel and get out to your favorite fishing spot–the fish are biting!  Here's the scoop.

The largemouth bass fishing on Detroit Lake has been incredible.  For those with a boat, it’s a great time to get out of your comfort zone and fish mid-lake weed lines, as opposed to fishing shorelines.  You’ll find them in 9-12’ and they are aggressive!  Crappies and bluegill can be found a little shallower in 7-10’.  Plastics, small minnows, and nightcrawlers are your best bet for these species. Add your bait to a 1/16 oz jig and troll or cast for some big fish!

Walleyes are biting on small minnows too, but also on leeches beneath a bobber and on my favorite walleye rig, the drop shot!  Walleye and smallmouth bass have both been hanging out in 18-22’ at the end of long bars, but eyes have also been caught deeper, up to 26’. Use your electronics to look for marks within 10 feet of deep weedlines. Trust what you see and toss out a line. When you are fishing this deep, you can afford to fish vertically without the fish getting spooked by your presence. That said, you should still cut the big motor early and avoid trolling over the spot unless you plan to stop there. 

With some mild temperatures on the way, it should be great fishing weather.  I hope you are able to get out and enjoy it. Thanks for reading, and good luck fishing!