Detroit Lakes Fishing Report: Extended Edition (6/23/26)

You are reading the extended edition of the Detroit Lakes fishing report, for here and only here. Enjoy the deep dive into what's working right now on area lakes!

The bite is shifting, and it's shifting in your favor. A couple weeks ago we were talking metallic jigs for walleye—now the leech bite has taken over, and it's a hot one. Warmer water has the 'eyes keyed in on leeches, so make a stop at the bait shop before you launch.

My go-to right now is dead simple: a slip bobber with a barrel weight above a swivel, then a leader down to a red hook with a leech. That's it. The beauty of this setup is precision—you can place your bait right where the fish are and let the leech do the work while you sit back. One detail most folks miss: use enough weight to counter the buoyancy of the float. Walleye can feel resistance, and if your bobber is fighting back, they'll drop the bait before you ever see it go down. Get that dialed in and you'll convert a lot more bites. If you'd rather stay active, a leech on a drop-shot is excellent too—keep your hook 12"-18" above the weight and you'll stay out of the salad while keeping that leech right in the strike zone. And remember, 'eyes tend to favor a medium leech, so don't go too big.

The crappie bite has ticked up noticeably this past week, and it's a fun one. Find a weedline in 10'-14' and pitch a 1/16 or 1/8 oz. jig and plastic along the edge. Let it fall—a lot of your bites come on the drop, so stay sharp and watch your line. Alternatively, troll that plastic behind the boat and let the search begin!

The pike bite just won't quit. Smaller fish are biting in 12'-14' and the bigger girls are holding deeper. They're aggressive right now and hitting just about everything, live bait and artificials alike, so don't overthink it—if it's in the water, a pike will probably take a swing at it.

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