Detroit Lakes Fishing Report: Extended Edition (8/12/25)
- Brady Baxter
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
Welcome! This Extended Edition of the Detroit Lakes Fishing Report is released every week, and it contains even more tips and insider information than other editions. Enjoy!
As we settle into the dog days of summer, anglers benefit from more predictable and extended fishing patterns. Walleyes are deep–in 20’-30’. The leech bite is giving way to small minnows, and they will start chasing larger minnows as fall approaches. Slip bobbers are an excellent choice, especially on calm, sunny days, and on clearer zebra mussel lakes where walleyes are easily spooked and need to be fished from a distance. That said, as they trend deeper this time of year, you can get away with vertical jigging without drawing much attention (even in clear water).
Largemouth bass are shallow–catching shade beneath docs and under lily pads, while both largemouth and smallmouth can be found deep–hanging out near deep weedlines up to 20’ (smallmouth can be found even deeper). Pike are cruising on the edges of weedlines in 10’-20’, with the largest found deeper. Crappies are suspended near weedlines and above deep depressions. Similar to their black bass cousins (largemouth specifically), small bluegills can be found in the weeds, while larger ‘gills can be found deeper, outside the same weedlines. All of these species are biting on plastics and other artificial baits, in addition to live bait offerings. When using plastics, consider using solid colors on windy days to attract fish when there is less light available beneath the surface.
Good luck to all of you heading out this week. I hope you catch the big one!
-Brady Baxter
Owner, Baxstar Fishing Guide Service
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