Detroit Lakes Fishing Report: Extended Edition (8/12/26)

Welcome to the Extended Edition of this week's Detroit Lakes fishing report — this version contains the depths, presentations, and tips you won't find anywhere else.

The crappie bite is on fire right now, and it's the clear headliner this week. Small plastics in the 1"-1.5" range have been the primary producer, but small crappie minnows are catching fish too. We've found them primarily near weedlines in 8'-14', but don't overlook deeper water — we're also finding crappies nearer the bottom as deep as 22'. You can troll, or cast and let your light jig slowly fall. Keep your line tight and be ready for a light bite. Don't be afraid to fish right beneath the boat either. If you go vertical, try a pop-pop-raise-pause-then-drop cadence — it's been getting them to commit.

One important note: the crappie bite is so good right now, it leaves them vulnerable to overfishing. Please practice selective harvest by keeping less than the legal limit and throwing back the larger fish when possible. Thank you for being part of the solution!

Walleye fishing has been slow, other than during the darkest times of the day — and even then, it's been tough. Here's what we're seeing: single walleyes roaming saddles in 15'-18', and wolf packs of 5-8 'eyes just outside (and in) the deep weeds in 20'-25'. Importantly, if you can find leeches anywhere, grab them!! They are gold for walleyes right now compared to any other bait. A jig and leech has outperformed the bobber, drop shot, and lindy rig on my boat, BUT keep trying new techniques until you find something that works on your lake of choice.

The smallmouth bass bite is picking up deep. Look for them at the tips of deep bars.

Good luck out there, and watch out for those mosquitoes. They aren't terrible this year, but

they're out and about starting around 9:20 or so. Tight lines!

🎣 Join me on the Baxstar boat to put these tips into action!

Click here to see my calendar and book your trip online today — it takes less than 5 minutes. As always, text or call me any time at 218-325-6857.