Capitalizing on the early ice bite can be some of the best walleye fishing for the winter season on Mille Lacs. Safe ice measuring between 5-7 inches was found on the North End of the lake, allowing me to safely fish some of the more subtle shoreline points, as well as some the adjacent midwater humps and rockpiles. What proved most successful was drilling a spread of holes across varying depths starting on the top of the point or hump and working out across their dropoffs into deeper water. The fish would cruise these points consistently throughout the day into the evening. Calling in the more aggressive feeding fish with an Ultra Light Jigging Rap or Rapala Shad proved successful. For the less aggressive feeding fish, switching to a slower fall rate spoon, such as the VMC Tingler Spoon or VMC Tumbler Spoon proved the be the ticket in turning them from lookers into eaters.
