Gear & Tackle

Lakes & Reservoirs

Spin, Cast & Bait

Gull Lake Fishing Guide

Minnesota

A 10,010-acre lake north of Brainerd, up to 80 feet deep, where DNR surveys find walleye, both bass, northern pike, and crappie.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to Gull Lake for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye and northern pike. In October, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye and northern pike are in season, and Soft Stick Bait, Ned Rig and Bass Jig are a good place to start. There are 6 shops within 25 miles; the closest is S & W Bait in Brainerd, about 3 mi away. Mille Lacs Lake is about 37 mi away if you want to make a trip of it.

Season at a Glance

Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Crappie
Walleye
Northern Pike
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What You'll Catch

Gull Lake Species

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass

Prime Now
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Best: Mar to Jun, Sep to Oct

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Prime Now
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F
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A
M
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Best: Apr to Oct

Crappie

Crappie

Prime Now
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F
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Best: Feb to May, Oct to Nov

Walleye

Walleye

Prime Now
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F
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A
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Best: Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov

Northern Pike

Northern Pike

Prime Now
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Best: Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct

Images: USFWS; Duane Raver, USFWS; Timothy Knepp, USFWS. Public domain.

Plan by Month

What to Use

Month
Fish

15 picks for October. marks species in season in October.

  • Suspending Jerkbait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Hard Bait · Northern Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass

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  • Spinnerbait 3/8 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass

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  • Soft Stick Bait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Largemouth Bass

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  • Ned Rig 2.5 to 3 in

    Lure

    Finesse · Smallmouth Bass

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  • Bass Jig 3/8 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Largemouth Bass

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  • Bladed Jig 3/8 to 1/2 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Around grass.

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  • Squarebill Crankbait 1.5 to 2.5 in

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Lipless Crankbait 1/2 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Walking Topwater 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Topwater · Largemouth Bass · Low light.

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  • Paddle-Tail Swimbait 3 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Walleye

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  • Tube Jig 3 to 4 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Smallmouth Bass

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  • Casting Spoon 1/4 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Spoon · Northern Pike

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  • Crappie Jig 1/32 to 1/8 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Crappie

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  • Jig and Minnow 1/8 to 3/8 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Walleye

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  • Live Minnows 1 to 3 in

    Bait

    Live Bait · Walleye, Crappie, Largemouth Bass

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Rod & Reel

Recommended Setups

Largemouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 7 or 8 wt rod, bass-taper floating line, 12 to 16 lb leader for poppers and divers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting rod, 7:1 reel, 15 lb fluorocarbon or 50 lb braid around heavy cover.

Smallmouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 6 or 7 wt rod, floating line, 10 to 12 lb leader. Crayfish patterns, Clousers, and poppers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8 lb braid to a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Crappie

Fly 8.5 ft 4 wt rod, floating line, small jig flies and minnow patterns.

Spin / Cast 10 to 12 ft jigging pole or 6 ft ultralight spinning rod, 4 to 6 lb hi-vis line.

Walleye

Spin / Cast 6.5 ft medium-light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 10 lb braid with a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Matched to These Species

Gear for Gull Lake

Reels

Abu Garcia Revo SX Baitcasting Reel

A reliable baitcaster for jigs, Texas rigs, and moving baits.

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Crankbaits

Rapala Shad Rap

A tight-wobbling crankbait that walleye anglers troll and cast.

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Panfish Lures

Bobby Garland Baby Shad Crappie Jigs

A go-to crappie plastic on a light jighead, under a float or vertical.

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Rigs

Northland Baitfish-Image Spinner Harness

Crawler harnesses trolled behind bottom bouncers for summer walleye.

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Rods

St. Croix Musky Casting Rod

A heavy, long casting rod for big bucktails, jerkbaits, and figure-eights.

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Rods

St. Croix Triumph Spinning Rod

A sensitive, lightweight rod for finesse plastics and jigs.

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Reels

Pflueger President Spinning Reel

Light and smooth for its price. A favorite for finesse and panfish rods.

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Hard Baits

Rapala X-Rap Jerkbait

A suspending jerkbait that shines in cold, clear water.

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Within 25 Miles

Shops Near Gull Lake

Within 25 Miles

Guides and Charters Near Gull Lake

Make It a Trip

Nearby Water

Lakes & Reservoirs · Minnesota · About 37 mi

Mille Lacs Lake

Classic Minnesota walleye lake with a big ice fishing community and trophy smallmouth.

Walleye · Smallmouth Bass · Muskellunge

Lakes & Reservoirs · Minnesota · About 48 mi

Leech Lake

One of Minnesota's largest lakes, with walleye and big muskies.

Walleye · Muskellunge · Yellow Perch

Lakes & Reservoirs · Minnesota · About 64 mi

Pokegama Lake

A 6,721-acre lake at Grand Rapids, over 100 feet deep in places, where the DNR's last full survey found northern pike, walleye, bass, and crappie.

Northern Pike · Walleye · Smallmouth Bass

Lakes & Reservoirs · Minnesota · About 76 mi

Lake Bemidji

A 6,596-acre lake at Bemidji with a state park on its shore, where DNR surveys catch walleye, perch, northern pike, and muskellunge.

Walleye · Yellow Perch · Northern Pike