The Brainerd Lakes area is Minnesota’s panfish paradise. Within an hour’s drive of the town of Brainerd, there are hundreds of lakes offering excellent ice fishing for crappie, bluegill, perch, walleye, and pike. The combination of diverse fisheries, established tourism infrastructure, and accessibility from the Twin Cities makes it one of the most popular ice fishing regions in the state.

Top Lakes in the Area

Gull Lake. At over 9,900 acres, Gull Lake is the anchor of the Brainerd chain and one of the best multi-species ice fishing lakes in central Minnesota. Walleye, crappie, bluegill, perch, and pike all thrive here. The lake’s diverse structure — rock reefs, weed beds, deep basins, and sandy flats — provides habitat for every species and keeps fishing interesting throughout the season.

Mille Lacs Lake. Technically on the eastern edge of the Brainerd area, Mille Lacs is the region’s walleye heavyweight. Many Brainerd-area visitors split their time between panfish on the smaller lakes and walleye on Mille Lacs.

North Long Lake. A consistent producer of quality crappie and walleye. The lake’s basins and weed edges hold panfish through mid-winter, and the walleye bite picks up during low-light periods along the breaklines.

Pelican Lake (Crow Wing County). Known for big bluegill and quality crappie. The lake’s healthy weed growth provides excellent panfish habitat, and the fish here tend to run larger than average for the region.

The Whitefish Chain. A connected system of 14 lakes offering tremendous variety. Walleye, crappie, bass, and pike are all available across the chain, and the interconnected nature of the lakes means fish movement and feeding patterns shift throughout the winter. Studying contour maps of the individual lakes in the chain helps identify the best structure for each species.

What to Target and When

The Brainerd area excels at panfish — crappie and bluegill in particular. Early ice is prime time as fish are still relating to weed beds in accessible depths. Mid-winter pushes panfish deeper into the basins, where small tungsten jigs and finesse presentations shine. Late ice brings a resurgence of shallow activity as warming water draws fish back toward shore.

Walleye fishing is best during the low-light windows at dawn and dusk. Aggressive jigging techniques with spoons and Rapalas call fish in during these feeding windows, while live bait on a dead stick picks up neutral fish between the rushes.

The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza

No discussion of Brainerd-area ice fishing is complete without mentioning the Extravaganza. Held annually on Gull Lake, it’s one of the largest charitable ice fishing contests in the world, drawing over 10,000 participants. The event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities and showcases the region’s deep connection to the sport. Even if you don’t compete, attending the event is an experience worth having.

Getting There

Brainerd is about two hours north of the Twin Cities via Highway 371 and roughly three and a half hours from Rochester. The area is loaded with resorts, cabins, and rental properties that cater to winter visitors. Bait shops are plentiful, and local knowledge is easy to come by — just ask at any shop which lakes are producing and they’ll point you in the right direction. For a broader look at Minnesota’s top destinations, see our statewide guide.