Fishing Report

Find out where fish are biting and bait to use in the area fishing report each week. Get Hooked in Detroit Lakes will give you an inside look from fishing guides on which area lakes are best bets for the fish you’re out to catch and the bonus experiences of being out on the water.

This is the area fishing report for Tuesday, December 23, 2025, sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

Happy holidays to all of you anglers out there!  If you get a chance to head out on the ice the next few days, here are a few tips. Lake ice varies greatly and many lakes are not safe for driving yet. Little Detroit is an exception and there have been a handful of trucks and Ice Castles on the lake the past few days. The ice is 14” thick in most spots on Little DL except for the area near the river and the sandbar. You owe it to yourself to feel safe so please do not drive on the ice in a vehicle until you confirm the thickness yourself, and feel safe based on what you see. Bluegill, pike and bass are biting on the edge of weedlines in 10’-12’ during daylight hours. The best time to catch crappies and walleyes is an hour or two before sunrise and after sunset. Crappies and walleye can be found from 10’-22’.  Some crappies are suspended over deeper structure. Small minnows and waxies are the ticket!

Brady Baxter
Owner and Fishing Guide
Baxstar Fishing LLC
baxstarfishing.com
brady@baxstarfishing.com
701-261-3703