Fishing Gear Guide — Brainerd Lakes Fishing Report

Gear Guide

Affiliate Disclosure

Summer fishing is here — gear picks updated for walleye, multispecies panfish, and open-water bass. Featuring VMC tungsten jigs, PowerBait Ripple Shad, and top panfish rigs for the Brainerd Lakes season. We earn a small commission on qualifying Amazon purchases at no cost to you.

VMC 1/8 oz Tungsten Jig & PowerBait Ripple Shad — Panfish Combo

Staff Pick — Panfish

This pairing is dialed in for spawning panfish right now — a 1/8 oz VMC tungsten jig paired with a 2.5–3 inch PowerBait Ripple Shad. The tungsten sinks fast and gives you feel on light line. The Ripple Shad's paddle tail and scent push fish over the edge when they're tight to the beds. Deadly on crappie and sunnies in 1–4 feet.

This Season's #1 Panfish Pick

VMC

1/8 oz Tungsten Jig — Panfish

VMC's tungsten jig head is compact, dense, and delivers maximum feel on light line. The 1/8 oz size is perfect for spawning crappie and sunnies in 1–4 feet — drops fast, sits right, and pairs perfectly with a small soft plastic.

Berkley PowerBait

Ripple Shad 2.5–3 inch Soft Plastic

The PowerBait Ripple Shad's paddle tail produces natural action even at a dead stop. Berkley's PowerBait scent infusion keeps panfish biting longer. White, pink, and chartreuse are the top colors for spawning crappie and sunnies.

Piscifun

Carbon R1 — Medium Casting Rod

A 6.5–7 ft medium-action casting rod pairs perfectly with this panfish setup. Piscifun's Carbon R1 has the sensitivity to feel light bites on the jig and the backbone to land bigger crappie and sunnies.

Trolling & Search Baits

Multispecies — All Season

Trolling a small crappie plug along the weedline is one of the fastest ways to locate schools before committing to a spot. The Rapala Ultra Light Shad at 1/8 oz is the go-to search bait — run it parallel to the weedline at 1–1.5 mph in 6–10 ft, then anchor up and follow with a slip bobber once you find fish.

Multispecies MVP

Various

Hair Jigs — Walleye & Bass (1/8–3/8 oz)

Heavier hair jigs in 1/8 to 3/8 oz are walleye and bass weapons. Swim them along weed edges, hop them off rocky points, or drag them along the bottom. White and chartreuse produce in stained water; natural brown and olive in clear water.

Top Search Bait

Rapala

Ultra Light Shad — 1/8 oz Crappie Troll

The Rapala Ultra Light Shad at 1/8 oz is the top search bait for locating crappie schools along weedlines. Troll slowly parallel to the weedline at 6–10 ft until you find fish, then anchor up with a slip bobber. The small profile and tight wobble perfectly mimics the baitfish crappies are chasing right now.

Hot Right Now

Various

Large Spinners & Topwater Baits — Pike, Bass & Muskie

Fish are looking up right now — larger insects and baitfish are high in the water column making topwater and large spinners the go-to presentations. A ½–¾ oz spinnerbait or inline spinner burned along the surface draws explosive strikes from pike and bass. Poppers and walking baits (Zara Spook, Whopper Plopper) are equally effective in low-light windows. White, chartreuse, and natural shad patterns are the top producers.

Walleye Summer Essentials

Gull · Pelican · Whitefish

Summer walleye on Brainerd Lakes means jigging structure, trolling crankbaits, and live bait rigs on deeper flats. These are the proven producers on local waters.

Summer Standard

Lindy

Lindy Rig — Live Bait Walleye

The Lindy rig with a leech or crawler is the most consistent walleye producer on Brainerd Lakes through the summer. Drag it slowly along rocky structure and deep weed edges in 12–20 ft. No walleye angler should be without them.

Northland / Lindy

Walleye Jigs — 1/4 & 3/8 oz

Round-head jigs in 1/4 to 3/8 oz tipped with a leech or crawler are the bread-and-butter walleye presentation on Gull and Pelican. Chartreuse, orange, and pink are the local favorites in the Brainerd area.

Piscifun

Carbon R1 Walleye Rod + Carbon Reel

The Carbon R1 medium-light spinning rod is our top walleye setup for jigging and live bait rigs. 6.5–7 ft, excellent sensitivity, paired with the Piscifun Carbon reel for a complete summer walleye outfit.

Panfish & Crappie — Summer Setup

Dock Shooting · Weed Edges

Summer panfish on Brainerd Lakes means dock shooting crappies, weed-edge sunnies, and post-spawn bluegills. Simple setups produce the best results.

Thill / Northland

Slip Bobber Kit — Summer Panfish

A slip bobber with a small minnow or wax worm remains the most consistent panfish producer through the summer. Dial in the depth to sit just above the weed tops. Essential in any panfish angler's tackle box.

Hot Right Now

Northland

Jiggin' Leech — Panfish

Northland's Jiggin' Leech is one of the most effective post-spawn panfish baits going right now — the tapered body and ribbon tail produce a lifelike wobble crappies and sunnies can't ignore. Rig it on a 1/32–1/16 oz jig head and fish it just above the weedline. Outstanding for panfish transitioning off the beds.

Berkley

Gulp! Alive Crawlers & Panfish Baits

Berkley's Gulp! baits are a fantastic no-cooler alternative to live bait for summer panfish. The scent disperses in water and draws strikes on even tough bites. Great for docks and weed edge fishing where you're moving fast.

Various

Tube Jigs — Crappie Dock Shooting

A 1/16 oz tube jig is the ultimate dock-shooting crappie bait. Skip it under docks with a spinning rod, let it sink, and hold on. White, smoke, and chartreuse are the top colors on Whitefish and Gull crappie.

Various

Ultralight Spinning Rod — Summer Panfish

A 5.5–6 ft ultralight spinning rod with 4–6 lb line is all you need for summer sunnies, crappies, and perch. Light enough to feel every bite, sensitive enough to enjoy the fight. No need to spend big — a solid mid-range rod gets the job done.

Affiliate Disclosure: Links above are Amazon affiliate links and Piscifun affiliate links. We earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. We only recommend gear that our local fishing community actually uses on these lakes. Prices are approximate and subject to change.