Burch’s Guide Service

Pat Burch charters Mille Lacs Lake for walleye and smallmouth bass in four, six and eight hour blocks, and will also put together multi-day trips. Up to four anglers fish from a 22 foot boat pushed by a 300 horsepower four-stroke Yamaha with a 9.9 kicker, a bow-mounted Minn Kota autopilot and top-end Lowrance graphs including live forward facing sonar, which the service treats as a specific skill it brings rather than a gadget on the console. The full windshield and two suspension seats are pitched against the tiller boats other Mille Lacs guides run, on the argument that a dry, comfortable ride is part of the trip. Rods, reels, bait and tackle are supplied, adult life jackets are aboard, and the catch is filleted and bagged at the end of the day. Children under ten bring their own jackets.