It’s 7:00 a.m. on Mille Lacs. The lake is quiet, the coffee is still warm and the kids are asking why anyone gets up this early on vacation. Then a rod tip dips, and the whole boat wakes up.
Quick answer: Captain John Wersal of Fish On John LLC is The Red Door Resort’s recommended fishing guide on Mille Lacs Lake, and one of the most relentless anglers you will ever share a boat with. He runs 4, 6 and 8 hour guided trips for walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and muskie from the May walleye opener into the fall, starting at $500. All fishing equipment, tackle and bait are provided; you bring a Minnesota fishing license and a small cooler. Book directly with John at 218-838-2988 or lakesman12@yahoo.com.
Trip facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Guide | Captain John Wersal, Fish On John LLC, a lifelong Mille Lacs angler |
| Trips and rates | 4 hours $500, 6 hours $600, 8 hours $700 |
| Group size | Two anglers is comfortable. Three is the max (four if two are children) |
| Start time | Morning trips usually start around 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. |
| Season | The May walleye opener into the fall |
| Species | Walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskie |
| Included | All fishing equipment, tackle and bait, plus life jackets |
| You bring | Minnesota fishing license, small cooler with snacks and drinks, weather layers, sunglasses, sunscreen |
| Booking | Directly with John: 218-838-2988 (call or text), lakesman12@yahoo.com |
Meet Captain John
John grew up on Mille Lacs. “When I was a kid I’d ride my pedal bike to the lake with my tackle box on one handlebar and fishing pole on the other,” he says. He spent those days fishing the shoreline and hunting for lures other anglers left behind.
After college, John became a police officer. Through that whole career, the lake was where he went to clear his head. When he retired, he turned that lifelong habit into guiding, so he could give other people the same feeling.
Fishing is not a job for John. It is what he would be doing anyway. He has fished Mille Lacs his whole life and knows this lake the way most people know their own backyard: the mud flats and sand breaks off our north shore, the gravel and rock to the south and where the fish move as the water warms in spring and cools in fall. He jokes that fishing is his problem. His own introduction says it best: “My name is John, and I have a problem.” His guests are the ones who benefit.
John is relentless on the water. When the bite is slow, he does not settle and he does not run out the clock. He changes depths, changes presentations and moves to the next spot until he finds fish. That same drive goes into teaching. He is as fired up about a kid’s first walleye as he is about a seasoned angler’s personal best, and he explains as he goes: why this spot, why this bait, what the electronics are showing. When he sees kids fishing from shore, he still likes to share a little of his own tackle. That’s the kid on the bike, looking out for the next one.
What a day on the water looks like
You meet John at the dock in the morning, and his energy is the first thing you notice. The boat is ready, rods are rigged and bait is on board. He has already been thinking about where the fish will be that day, based on the wind, the water and what the fish have been doing.
Then you’re out on one of the largest lakes in Minnesota, and the shoreline gets small behind you. Out on the lake he reads the conditions, moves when the fish move and keeps everyone fishing. Kids stay busy, beginners get patient coaching and experienced anglers pick up tricks they will use for years. You come back with fish, photos and a story or two.
Kids may grumble about the early alarm. John has seen it plenty. “Once they start reeling them in,” he says, “they’ll be smiling and laughing.” That’s the part people remember. The first bend in the rod. A kid yelling for the net. Everyone squeezing in for the photo.
John’s goal is simple: “I just want people to have fun!” He wants you to step off his boat loving fishing a little more than when you stepped on.
Learn your own boat and electronics
Just bought a boat or new electronics? John can ride along in your boat, show you how to run your gear on Mille Lacs and then take you out in his boat to put it to work. Ask John about pricing.
Make it a Red Door stay
We send our guests to John because he works hard to put them on fish and turns a day on the lake into the highlight of their trip. John runs his own guide business, so you book your trip directly with him.
After a morning on the water, there’s still a whole day left. The kids head for the swim beach or the pool. Someone fires up the sauna. And the fish story gets a little bigger every time it’s told.
The Red Door Resort sits on the north shore of Mille Lacs, two hours north of the Twin Cities. Guests get free launching through our protected harbor, overnight boat slips, pontoon rentals, a sandy beach and a lakeside sauna open year-round. We’re also the only resort on Mille Lacs Lake with a heated outdoor pool (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Book a cabin or motel room with the Book Now button or call 218-678-3686, then book your trip with John.
Common questions
Book directly with John at 218-838-2988 (call or text) or lakesman12@yahoo.com. We suggest booking your trip when you book your stay, since summer weekends fill early.
Trips with Captain John are $500 for 4 hours, $600 for 6 hours and $700 for 8 hours. Ask John about deposit and cancellation terms when you book.
Two anglers plus John is the most comfortable, and three is the max. Four can work if two are children.
Yes. John tailors every trip. Beginners learn the basics, from baiting a hook to setting it, and kids get real coaching and their own rod. Experienced anglers can treat John as a fishing partner who knows where to look.
John targets walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and muskie. Morning trips are popular because the early bite is usually best.
Everyone who fishes needs a valid Minnesota fishing license. Bring a small cooler with drinks and snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen and layers for the weather. John provides all fishing equipment, tackle and bait.
