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Lake of the Woods Fishing

The Lake of the Woods Minnesota walleye opener is this Saturday, May 9! Rainy River sturgeon fishing is still going strong. The “keep one” season continues through May 7, when it becomes catch and release only through May 15. The low water levels are keeping sturgeon in the deeper holes with some current. For the most action, use a 2-ounce no roll sinker with a 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook and a bunch of crawlers while keeping it close to the bottom near the deeper pockets. The northern pike season is open all year, and anglers have had success casting spoons and crankbaits into depths of 3-10 feet. Anglers who are bobber fishing are using dead smelt or a cisco with a treble hook and spinner.

Lake Mille Lacs Fishing

Lake Mille Lacs water temperatures should be just right for north end sand action, and some of the deeper rocky areas should hold lots of active fish as well. Fishing is expected to be very good this year on Lake Mille Lacs, especially since forage levels have resulted in fish being more eager to bite. The smaller walleye will have the feed bags on so use extra caution if you are bobber fishing in the evenings. Please use extreme care when unhooking these future keepers; barbless hooks will help in the process. There will be a ton of 10- to 15- inch walleye that will frustrate some anglers yet make it a great day on the lake for others. Local anglers report a large number of 19- to 21-inch walleye so a meal of fish is very promising. This season, try your hand at the smallmouth bass that are abundant at the reefs--these fish can be huge! If you want the kids to have some exciting “rip-the-rod-out-of-your-hands action,” hit the rocks and start pitching rubber baits or crankbaits.

Bemidji Lakes Area Fishing

Surface water temperatures should be in the mid-50s or warmer in most lakes, so the walleye should have recovered from their spawn and be ready to bite this weekend. Instead of walleye being concentrated near the river inlets and outlets, the fish may be more spread out, feeding along the new weed growth or in areas with windswept rocks. Walleye are usually pretty shallow on the opener, especially when conditions are overcast or windy. Expect more walleye to be in deeper waters, particularly if there are bright skies and light winds. Another reason to look deeper is all of the boat traffic. Anglers will have to adjust their strategies based on conditions and fishing pressure. One area bait shop reports a good supply of spot tail shiners, golden shiners and leeches due to the early ice-out which offered bait dealers more time to stock-up. Anglers should bring a variety of baits on the opener and have rods rigged for both jigging and live bait rigging, so they are able to give the walleye what they want. Anglers are reminded that water levels are low, with some accesses too low to launch larger boats. Watch your sonar and avoid crossing over shallow areas at high speeds.

Detroit Lakes Area Fishing

The water temperatures are in the upper 50 to low 60s. Most of the eating size walleye (generally male) will be holding in 6-15 feet of water. Jigs or live bait rigs and shiners will be your best bet, and Shiners will be available from local bait shops. Nightcrawlers and leeches should also be a good choice due to warmer water temperatures. The panfish bite continues to improve. Crappies have been holding suspended at about 8 feet over depths of 11-13 feet, but are now moving into even shallower waters. Look for many of the crappies to be on shallow spawning beds in 6-8 feet of water by the weekend. For the most action, use small jigs pitched and retrieved or under bobbers and tipped with small minnows or plastics. Pink, white, and chartreuse have been the most productive colors.

Grand Rapids Lakes Area Fishing

The walleye are done spawning in Grand Rapids area lakes, and most expect that fishing for walleye, as well as for other species, will be excellent during this weekend’s opener! With water temperatures in the 50s, expect most of the activity to be in the shallows, typically in waters less than 12 feet deep. Some of the lakes that generally have a “hot bite” are Big and Little Cutfoot, Big Winnibigoshish, Big Splithand, Bowstring, Sand, Jessie and Round. These are traditionally great destinations for walleye during the opener. Other species, such as crappies and northern pike, should also offer great action. Bring along a pair of hip waders since the low lake water levels may make if difficult to launch and load the boat.

Leech Lake Fishing

When fishing, look to the shorelines and points that the wind is blowing into and start shallow; consider spot-tailed shiners, rainbows or fatheads in 5-10 feet of water in the sandy and gravel areas. Jig fishing is also great this time of year. The best jig colors are chartreuse, dark green and multicolored due to the clear water in Leech Lake. When fishing shallower waters, stick with an 8-ounce jig or weight on your lindy rig. Drifting is a preferred way to fish Leech Lake, but if there is not enough wind, trolling works well also. If it’s very windy, a drift bag can make a huge difference in your ability to stay on fish. A few spots to check out include the Mounds Point area in Steamboat Bay, Oak Point, Joe’s Landing, Star Point, the Little and Big Hardwoods, and Pine Point. Each of these has produced good walleye catches during the early part of season. Other traditional opening weekend hot spots include Ottertail, Sand Beach, Stoney Point, and Little Stoney.

Otter Tail Area Lakes Fishing

Water temperatures are in the mid-50s, even on the larger lakes! This is equivalent to Memorial Day weekend temperatures most years. Most walleye are done spawning, and will focus on feeding once again. Lake shiners, the predominant early food source for most predatory species in Otter Tail County lakes, should be your first choice for bait if the lake you plan to fish has a shiner minnow population. Also, on calm and sunny days, the shiners will stage on and around shallow flats and sand bars, waiting to spawn. They will stage in 3-8 feet of water and the walleye will be right nearby. When it’s sunny and calm, the walleye will be very reluctant to feed in shallow water—especially in the presence of a boat, extra noise and shadows. Bobber fishing is a good way to approach walleye under these conditions, or just wait for the sun to set and the walleye will turn active and feed aggressively. Under most other conditions, walleye should be pretty accessible and catchable. Consider other baits such leeches and crawlers, especially in shallower, darker lakes. Panfish are still hanging in shallow waters and while they may shift when the sun goes behind the clouds, they won’t go far. Look between 6 feet of water and the shorelines and you should catch fish. Also, the water temperatures are warm enough that working small jigs and lures tipped with artificial baits like gulp and power bait should work well.

Rainy Lake Fishing

Sturgeon anglers are hoping to pull in a huge fish during the spring season on the Rainy River. Catch-and-release remains open until May 15, then closes to allow for spawning. The best bet for catching a “monster” sturgeon is to fish the deeper holes near current while using several crawlers on a fair-sized hook with a sinker heavy enough to place your bait just off the bottom. Anglers can also fish for crappies, smallmouth bass and northern pike, with some reports of large northern pike coming from Rainy Lake and the Rainy River. Most anglers are excited for the May 9 walleye season fishing opener since fish should be active due to warm water temperatures and rainwater entering the systems. While the best fishing is generally near the shorelines, the early ice out makes it hard to know whether the walleye will be on the structure near the shorelines or in mid-lake locations.

Willmar Area Lakes Fishing

The Willmar Lakes Area is positioned perfectly for a great fishing experience. The panfish seem to be biting everywhere. Lakes offering exceptional action include Willmar, Foot, Eagle, Andrew, Norway, Games, Florida and Green. Crappies, specifically, have been very active on Eagle Lake, as well as on the north end of Green Lake near the county park, and by Saulsbury Beach. The best bait for crappie action has been a crappie minnow or a waxworm. Walleye and northern pike are done spawning and should be very hungry as long as the weather cooperates. Also, anglers will be allowed to catch and release bass this weekend; the harvest season, however, doesn’t open until May 23.