Minnesota opener

[pete]

Where are you going for the big opener?

[rickn]

south dakota! There aren't many non residents there that week end!

[MnWalleyeKiller]

Thinkin of heading up to otter tail. Been there the last few openers and the fishing has been great. Mille lacs will have to wait until memorial weekend this year.
"Its almost time"

[JonDVM]

What's an opener? Here in ND we fish year round. I'll be on Sak or Missouri River. As a native Minnesotan, and avid Gopher hockey fan, walleye fishing is better in your neighbor to your west. By the way, congrats to the NCAA National Champion Gopher hockey team.

[Sam]

You're still proud of that tainted victory? Get over it!

[Whatever]

Sorry Loser.

[wouldchuck]

Heaven.

Or as the rest of the world would call it; Northern Minnesota.

Been going to a lake on the north side of Cass for as long as I can remember. Good time, good friends (although some of them are relatives :) )and good fishing

[jimbo2]

How so?

[Schnauzer]

Mille Lacs at midnight, stay there for the night, then out and on to family cabin on Woman Lake, grab a couple hours of sleep, and back at it on Woman Lake Sat. afternoon and evening. I've got some days off the following week so depending on how things go, might make day trips to Leech and/or Mille Lacs from the cabin or stay on the local lake.

If I go through my tackle and reorganize it one more time between now and then, I think I'll puke. I must have every snell memorized. I'm picking my boat up this weekend. That should give me something else to play with for a couple weeks. tic toc tic toc.

[Grampa_Joe]

Leech, as usual. We usually hit the lake at about noon. Ha Ha

Joe Carlson

[MNStarfish]

I will be at the Lac Qui Parle River near Milan. Then off to Mille Lacs the second weekend.

[Eyecrosser]

Hey MnWalleyeKiller,

I know from past posts that you are a Milly guy like me, so I thought I would ask you a question. What's the deal with the night band on Milly as far as opener is concerend? Can a guy fish Milly at Midnight saturday? Good luck this year.

Eyecrosser

[walleye]

devils lake, nd but i won't have to wait for an opener, just open water!

[mh]

Southern MN.
The water usually is warmer and the fish more active than up north.

[Pherris]

Two Inlets lake Park Rapids.

[Jeff ND]

MnStarfish, are you from that area or only go there fishing and hunting?

[MNStarfish]

I first fished the area last year for the opener,did well so we are going back. I live about 45 miles from Mille Lacs but the crowds are a little much on opener. I plan on Duck/Goose hunting the Marsh lake area this Fall. Any insight on the area I could use?

[Schnauzer]

Yes, I'm pretty sure night fishing is OK on Mille Lacs opening weekend. The night ban goes into affect after opening weekend.

[Jawjerker]

Cass Lake

[guideman]

I'll be on the best opening day lake in Minnesota, Lake Vermilion. :)

[Greg P]

I have been fishing Minnetonka the last few years for opener. We always catch a good number of fish, mostly big crappies, bass, northerns, a few walleyes. But lots of action.

Not everyone I fish with has enough patience to fish walleyes, and the number of fish we catch on Tonka is hard to beat.

Anyone else going to Minnetonka for opener? We usually stop in at Haskels in Excelsior for lunch around noon. Be happy to share notes with anyone we cares to meet up with us.

[ANXIOUS]

so many lakes and so little time.... does anyone ever have a hard time picking a lake to go to? i always have such a hard time making up my mind. then if the lake i go to isnt producing... i think ##### i should have went somewhere else! if i dont get jacked out of my vacation time i will fish panfish around brainerd the whole week b4 opener and then go to leech or winni! man i cant wait to put the boat in and look at the locator again! oh ya and feel that tug tug tug!

[mmillelacs]

what else.......sigh.. i really need to expand my horizons lol

[Otter]

Leech, Cass or Bemidji depending on conditions.

[stevefellegy]

I'm lucky to live on the shores of mighty Mille Lacs. I will have a dire need to practice casting off the dock about ten to midnight on the opener. Of course....I won't set the hook until 12 o'clock. lol

Good luck everyone! Have a safe opener.....what a tradition!!

[ScottL]

Hey MNStarfish, 45 miles which way from Lac Qui Parle, I live 35 Miles NE of Milan. Maybe we can hook up some time, I'm still undecided where opener is going to be, but I was leaning towards Pomme de Terre, North of Morris.

Regards,

Scott Lee

[ScottL]

Oops, should of read post more carefully. Anyway good luck.

Regards,
Scott Lee

[Xplorer]

I am planning on a rather unique opener this year (at least here in MN) as long as the weather holds. I will be on the St Louis river by 4:30 and fish walter's until around 10. Then I plan on heading down river and out onto Lake Superior and troll for some coho and king salmon and lakers for a few hours and then make the run back up the river and look for "walterous giganticus" until dark.

Although opener may be called "amateur day" by many, some of my best memories (and I'm not all that old:) )are of seeing kids catching a walleye with dad, maybe on the only day they go fishing all year, but the look on those kids face was worth all of it. I can only hope that I can see those same looks on my soon to be born son's face for many openers to come.

To all those going out, best of luck and stay safe. And remember, half of those boats out on opening weekend, wont see the water again until next opening day:)
Xplorer

[Waterwolf]

Guideman,
The opener June 1st, right?
:)
Have a good one!
The Wolf

[BIGWINNIE]

BIGWINNIE

[Mattman]

I'm lucky enough to have a friend who's grandfather lives on a small (900 acre) lake in the Bemidji area with no public access. Its not uncommon for us to be the only boat on the water. 6 or 7 boats is a busy day. Its long and narrow, so the wind isn't a problem either. There aren't a lot of Walleye's but the average size is much better than on a lot of the area lakes. We usually take Monday off of work too. Then on late Sunday and Monday we find out where the hot bites were Saturday and Sunday and head there. Bemidji, Irving, Cass, Leech, Blackduck, Crappies on Red.... I really do love avoiding the crowds!


Better to have and not need than to need and not have!

Matt Davis

[KRB]

Bring along alot of bait. This winter, the small fish 8" - 13" kept you busy (keeper fish were mixed in). The fall bite was not as good as in the past. Most people gave up fall fishing the area to early. Had the lake to ourselves & did pretty well.

As far as duck/goose hunting, can't get much better.

Good luck on opener.

[MnWalleyeKiller]

They change things every day it seemes like. I am almost positive that you can fish fri night and sat night. I think its that sunday or monday that they shut it down at 10:00. Good question, I havent been on mille lacs on opener for a few years now so I am not that familiar with when the ban goes into effect. I am up there on memorial and by then its been on for a while. Let me know if your headed up there I just might swing through for a night run.

[Al Gore]

Sam. I bet your happy George won.

[BigDave2]

Winnie this will make the 25th consecutive opener on this lake, some better than others but always a great time!!!

[The Great Guide]

Saturday....Traditional breakfast at my house for the guys. About noon we are heading for Whiteface Res. St. Louis County.

Sunday. Inland Lake. St. Louis County

Mon. Tues. Wed St. Louis River