2024 Mn fishing opener…..

so…..my plan is to try and hit the walleyes a bit harder……what is the prefered bait early season like this????

i’ll troll raps but my jig some……minnows?????

Glenn,
I am usually fishing lakes that have shiners so they tend to be the minnow of choice.
However I have done decent with rainbows as well.

Michael Best wrote:

Glenn,
I am usually fishing lakes that have shiners so they tend to be the minnow of choice.
However I have done decent with rainbows as well.

glenn57 wrote:

so…..my plan is to try and hit the walleyes a bit harder……what is the prefered bait early season like this????

i’ll troll raps but my jig some……minnows?????

walleyes?? interesting….

We will be at the cabin up on Rainy. It should be a good opener. Usually it takes things a week or two to get warmed up a little and get going but I think this year with the early ice out it should be great timing. The following weekend is the Canadian opener so we will definitely partake in that too. The early season bite on that side of the lake just can’t be beat.

yea Mike i like to expand my horizon on occasions!!!!!

i run rapalas alot on lakes i fish i know that have walleyes in it. ya know hoping i catch a walleye or 3!!

walleyesforme wrote:

We will be at the cabin up on Rainy. It should be a good opener. Usually it takes things a week or two to get warmed up a little and get going but I think this year with the early ice out it should be great timing. The following weekend is the Canadian opener so we will definitely partake in that too. The early season bite on that side of the lake just can’t be beat.

I always think about doing rainy for opener. I imagine that river is still packed with walleye at that time

We are on the lake but lots of times in the spring if we are pressed for time or don’t want to burn a bunch of gas we will load the boat up and take it to the river right in International Falls. I can’t speak for other areas of the river but the fish in that stretch hang around and are very active until mid June or early July depending on the weather. I’d assume it’s similar the whole way down to LOW. The best part is you usually have it all to yourself and you don’t even have to start the big motor to get to good fishing.

glenn57 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>weedis wrote:</div>
St. Cloud area. Not sure morning plan yet, maybe river. Hit up Rice in evening.

when my inlaws had the place on rice….we did better fishing crappies then walleyes….

One of my favorite lakes in the area for walleye, have done very good out there. Plenty of crappies too.

Glenn I can’t remember where you’re going but I’ve always had luck trolling cranks on opener but this opener will be differently depending on water temp. I always focused on shallow water channels and we hammered em.

we will doing night time bobber fishing on Rice.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Glenn I can’t remember where you’re going but I’ve always had luck trolling cranks on opener but this opener will be differently depending on water temp. I always focused on shallow water channels and we hammered em.

heade to itasca county….pretty close to Jessie and bowstring lake……just havent decided what lakes yet!!!!

Probably turkey hunting on actual opener, then kid #2s birthday that Sunday. Second weekend the old man and I are staying up by Winnie friday-monday so will be hitting Winnie, Bowstring, Red, and/or wherever the wind takes us.

This year will be our group 51st annual fishing opener at Leech Lake. With early ice out it could be interesting for sure. If you get time watch Minnesota Bound on Sunday night May 12th. They filmed us last year and is doing a piece on our groups longevity. I am glad some of the younger guys are stepping up to the plate!

David Anderson wrote:

This year will be our group 51st annual fishing opener at Leech Lake. With early ice out it could be interesting for sure. If you get time watch Minnesota Bound on Sunday night May 12th. They filmed us last year and is doing a piece on our groups longevity. I am glad some of the younger guys are stepping up to the plate!

Very cool I will try and watch it. Maybe post a link if it shows up online later and share.

fishthumper wrote:

I would guess I will be on the horseshoe chain for opener again this year. Hope its better than the last few years.

Stay away from all the neckdowns like everyone else fishes and you’ll still find fish. Go fish Long on the North end or the south side points. Horseshoe also has some spawning areas on the main lake, and you can normally snag a few males still hanging around. Heck, I would even search weedlines.

Honestly, I do get it, it’s tough to not fish the honey hole between Great Northern and Krays.

That being said, I will be fishing the Chain.

Mike Schulz wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
so…..my plan is to try and hit the walleyes a bit harder……what is the prefered bait early season like this????

i’ll troll raps but my jig some……minnows?????

walleyes?? interesting….

We have snagged a few walleyes on opener but we will be going for bass. Usually around the nisswa, Crosslake area.

Probably Minnetonka for me. No family cabin. We actually do pretty well on Minnetonka in the spring for walleye, among all the other species.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Very cool I will try and watch it. Maybe post a link if it shows up online later and share.

Captain,

The group I go with was organized by our good friend Ron Edberg. Minnesota Bound had a contest in 2012 relating to fishing opener traditions. Send in a 300 word essay and maybe they would pick you. We got picked! This piece was filmed in 2012, to be aired on the opener in 2013. Unfortunately our good friend Ron was killed in a work related shooting in September of 2012. He did get the edited DVD prior, however never was able to see it on the Minnesota Bound program. Here is that link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Dc0f-XdWk
Last year they decided to do a follow-up for our 50th annual. The 2012 video is the only one featuring our late friend Ron and he lives through MN Bound. A great tribute to a great guy.

Dave, sorry to hear about your buddy! What a tradition though I will take time to watch that today!

Started watching it! I had actually seen that one! Very cool!

You all should know this – “Two things don’t belong in a fishing boat – Bananas and Politics”.

i strongly disagree…

WALLAEYESFORME
Let me know how Canadian Rainy opener goes. We cant get tot he North Arm til the first weekend in June this year. Will be interested on your take – thanks

The other bonus is that the guy standing behind my part (behind the toilet seat) with the patch on his eye, is my brother Jon. In December of 2016 he passed away from a rare genetic condition that caused his arteries in his head to burst. This would resulted in the tissue dying in his face. My brother and I agreed to split the cost of his trip if he wanted to go and he was ecstatic. Often because of his condition he would stay back while everyone went out fishing. In 2015 he went downhill, I felt bad and told him if he really didn’t feel like coming, don’t do it on our account. His response was priceless, stating he isn’t able to do much of these things, however sitting on the picnic table watching the loons was heaven, he said that he would only miss this if he was dead. Uffda.

love the great story!!! look forward to Minn bound!!!

Most likely be at the duck shack and hit red and maybe Winnie. If the group doesn’t want to go to the shack I’ll be on Mille lacs at midnight.

glenn57 wrote:

so…..my plan is to try and hit the walleyes a bit harder……what is the prefered bait early season like this????

i’ll troll raps but my jig some……minnows?????

Shot me a PM if you plan to fish the Chain, I can share some spots with you.

TillrLife……thanks i was referring when i head up to the cabin after opener…..i doubt i’ll fish the chain over opener…

Is there such a thing as too much fishing and might have to rest on Minnesota opener?