walleye oppener

hey i just got my first boat as some of you might know. i want to go to the big popular lakes for walleye this openner. but since i dont have the technology to work the bottom of the lakes, is it worth the trip. i know that fishing for walleye is not as easy as many people think. to find walleye i need to know structures, but since i dont have any technology, i will be trolling and jigging randomly from place to place. the lake i wanted to try was milacs, but many said my boat cannot handle the waves. so i was thinking of red lake. what are your oppinion on this. really looking forward to everyones reply.

Red can get pretty big as well. Look at somthing like Gull or white fish. With both lakes you will have the ability to get out of the wind a fish away.

PS… You won’t have trouble finding structure on the opener. Just look for the piles of rigs.

I agree. On the big lakes, just look for boats. Get in with the masses and drift with’em. Look on this site for great electronic deals – both new and used!

If you think your boat is to small for Millacs who thinks Red would be a better choice? Red has bigger waves I think. But if you troll in 9 feet of water with Husky Jerks you will have no problem.

While these big lakes can get rough, they are at times quite calm at night and early morning. There are several good lakes within range of Mille Lacs for example that one can rely on as a back up if the wind gets bad. Check with some local bait shops for details. Look for comments from Derek Johnson he may be able to help you as well.

As for where to fish if you go to Mille Lacs on opener. Easy – follow the crowd and you’ll be close to the fish. My first years to the lake that’s what we did and we caught fish. Most people hit the break line from 12-18 FOW during the day and do quite well. A little wind and you can fish 8-14 range and pick up fish as well. A night, there is not limit how shallow on opener.

Good luck – have fun – be safe – be smart.

If you are going to make the trip and are worried about getting blown off big water there are quite a few decent walleye lakes around. Farm Island, Ripple, Hanging Kettle, Section 12, just to name a few. I can tell you though Mille Lacs can be quite humbling, and just because you see other boats out there of similar size to your own, doesn’t mean that you won’t get absolutely pounded.

Quote:

---

but since i dont have any technology….

---

Are you saying you don’t have a graph or gps? Yes, you could just go out to where the boats are……that is if you don’t run up on a shallow reef trying to get there.

Quote:

---

i will be trolling and jigging randomly from place to place.

---

You may catch a couple fish doing that, but neither method would be my choice on the opener on Mille Lacs.

-J.

I would try Winni. That is if the weather cooperates. Try the west side where the mississipi comes into the lake. Try draggin rattle fireball jigs tipped with a live or dead shiner minnow. You will get many walleye and northern. They stack up there the years Ive been there and we have always done well. The best part is you dont need electronics. Just be carful of the wind and waves. Winni can get nasty!

Good luck!

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

but since i dont have any technology….

---

Are you saying you don’t have a graph or gps? Yes, you could just go out to where the boats are……that is if you don’t run up on a shallow reef trying to get there.

Quote:

---

i will be trolling and jigging randomly from place to place.

---

You may catch a couple fish doing that, but neither method would be my choice on the opener on Mille Lacs.

-J.

---

just wondering, if this is not the method you are going to use, than what are you going to do?

Feel free to call me about how to fish Mille Lacs without a sonar. Maybe we can even get you hooked up with a less than $50 dollar sonar that will work just fine for you.

I think Mille Lacs would be fine for you in the spring (Mid May to Mid June). The lake ALWAYS has a calm side, no matter the wind, close enough to shore to find a few walleyes.

Slip bobber or lindy rigging. Possibly pull crawler harnesses. We usually get out on the lake at midnight, anchor up and bobber fish shallow inshore reefs. Go in for a break about 4am and then back on the water first light and go to rigging.

So, for someone with no electronics I’d suggest a good heavy anchor, 100 feet of rope and a dozen slip bobbers. The reason for a lot of bobbers is you will get snagged and the last thing you will want to do is pull anchor to chase a broke off bobber.

-J.

Aw man, thanks JJ. there goes all my secrets……

big g