Opening day..66 days and counting

So where do all of you fish on opener? What is your most successful technique?
I will be on WInnie with jigs and minnows.
Lets hear about your opener sweet spot.

DeeZee and I will be somewhere on Mille Lacs this year for “opener.” Or course, we’ll have about 50-75 days in the boat already by then so it won’t have the same punch that it does for someone just getting the boat wet for the first time of the year.

Where? Well… it’s getting pretty hard to get Steve to do anything other than troll up there on the big lake but my guess is we’ll be rigging off of some in-shore break on the west side if my arm twisting can keep the boards and long rods in the lockers!

Mille Lacs – St. Albans bay Lindy rigging a leech with a red hook.

I’ll be on Mille Lacs at midnight anchored up on a small east side rock pile watching a lighted slip bobber. Always fun seeing that first cork go under. FISH ON!!

On Mille Lacs doing what I have been doing the past 12 years. Babysitting my fishing partner . We always have quite the gathering at my Cabin on Friday afternoon / evening with grills going and bom fire roaring with plenty of smart talk. For you guys up there, swing in and say hi. Its on the eastside quarter mile north of Hunters on 167th ave, straight back in the woods. Can’t miss it. Hope to meet up with you guys then. If not, see ya on the water. Can’t wait!

Mille Lacs out of Hunter’s… most likely anchored right next to Jon.

That is unless Sean will let me anchor up next to him… in that case I’ll stay in GR at the cabin and motor over to Winnie.

On Mille Lacs somewhere indeed!!
Holst and I will be pulling multiple all nighters that weekend looking for those elusive twilight big white tipped predators. If I can keep James from throwing the lighted slip bobber overboard…we should be in good biz!
Well see if we can tackle more than 2-3 hours of sleep per day!

Looking forward to it!

We hit Whiteface Reservoir. Up by Auroa. We don’t get huge fish, but the pressure is nil on the lake, and the numbers are there. Lots of walleyes, but all under 12″.

Mostly, we go because of the group. There are about 12 of us. We stay at a camp site, get silly on Friday night with beverages , eat great food on the grill (everyone brings their specialty) , then crash in the campers. Then in the morning (about 10am) we do the “big breakfast” on a 20″ fry pan over the fire with bacon, sausage (homemade), eggs, hashbrowns, onions, peppers, & tobassco (of course). All whipped up together in a big mess of food, covered with cheese . Our problem is that come Sunday afternoon, everyone arteries are so clogged with saturated fat, that everyone is stiff……

It is a blast that each year leaves great memories.

By the way, I did catch a 28.9lb northern on opener in 2001 on this lake. Caught on 6lb test lindy rig and a fat head! Took about 15 minutes to boat her, but we did get.

Sorry, I had to put this one on the wall…….I just couldn’t throw her back……(it is my only mounted fish though)

Thanks to the Wi lottery system my sweet spot on Mn opener will be turkey hunting in Wi. Oh well, I will already have had two weekends on the Croix. Wi has always been my main opener anyways.

Oh yes…….Mille Lacs! and by the way DMAN, I will be fishing with my new secret weapon!!!!!!! I will be trying to repeat as the Champion of “The Big D on the opener”

Just kidding alittle!

I will be watching a lighted cork in the dark and rigging the northend sand during the daylight. I might even fish a little off the dock out front………

Opener…….Can’t wait! Mille Lacs at midnight out of Hunters or the North Public Landing…trying to stay away from the crowds. Will be trolling. Then we are off to Gull for the rest of the weekend.
Good Luck….

What’s an “opener”?

I’d like to be in my boat somewhere fishing. but 66 days is a long time from now and who knows what can happen. i had a stroke last year of which kept me from any fishing all year I’m going to try to make up for it this year. with more time on the water

I’ll be home on the opener and on Mille Lacs the weekend after the opener…rookies gone and better fishin

well I will be probably on Coon Lake in ham lake, the northern metro, with my fishing buddy, Joe. But it won’t be my first time out onthe water. looking to be fishing that crappie tourney on tonka the 24th of april, unless wife is in labor. but probably try to find something to catch and release.

shane

Hmmmm…secret weapon you say. Time will tell how secret and what kind of weapon we are talking here.
See ya this weekend.

This year, like every other year, I will be in the woods, chasing Tom. (I left that one open, didn’t I Chappy!) It’s not the best time to be hunting turks, but I don’t like the crowds on the lake, and this way, I am a perfect 7 for 7 on getting drawn for a permit for my location. 6 for 7 on birds. I take my son and daughter out of school a couple of days to go with. Very enjoyable!
But if I was going to go, I think I would sit in my truck, starting at about 10pm, at a landing, on the windy side of Mille Lacs with a couple of “sodas”, and a video camera and record the comedy for all to see! I am sure all of you “opener” guys, can tell at least a couple of good storys about what you have seen over the years like, forgot plugs, dead batteries, rookies backing in trailers, boats on rocks, and maybe just one or two fella’s that should not have drove to the landing, if you know what I mean! No, I save my first trip, which is always to Winnie for 5 days, over Memorial weekend with the fella’s. Till then, I will have plenty of time logged on Pool 3 and 4.
Good luck to all, and be safe!

Rivy

The one nice thing about fishing Mille Lacs on Opener is, if you don’t have a boat, you can just walk from rig to rig to the reefs, without getting your feet wet!!!!

Couldn’t resist . Great fishery, but just too crowded for me on opener!

I will be at Millelacs Northend during the day Southend during the night(The Hump Izatys Andersons Reef)

THIS YEAR I THINK WE WILL BE AROUND THE HACKINSACK AERA. ALL WAYS GO UP FOR M.E.A WEEK END AND FISH WITH MY DAD AND BRO. , KIND OF A LAST THING FOR THE OPEN WATER ,ON THE LAKES ANY WAY . LAST YEAR WE DID NOT FISH LEECH, WE HIT A LAKE FOR THE FRIST TIME, DID VERY WELL ,SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF A LAKE IT IS IN THE SPRING.

Decisions,decisions. St. Croix,Pool 3 or Pool 4, and the great part is I will have whichever one I choose almost to myself. I’m thinking Pool 4 with the later Opener this year. The trolling bite should be kicking in by then.