‘Metro Walleyes’
Good one 
The choice is yours:
Metro-fishing-meme.png
Early Ice it is worth it, but do not expect to catch a full limit. Early in the year a normal outing would be 1-3 eyes for a couple hour sit at primetime. As the year moves on and people start driving it gets more inconsistent.
Type in “metro walleye” in the search bar on this site. Many discussions on this. I don’t fish the metro, but it seems there are ones that do and have some luck at it.
I don’t fish or live anywhere near the metro, but know of some people who catch nice walleyes on Minnetonka regularly. They are pretty tight lipped out it other than sharing pictures.
MNFisherman’s meme is too accurate! lol If you lower your expectations, and work really hard you can have some good walleye fishing in the metro. And by that I mean a 3 fish or more day is an excellent outing imo. . And then don’t plan on replicating it again anytime soon. When I fish around home in the metro, it’s for panfish usually.
I dont fish walleyes a ton but if you do some research on lakes in the area that arent ones you hear a lot about there are some hidden gems out there.
We catch walleye locally but not hot and heavy. Expect 1 2 maybe 3 in a morning or evening and then sometimes that 3 is a big fat 0
They are in certain lakes but you have to enjoy the chase. Like others have mentioned, a couple a night is a good evening. The bite is mainly last light and later in my experience.
If you are looking to just catch fish focus on pannies. Lot of good panfish lakes within 30-40 miles of the metro. If you want to work hard to find fish but be immensely satisfied when you find them, try metro eyes.
The first rule of metro walleye club is we don’t talk about metro walleye club. 
Like others have posted. They are out there and you will have to work for them. I gave up the fight and just go after panfish unless I have time to drive to a better location.
Does pool 2 count as “metro” walleyes? Some regular posters have been slaying them lately. That’s where I’d be going.
There’s an old DNR rearing pond by my house that was said to still be putting out some eyes. It was hidden from the public until recently. I need to check it out. Once those fish out its over.
There’s a handful of lakes in the metro that I’ve caught limits out of (I don’t keep metro eyes, though). There’s a lot of research and a lot of trial and error involved, but those lakes do exist.
Most people like me are very very tight lipped about these spots because we’ve seen what happens when word gets out (Think City Hall Pond in Inver Grove Heights about a decade ago)
My best advice to you is to always have a second line out to maximize your odds (dead stick, Ifish Pro, tip up etc) because that’s how I catch most of my walleyes.
Best of luck to you.
I have had good success with metro walleye for the last couple years. I was able to catch at least 1-2 most of my time targeting them last year. Really the key is to find the right lakes and the right spots and to get away from the crowd. Download Navionics and pin spots that look good. Some of my favorite spots are tapered points, gravel bars and inside turns with a strong weed line. Your next best friend is DNR fish surveys use this to narrow your lake selection to lakes with only a strong population.
Like other people said always using your second line. Because I am fishing by myself most of the time I always use a dead stick next to me which probably accounts for at least 60% of my fish. Lastly primetime is extremely important for walleye fishing. I have found the exact primetime bite varies from lake to lake but the hour before hour after trick holds true on most metro lakes. Most of the time after those perch stop biting the walleye are right behind them.
-Good luck this winter
Put your boat in the water. First cast might be a trophy
In all seriousness, there are walleyes to be had in the metro, just be prepared to get shut out more often. Not many people are catching limits or putting fish on the ice mid-day, but there are well known lakes that give you a decent shot at a fish or 2 during prime time.
I’m not breaking any new ground here, but keys for me in the past are getting away from the crowd, thinking outside the box for spot selection, and light line.
Mpls city lakes arent bad, Waconia, Tonka will also put out some fish. I popped some holes on Bald Eagle with zero experience or knowledge on the lake and caught a dozen from 9-13″ last winter early ice. People ice fish the Croix for crappies and walleye mixed in as well.
I do that the windows for metro eyes are pretty limited, you get about an hour in the morning and a couple hours at night.
Scout fish in November from your boat, that will help you greatly in December (still 1-3) In January gooood luck!
Bald Eagle is the only lake where I can fish textbook walleye structure and consistently see fish. Size leaves something to be desired though.
Other unnamed north metro lakes hold good numbers of good fish with lots of search and destroy.
Having grown up in that area, I routinely ask myself now why I never just opted to fish the Croix in my backyard. That’s the way to go.
There’s an old DNR rearing pond by my house that was said to still be putting out some eyes. It was hidden from the public until recently. I need to check it out. Once those fish out its over.
We have multiple of them around here. It’s amazing how fast word gets out on those things lol.
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