Late Season Walleye Report – Alexandria

As many fishermen did this past weekend, I fished walleye for the last time this ice season in central Minnesota. If anglers aren’t willing to travel to a Minnesota border water, the next time they’ll see a walleye will be on open water this spring.

As we’ve done for many years, my dad and brother came up to Alexandria to join me. We hit the ice late afternoon and got set up on a nice break that funnels down into a deep hole. I popped over 50 holes along this break, allowing us to work up and down it as the sun started to near the horizon.

We jigged 1/8-3/16oz jigging spoons tipped with fatheads. On the tip-up/set lines we used an assortment of glow jigs. We iced a good number of eater walleye ranging from 16”-20”. Along with some very nice fish over 20”, including my dad’s personal best through the ice, a very fat 29”er.

It certainly was an interesting battle with a large number of irregular runs. We had no idea how big she was until the head floated by the bottom of the hole. I pulled up my sleeve and was able to catch her just under the jaw to pull her up the hole. She was a flawless fish with the girth and length we all dream about. After a few quick pics we put her back in the hole and with a blast of her tail she was gone to fight another day.

It was another day I’ll never forget. As we were reflecting on the great evening I couldn’t help but think how easily we might have not gone fishing that evening. What I mean is, it just seems easier at times to find a reason not to go. Instead of realizing our days are numbered on this earth and we should do all we can to make the best of every day given to us. So the next time you have a chance to go fishing with a loved one do your best to ignore the reasons not to go and just go! You never know which time out will be the one you remember forever.