The long awaited opening weekend on Mille Lacs Lake arrived with frenzied fishing. We experience some great fishing and some not so favorable weather! I fished this opener with my long time fishing partner Tim "Hook’s" Hukriede. He and I hit the lake shortly after midnight Friday evening. We started out bobber fishing a shallow reef on the eastside. We managed just a couple of fish between midnight and 2am. The bobber bite was not what we had hoped for so we headed in for a quick nap!!
Early Saturday morning we headed back out just before 6am and headed to another shallow rock spot to setup and bobber fish. We again only managed a couple of fish. At 8am we headed to the northend sand near Fisher’s Resort. This was our first good decision of the weekend. Hook and I caught and released a ton of walleye ranging between 14-24 inches. We were pulling 6-7 ft lindy rig’s with a red Gamakatsu hook and leech. We caught fish of the inside break at 16-17 fow and also out on the 18-21 ft break. We left the sand and headed in around 1 pm. It was time to take a break after a long day in the wind and rain. This picture of Hook with a 24 incher show’s how you had to be bundled up for the cold wind and wet weather we had to deal with.
Saturday night we again tried bobber fishing with limited success. We headed in around 10:30pm just about the time the full moon was starting to show it’s pretty face! When I say limited sucess…..I’m only comparing it to the great sand bite we had going earlier!! Sunday Morning we headed back north to the fishers sand area and again got into some dandy fish. Hook and probaby caught and released around 30+ fish in the 6 hours we were on the lake. We ended our day Sunday around 12:30pm and headed in.
Hook and I experienced one of the better opener’s in the past years! The great fishing on Mille Lacs should continue now into to the mid summer time frame. I do have some open dates for guide trips after this coming weekend. Call now and book a trip while the bite is hot!!
Cold? Wind? Rain? Guess I didn’t notice.
I see from the picture you and Hook must have been fishing on the boat lift, huh?
I suppose! Big D said no fishing from the DOCK! 
He didn’t say anything about the boat lift! 
Next year, don’t give Kooty all your good spots.
Nice report Bob! How many boats would you guess fished mille lac this opener? Is it crazier than a weekend on the ice?
Ya….I know we will see something next year about boat lift’s!!! It was ok to help Kooty and Matt out!! I just did’nt think they would have had enough weight to pass us up on the leader board!!!
Luke, The rain kept a few away from the big pond but there was still quite a few boats up on north end sand.
Bobber, I saw a huge (I mean HUGE!) swirl ahead of the boat last night in the harbor. I think your toothy buddy is back!
I think u meant hitting the lake just after midnight on early Saturday morning.
Its nice when you dont even have to take the boat off the lift.. You gotta show me that harbor sometime.
Nice fish fellas.
I need to thank my fishing partner for carrying my sorry butt all week end.
As my physical abilities continue to deteriorate I find myself needing more and more help with little things. He baited my hook, netted my fish and took them off the hook for me.
All I had to do was pack a lunch for him!
As my Strength diminishes I firmly believe something i’ll never lose is my competitive spirit.
Thanks partner!
I would also like to thank Dave Koonce, Chris Tuckner, Tom Donaldson and Rob stenger for the adaptive brace they bought for me to hold my fishing rod, it lead to all kinds of ideas to make fishing easier for me. Fortunately I didn’t need it for opener but down the road here when I do we’ll post some pictures!
Thanks guys!
Hooks, you certainly haven’t lost your appetite, you can still pound down some fish..
Nice fish guys!
Sounds like you guys had a great opener enjoying each other’s company as yo uhave for so many years now!
Great to see!!
awesomw report Bob. Thanks for sharing. I am thinking about a day on the pond soon. I will PM you to check on dates. Love2Fish.
Bobber, nice report. Also, great job on the fryer’s, as usual they were awesome. What was even more of a feat, was keeping up with the hungry crew, nobody had to wait for fish !!!
big g
Derek,
As you noticed, I eat and eat and eat, but I’m consuming less overall due to my disease affecting my ability to swallow. It now takes me 30-45 minutes to eat what I used to scarf down in 5 minutes. I lost another 5 lbs. over the weekend which I’m sure my doctor’s will not like!
My biggest decision of my life will come when I can no longer eat!
I make a mean Walleye soup..
Soups go down good…………….if it doesn’t dribble out of my mouth first!
We’ll tip you upside down.
I will make a batch and drop it off Memorial Weekend. All you need to do is add Walleye chucks when you heat the soup up.
Bob,
Friends and Great times, plus nice fish, the things memories are made of 
Thanks for the report! After all the smack in recent weeks, it was good to hear you guys had a good opener
dave
Great report Bob and nice finish for Hooks and Bobber team. Thanks to all that hung out and fished thru some pretty crap conditions. It was a great time with good friends. Great laughs around the fire Saturday night wouldn’t you say Kooty. Thanks again fellas.
Like I told G yesterday, my ribs still hurt from laughing. You’d swear I got pumpled at Hunters.
Thanks for allowing me to take part in this event, I had a blast as always with this crew.
Great report Bob!! What a way to start the season!!
Ben Garver
Good report, Bob. Sorry I missed the fishfry but I had venison sausage going on the little grill again.
Hooks, I have more of that vitamin enriched TJ if that will help the good stuff go down.
Putz,
Denise and I were talking about your V-4, I really liked it. Things with a heavier viscosity are easier to drink for me. Like I said They don’t dribble out of my mouth as easy!
Going to be up there over Memorial weekend? We may make a day trip Sat.
Yep! Stop by and visit!
My mother-in-law and neice wil be visiting so will need someone to talk fishing with!!!
I love this report and comments…Tim your courage, spirit and attitude only reinforce my feelings that there are some things that can never be diminished…even when are bodies wear out. Who knows maybe this summer I will FINALLY get to fish MilleLacs and stop and see you, D, and Bobber!
Walleye “chucks” mix well with mashed potatoes too!!
We love ya Tim!
Sounds like a tough crowd, Tim.
I’ll be in touch as plans are made.
Tom,
Thanks for the kind words!
I figure if I can no longer be handy……………I may as well try to be inspirational!
Besides…………There’s always hope!
Insirational is what you have been!!!!! Thanks Cuz
My wife would agree with this statement 110%
…But she’s hoping someday I’ll be both! 
We started trolling cranks about 8pm last Saturday and the first fish of the night was a 41″ muskie on 6 pound test. That was fun. We then caught three limits of eyes and never got deeper than 8 foot of water. It was nice to catch some eyes without any live bait (besides beer) in the boat. Good luck to all this weekend, as I will be turkey hunting.