I really had little confidence… 41 degree water temps, four days after ice out, wind spitting freezing rain out of the NW at 18-20 mph… That we would catch opening day Walleye up here in the Northwoods… Boy, was I wrong!
After drifting/drowning minnows for a freezing hour…I cast a 1/8 oz Scenic Pro jig tipped with a Catalpa SuperDoo toward the steep rocky drop off…lift…lift…"WAP" something big and strong engulfed the BFT plastic and bored away on a head shaking run toward the bottom…taking 6# mono from my reel and putting a deep arc in the 6’3" rod. Moments later my friend Herb slid the net under this 29" golden beauty…
My friend Herb Samme’ is a big ol loveable Canadian born hockey player, and avid bass angler…but this was the Walleye opener so he insisted I join him in the cold rainy weather. Fishing a strange lake and poor conditions, I fell back to early season basics. Look for warmer water, wood, shallow rocky points and gravel flats near deeper water…
Around the point of the 282 acre lake was a promising bay ringed with downed Birch and Popple trees…The mud bottom wasn’t condusive to dragging jigs so I suggested we try some crankbaits. My tackle was back in my boat, so I selected a FireTiger #7 ShadRap from Herb’s box…we stayed out in 14-15 fow and cast to the first break near the wood….Herbs second cast with a Tennessee Shad #8 Rap elicited a grunt and "fish on" and a nice 25" post spawn Eye was soon netted…
Were we into a pattern? As we approached the shallow corner I threw my Rap back out towards the bay mouth…The lure hadn’t gone 20 feet when it was abruptly stopped…another big head shaking walleye! Obviously these post spawn females were cruising the shallow woody bay looking for something to eat…I smiled and laughed…here I was, wrong rods, no crankbaits, throwing big borrowed ShadRaps with a 63MXF (vertical jig rod)… The best planning doesn’t always win the day!
I soon realized we were drawing attention as two other boats motored in close to us… We had not taken any photos yet due to several boats nearby. Herb had an ample aerated live well in his Bass Boat and with 41 degree water I knew we could keep them there safely and CPR them back at the boat launch…I couldn’t resist one last cast as the wind picked up, sun broke through and air temps became more frigid… An Eagle screamed overhead and…yes friends…another big walleye slammed the Rap…the rod’s deep arc and protesting drag on the Pfleuger reel was music to my ears…a tall dark green dorsal fin broke water near the boat…I tried to sweep the big 10 lb walleye into the net as discretely as possible, keeping my rod low, but she rolled and the line went slack with a big swirl and the bright colored Rap popped to the surface…My heart sank…but Herb smiled and said "A perfect ending to a great day"…
We kept these three for Herb’s family supper…They were the smallest of the several we caught…Back at the boat landing Bobbie Samme’ and her Sheltie were amazed as we lifted the large fish from the livewell for pictures…She even took the photos for us.
When asked why we let so many go back into the water…Herb responded, "So there will be more of them to catch next time " Aint that the truth Herbie! Thanks for a great day!!
some more pictures…
Wow, nice fish Tom!
That’s going to be an openner to remember.
Boog
Great job you guys!
Those fish can really warm up an otherwise cold day in paradise, eh? 
I love the color of those fish Tom! WOW!
Sure is fun to run into a pattern like that!
Congrats!
Thats awesome. Not many opener with that big of fish. Were they spawned out yet?
Great Report Tom
Great report and fish
Can’t wait till the MN opener
Yes…even at those cold temps…all the girls had flat bellies…
Tom,
Nice opener, great pics, and a Great Day,
sure are some nice golden colors on those fish.
Jack.
Nice Report! It really adds fuel to my fire to get out this Friday night for the MN opener. I really enjoyed your descriptive story and the fact that you included the “CPR” message
! Thanks for making the “mondays” more bearable 
! 690reece
Great read Tom! We all appreciate the care you take to selectively harvest the eaters and let the big fish go unharmed. Nice job!
Tom:
Great fishing and a testament to the dark water lakes and the ability for them to warm up early!!! I have been hanging my hat on the large deep clear lakes looking for prespawn fish. I did fish a smaller dark lake and had great success, but not the size of those toads!!! Since I have started on the larger lakes, we have had water temps in the upper 30’s and while one friend of mine took a nine fish limit of fish from 21″ to 27″, I only have one 25″ to my credit so far this spring. It was beauty fish, but forgot my camera and really didn’t want to draw attention to myself with a flash even though there was still ice on the eastern half of the lake and no other boats out there with me. Going to try to fish a smaller darker lake tonight or tomorrow so the wife can get some fillets or she is going to wonder what is wrong with my head.
You open up next Thursday right??? Great report!!!
Mark
Nice fish Tom and a good read too. Looks like things are warming up some your way.
Tom:
Here are some pics from one of those big deep clears in da Northwoods. Water temps are just getting into the low to mid 40’s at best. Walleyes appear to have finished their spawn, so fishing should pick up as well. Hopefully back out tonight… LdF reservation fish so we threw back two 24’s and kept four for the pan. With the 18″ length limit it gets difficult not to have the small ‘eyes be in the low 20’s for the pan. Cpr’ed the bass.
Mark