Expectations for walleye fishing are good heading into Minnesota’s opener weekend

While area lakes had an early ice out, lingering cold water temperatures may make it difficult to find certain live bait for the fishing opener.

However, conditions are looking up for a good walleye run for the Minnesota walleye and northern pike fishing opener Saturday, May 11.

Sherree Wicktor, owner of S&W Bait north of Brainerd, said the continued low lake temperatures have caused difficulties with the supply of shiners and the sizes of certain bait like leeches.

“At first we were worried it was too warm because the ice got off too early. And then it got cold again. Now we’re worried it’s too cold,” Wicktor said.

Regardless of issues with bait sourcing conditions, Wicktor expects it to be a good season for walleye fishing.

“I think we’re going to end up with a good walleye run,” she said.

Dave Sheley, owner of the Corner Store in Backus, thinks his store should be decently stocked heading into opener weekend.

“It’s looking like it’s going to be alright. We should be able to get our spottails and we should be able to get some leeches. They’re not as easy to get as we thought they might be because we had a really early spring. But then it just keeps waffling on us, so water temperatures aren’t going up quite as fast as you would think they were going to. But in general, it should be fine,” Sheley said.

In the Backus area, Sheley said Pine Mountain Lake is usually the busiest for fishing opener.

Wicktor said Gull and North Long lakes will be particularly popular for the Brainerd area and advised anglers to be patient when it comes to getting in and out of the lakes.

“Be prepared, be safe and expect to wait at the public accesses. Remember to be Minnesota nice,” she said.

Nancy Vogt / Echo Journal

Grant Thompson, an employee at Sportland Outdoor Outfitters in Nisswa, advised anglers to fish the big lakes, such as Gull, North Long and Round in the Brainerd lakes area.

"Walleye are going to be chasing spottails while spawning," he said, suggesting anglers will find walleyes in shallow areas.

Fish in rocky, sandy areas and in shallow weeds, Thompson said.

Regarding tactics, he advised using a jig and shiner or trolling. Use crankbaits down 2 to 15 feet.

Some anglers fish at night, and Thompson suggested going more shallow with a jig and shiner or a Rapala.

"A little chop would be nice on the water," he said of the wind.

As is usual this time of year, the crappie bite has been good. Anglers should find them and other panfish in shallow bays if the weather warms, Thompson said.

Based on reports from across the state, anglers have a lot to look forward to — especially with an early ice out this year and fisheries lake surveys that have shown good year classes of walleye in many lakes, Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager, said in a news release.

“Walleye fishing will be really good and we really hope people can get out and enjoy it early in the season,” Parsons said. “But we have all kinds of other fish out there too and, particularly if the walleye aren’t cooperating, we encourage anglers to try catching something else.

“Back bays of lakes are great for finding abundant bluegill and crappie. Northern pike are almost always willing to bite, and there are all kinds of other native species out there like sucker species, freshwater drum and others that can really provide a lot of action and good food fare," he said.

• Friday night, May 10: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Saturday, May 11: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Sunday, May 12: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Source: National Weather Service in Duluth

Anglers and waters

• 1.7 million anglers fished in Minnesota in 2022. Of these, 1.2 million were Minnesota residents while 508,000 were nonresidents, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey.
• About 500,000 people are expected to fish on Saturday, May 11, Minnesota’s opening day of the walleye, northern pike, bass and trout-in-lakes season in 2024.
• Minnesota has 11,842 lakes that are 10 or more acres in size, 4,500 of which are considered fishing lakes. There are more than 16,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, including 3,800 miles of trout streams.
• Although not every kind of fish lives everywhere, 162 species of fish can be found in Minnesota waters.

Participation and the economy

• Minnesota anglers spent $5.9 billion dollars on angling-related expenses (for example, angling trips, equipment and licenses) in 2022, according to the USFWS survey.
• Average annual expenditures per angler in Minnesota in 2022 were $3,600, according to the USFWS survey.
• Fishing supports 28,000 Minnesota jobs, according to the American Sportfishing Association.

Who goes fishing?

• According to the survey led by the USFWS, an estimated 26% of Minnesota residents aged 16 and older went fishing in 2022. A closer look at participation by race and ethnicity found that 21% of Black, 26% of Hispanic, and 27% of white Minnesotans aged 16 and older fished in 2022.
• An estimated 38% of male and 14% of female Minnesota residents fished in 2022.
• Among Minnesotans who did not possess a fishing license in 2022, 36% expressed an interest in fishing in Minnesota in the future.
• The most frequently reported barrier to fishing — for Minnesotans interested in fishing — is lacking friends and family to fish with.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.