What is the best Opener Lake????

[bigfishin21]

I was just curious what lake you guys think is the best for walleye opener? Everytime I go out on opener I dont do to good. Waiting to hear all the feedback. Thanks.

[knoppers]

can't go wrong with leech lake. fish the middle area, around goose island, the sand flats, pine point, and any area to the west up to shore at night. last year was slow, but so was everywhere else. use the weather as an indicator along with ice out and water temps. late ice out, which will probally happin this year with all the ice, pick a shallower lake that warms up faster, lakes such as big stone. I know where I will be, but thats a secret.

[united jigsticker]

knoppers, come back to chat.

[knoppers]

united jigsticker, sorry I missed ya, we will hook up later.

[Guest]

bigfishin,

My advice would be stay off the lakes till Monday. I use to go every opener but just refuse now. Too many of the opening day only guys pulling whatever throught he water scaring the fish to unreachable depths. My brother still goes out and does catch a few but by the end of the day he is ready to strangle every fisherman that cut him off, anchored by his bouy marker etc. I have hit spots that he fished on opener during the mid-week and just nailed fish when he couldn't even get a bite.

Which lake? Just keep on reading about the best lakes to fish on opener, they usually print them in the paper or other outdoor magazines, then avoid them all and try to find a little lake to fish. Mille Lacs isnt too bad after you fight through the landing and loading of your boat. SOME PEOPLE!! maybe a course on landing edicit would help. Anyway there are a lot of options and places here that most people won't fish.

Keep the lines tight

[guideman]

Hi All,
Unlike many of you, I enjoy all the 1st
day excitment and the crowds.

It's all part of the fun for me!
Going to the bait shop and watching all the youngsters going out on their first fishing opener.
Fathers and grandfathers, fishing with
their sons and daughters.I remember how special that was for me when I was just a youngster.

I have fished some 45 opening days in my life and in that time believe me, I have fished them all.
The best opening day lake In my opinion is Lake Vermilion. It can get crowded if you fish Pike bay but there are plenty of other areas to fish and lots of walleyes to catch.

------------------

Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
aceguideservice.com
[email protected]

[Finlander]

Don't go to Osakis!!
Not a good opening day lake!
I can count on one hand the fishing has been good on opener there over the last 35 years I've fished that lake!
The third weekend after opener is when they start bighting good. Just my two cents!

[IceHawk]

I prefer the Horseshoe chain in Richmond mn. For years I ran up north on openers fishing many different lakes, I finally realized I have some of the best water in my back yard. If I was looking for new water I would look for a small stained lake with a heavy concentration of walleyes and northerns. Stained shallow water lakes will warm faster than deep clear lakes. The bite is usally better on these dishpans, but as the season progresses those deep clear lakes will kick in. Sometimes any lake is a good opener lake. To me openers are, the friendships made with fishing buddies, the laughs,jokes,etc. To us our openers aren't always judged on how full are livewells are but, how much fun we have had as a group.

[Rainman]

OSAKIS is not a bad lake to fish on opener!We have done good there for many years! I have not fished it for a few, but my brothers fish it every year and they do quite well on opener!!

[Ely Lake Expert]

The best lakes are the one most people don't know about.

Ely lake expert

[Bobb-o]

I agree with Ely, I have never seen more than 3 boats on my lake at any one time including mine. If I had to choose it would be the one lake i would fish for the rest of my life.

------------------
"If I get any dumber, I am gonna need to wear a helmet"

[LundExplorer]

I'm with you guideman! I have spent the past 30 or so openers on Vermilion. There were days we were in T-shirts, and others we were in winter clothes...either way it was all good.

Many good memories from Vermilion for me as a kid, I spent a lot of time there. Hopefully I can get my kids as interested as I was!!

Tom Larson

[Guest]

I'm gonna take my chances at osakis.

------------------
<)/////><{
RobertC

[jparrucci]

Vermillion by a mile. I've been fishing it on the opener for about 6 years now, and every one of those years I've managed to get a limit of walleyes. The weather hasn't always cooperated though, even last year I froze out there. You won't get the size of fish you will out of Mille Lacs, but you will catch lots of 12-16 inchers. There is plenty of stucture, which really helps when the winds howling. There is always somewhere to go to get out of the big waves. Much better scenery than the big pond too.

[ghotierman]

Best opener lake in this area will be one with no ice on it!...

72 days and counting....the best bite will be determined by how the ice goes and what the weather will do...will the big waters be warm enough to be productive? or will the prairie bowl lakes attract all the angelers again?....

------------------
Northeast Outfitters
915 Hwy 29 N NE
Alexandria, MN 56308
(320) 763-9598

[CANOPY SAM]

The best lakes for me on the opener would be "Rivers". The eyes are so much more predictable in rivers at the time of the opener. And I can pretty much guarantee there won't be an ice problem with any rivers by the opener! A lot fewer people to contend with as well.