Walleye opener 2004

[pegleg]

I am a little bored here. I just put the fish house away for another season and I am planning on going to the Sports Show tomorrow to look at all the great new toys for boys available to us fisherman.
Where is everybody going for opener? I am thinking about trying a new lake this year because I am tired of Mille Lacs, Gull, Winnie, Otter Tail, etc. They are good lakes but new adventure is fun too....

[Powerstroke]

My dad and his buddies have always gone to Big Sandy. They actually spread a friends ashes out there 2 yrs ago. BUT, this year the resort they have always stayed at has torn down their cabins and are converting to timeshare condos.

We are now going to Leech Lake for the first time. We are staying at a resort in steamboat bay. As far as I know, none fo the 10 of us have ever fished this lake so any tips would be most appreciated.
P.S. We go the second weekend to avoid the crowds and for slightly warmer weather.

[pegleg]

I like Stoney Point area on Leech for opener or early summer. It seems to warm up faster and it is normally not as windy around the point so you can fish it most days. Steamboat Bay takes a while to warm up so it becomes a summer fishing area more than early season.

[huskiesplayer15]

Powerstroke
We used to fish the federal dam for eyes in the spring, that was always a great place to go and catch some nice eyes. We will be heading up to Big Pine near Perham i have always spent opener with my father and grandfather and dont plan on changing that for as long as i can, we always manage to catch a couple but the memories are what make it worth the while.
Best Fishes
Chris

[2dalake]

I've been going to Leech on the second weekend with the same group of guys for the last 10 years straight, and we went a few times before that. Where the fish are really depends on iceout. I think it was two years ago we had a late spring? There still weren't any leaves on the trees. Fishing stunk, water temp was still low 40's, so we played poker. Still a good time.

If we were more serious about the fish than getting together every year we'd pick the lake according to the ice out date, late spring/smaller lake.

[the olde man]

that would be the chippewa flowage in `sconsin my father ,brother,son and I enjoy this every year

[Walleye Guy]

just a reminder about this year's opener. It is not the second weekend of May like the majority of the years. This year the opener is on May 15th. Unless you fish Wisconsin you will be able to share Mother's Day with your Mom and/or significant other.

Don't forget you can always go fishing for crappies or head to Wisconsin if they prefer to have you out of the house that weekend.

I'll be heading to Vermilion on the Thursday after opener. We usually run into large quantities of the small post-spawn male walleyes that are hungry!

[Northlander]

St.Louis River! LOTS of fish and some real nice ones too. Only problem is so many people!

[pegleg]

Hey Walleyeguy, thanks for the heads up on the May 15th opener. I thought it was on the 8th (2nd Saturday in May). I was going to book a cabin today and it would have been for the wrong weekend. We probably would have had the lake to ourselves though and it would have been easy finding a cabin. I can't believe I will spend Mother's Day with my wife... 1st time probably since we have been married, which is 20 years.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I'll be mowing either a school in Taylors Falls, or a couple of schools in Lindstrom/Chisago area, like every weekend in the summer. I'm probably the most upset person on this board when the ice goes out, means pretty much 6 straight months of work. No more fishing whenever I feel like it.

Lwn

[This message has been edited by LwnmwnMan2 (edited 03-02-2004).]

[Animal]

I'll be heading to Kabetogama for Sat. & Sunday for walleyes. Monday we will stop by Pelican and crank for northerns.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Give Lake Vermilion in The Tower, Cook area a try!
A great opener lake!
Cliff

------------------
Cliff's Guide Service
CliffsGuideService-LakeVermilion.com
Lake Vermilion
Phone: (218) 753-2005

[rich4walleyes]

I also will be heading to Kab for the big opener. Have been going there for the past few years now and it is alot of fun. Catch all sizes of fish but alot of the bigger ones too. Last year we caught 50 fish on opener and about 40 of them were over the slot so they went back. Still alot of fun though.

[pegleg]

Hey Cliff, I just went on Lake Vermillion web site and they have 33 resorts listed. Which resort would you recommend? My dad is 81 years old so a level area from the cabin to the boat dock and maybe a boat lift that we could rent if possible would be great. I never fished the lake but I have the Lake Master map and it looks like Vermillion has a lot of structure. Thanks...

[The Yeti]

Big Sandy near McGregor. Always do good...

[Harmonica Bear]

Ely, Snowbank Lake.

[Leaky]

It'll be Prairie Portage and Basswood for our group. Many, many years running. If anyone else is up there, you'll find us catching some eyes in the Washington Island area. Stop by and say Hi.

[MnIceman]

Pelican Lake by Pequot Lakes . Only missed 2 or 3 openers there since 1978 . We always find some fish somewhere and have alot of fun .

[Duffman]

I'll be up playing bumper boats with Northlander again. Hopefully in my new boat.

[upnorth]

Lake Vermilion by Tower for me

[canvasback kid]

winnie! winnie! winnie! I cant wait!!!!!!!!!

[TV BOY]

Either Lake Amelia or Ida.

[2dalake]

Ah, the time honored passage of another season... the daylight lasts past dinner time... the smell of lawn chemicals in hardware stores.... clearance sales on ice fishing tackle....sportsman's shows....dog turds surfacing in my backyard.....ice out is on the way!

[Havin' Fun]

Lida or Big Pine.
Maybe Ida too.

[rockhardinmn]

I feel for Ya Lwnman. i have the same problem of not getting the time to fish much in the summer .
For the opener its the BV for me .. Pegleg,, try Retreat resort on BV, you can catch some of those Wallys right from shore there off the docks and it is pretty level to the lake . It is in the Oak Narrows area.