Where to look for a giant?

[Some Call Me Tim]

Most good walleye fisherman can fish on average lakes their whole life and are lucky to break the 10 lbs mark. It seems to take a special lake to produce fish 12 plus pounds in our state. Even a lake like Mille Lacs which puts out an unbelievable amount of 8 lb fish rarely produces fish in the 11-12+ lb range. It seems that if you really want to pursue a giant walleye there are only a handfull of bodies of water that are able to produce a fish of this calliber. Lake of the Woods, the Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, the Red River, and a hand full of large border water lake are really what you are talking about if you want to have a chance at a 12 lb fish in this state. Did I miss any? Good luck with your hunt.

[Team Otter]

I have to believe there are several lakes in MN holding 12+ lb. fish but getting one to committ may be a different story. The list you came up with certainly has the better odds but there are many others worth considering. A few on the tip of my tongue are Winnie, Pokegama, Cass, Gull, and Leech.

[Scott K]

My brother in law has a few of them over 12 lbs on his wall, all from lakes here in southern mn. Same lake even. I have caught a few big ones 10 lb range out of the mn river. They are there, you just need to target them.

[tunrevir]

Superior, Saganaga, St.Louis river, Gunflint lake. St.Croix.

Tunrevir~

[PikeTipper]

I was watching a fishing show that was showing the DNR collecting eggs during the spawn on the Whitefish Chain I believe. They had some real monsters in the traps and mentioned something that most people that fish the lake regularly would never guess that the chain had walleyes this big. There's probably hundreds of lakes holding fish that big, some lakes are just better at giving them up.

[Dave B]

If a lake has one walleye, it likely has a 12lb eye.

All you really need is enough food, once they get over 3-5lbs they dont have any realistic predators.

[slimngrizzly]

Personally I believe that a lot of big walleyes live in the sloughs in central and southern mn. There's nutrient rich waters with fast growing fish, little fishing pressure, and filled with big oily bullheads that go dormant in the winter. I know of a handfull of 11-13 lb walleyes caught in these small shallow lakes. You have to target fish that big, they eat more food less often.

Also, time of year has alot to do with it!! For example, your odds are better at a 12 pounder than a 32" incher! Because, in winter you may catch a 28" fish thats over 10 pounds! In the early summer that same fish may be lucky to make 7 lbs...... those eggs help a lot! Winter is the time to catch a heavy fish, thats a fact. 12 pounds is a rare trophy anywhere you go, but they are out there!

[Team Otter]

Fish for catfish and you will get bit by a big walleye.

[Scott K]

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Fish for catfish and you will get bit by a big walleye.

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Happens all the time it seems like, of the big eyes I have caught out of the river, none were targeted, was fishing for cats everytime. Then when I fish the river for eyes, I catch sheephead, or small channel cats. I get a few eyes mixed in.

The bigger eyes I have caught, always seem to be next to a creek, or in moving water, fished with large live bait. You may not catch alot of fish with this method, but always seems to produce the largest.

[captshorelunch]

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Superior, Saganaga, St.Louis river, Gunflint lake. St.Croix.

Tunrevir~

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Don't forget LOTW or the spring or fall bite on the Rainy river

[mrwalleye_13]

The lake i normally live on has some 14lbs and probably more but hard to target and not caught often.. i used to see huge huge walleyes in the creek by my house and I know verywell how big a walleye is when its in the water

[fisherman-andy]

I believe you can find big Walleyes in just about any body of water or river that has them. Certainly it's alot harder to find big eyes in Metro area waters unless your targeting large lakes or rivers. There aren't many but their there if you spend enough time.

I've had the opportunity to fish different lakes, rivers across the U.S. other than in MN where an 8lb+ walleye can be common as hard as that may sound. And with many pushing 10lb-12lb+ fish.

Earlier this year I witness on Vermillion River near Hastings/Redwing pratically the largest Walleye I have ever seen caught on a fishing pole by a Gentleman who was using a spinnerbait to target spawning stripers. I swear this fish must've push 32inch+ & 15lb+ easily and the thought of a record fish. But unfortunately it was out of season and the fish was let back into the waters to swim freely after the gentleman took a few pix with his cheesy camera cell phone which probably produced poor pictures.

Although it was not my fish it was an incredibly sight to see. It would've been nice to be able to actually had the fish measured and weighed. Walleyes that big or bigger still do exist and are just waiting to be caught someday somewhere...

[fishuhalik]

He was targeting stripers? There aren't any in MN, buddy.

As far as big eye waters go, I would have to agree w/ what someone said earlier in this post, most any lake w/ eyes can grow them to 12. A little lake I grew up on never produced an eye over 7 lbs, and then a buddy of mine ripped a 12 3/4. I tried everything on the lake and was never able to specifically target big fish, never had a problem w/ 15-22" fish.

[fisherman-andy]

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He was targeting stripers? There aren't any in MN, buddy.

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WRONG! In MN or Midwest here the White Bass are constantly referred to or called Stripers, Strypers, Whities, Silver bass, Sand Bass etc.

Yes there are not real Stripers or Striped Bass in MN but there are the White Bass which was the fish that gentleman was targeting.

[chickeywing]

Rivers seem to be a theme. I watched a 31"+ pushing 14# come from a small river a couple of years ago. It's still growing! If you're willing to sacrifice a prop or two, rivers will pay off. Check out the DNR's site. The survey reports are a great tool for planning fishing trips.

TC

[Some Call Me Tim]

Thanks for all the great replies. It looks like there are a few more options for giant eyes than I thought. Lots of time spent on the right body of water, during the right time of the year, doing the right thing, throw in a little luck, and a person might have a small chance at a twelve some day (or night).

[bgreen82]

hold on a second. walleyes over 15 lbs. are a big deal around here. i guess i'll have to take pictures of all the ones i catch from now on.

[eyewarrior]

I sure hope you have enough film or a large enough MMC/SD card in your camera

[Scott K]

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hold on a second. walleyes over 15 lbs. are a big deal around here. i guess i'll have to take pictures of all the ones i catch from now on.

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Those little 15 lbers I throw back, or use them for bait to catch the big ones

[Boedigheimer]

Tim, you summed it up perfectly, fish big fish lakes and fish'em when there hittin'.

[hanson]

I think one of the reasons for not seeing many walleyes over 10lbs is the fishing community has set the "trophy bar" for walleyes at 10lbs. Once that 30" or 10lb fish has been caught, it heads home to the taxidermist by many, many fisherman. Like a previous poster mentioned, you can fish recreationally your entire life in this state for walleyes and never catch a true 10 pounder. When you do, guess what? Its heading home.

Back to the original question, where to look for a giant? I would start with our rivers - Mississippi, Minnesota, Red River are the ones I'm familiar with. I've accidentally caught fish from 8-10lbs on all 3 of them. I would give serious look to the Mississippi (P2, P4) in the early spring for a true giant.

Up to the north, Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River would be next on my list.

[nolte]

I'm with Hanson on where to find the giants. Look for rivers that are connected to big lakes specifically in the spring before spawn.

If I was really geared on a magnum, I'd head over to a Lake MI or a Lake Erie tributary. Lake Superior has some Hawgs, but they don't seem to grow as fast as the more fertile other Great Lakes.

[papabear]

Ive heard LOW has fish pushing 20# but there is a reason they got that big. 1 they are too "smart" to take a hook. 2 if they do take a hook people end up losing them before they get to the net. Many other lakes I believe have monsters but they are in places people do not think to look.

[Lund4Fish]

After moving out to Washington State, I've discovered where you can go for the true "giants"! If you're ever up for a road trip head to the Columbia River, below the McNary Dam near Unatilla, Irrigon, or Boardman. They honestly don't get to excited around here about being a "giant" until they get over the 15 lb. mark. The new state record was caught this year out of the Columbia and weighed 19.3 lbs. I've managed a couple of 10's so far this year and saw a 15 lb. come to the boat. They are some real footballs here!

[Dave B]

No fish is too smart to get caught.