Late ice out and walleye fishing Memorial Day week

[tamarack]

My buddies and I will be fishing Elephant Lake, near Orr MN, the last week in May. I was told that ice out was this past Wednesday. Looks like outside temperatures will hold in the high 50s to mid/lower 60s for the next two weeks. Anybody have a prediction of what type of walleye fishing we will have? Tactics? We normally fish the lake later in the summer trolling nightcrawlers. Any chance crawlers will work this time of the year or should we just be using minnows?

[PerchJerker]

I'm not familiar with that lake, but I would start looking shallow, near spawning areas or incoming streams if there are any. On opening weekend all my fish came shallow, 2 to 6 feet, on jigs and minnow or on plastics. They were aggressive and we caught a lot of fish.

If there's fish concentrated in an area then slip bobbers would work too.

If you can't find them that shallow, then look to the first break to deeper water.

[bigbucks]

My best guess would be minnows at that time with the late spring. In my experience most of the time crawlers don't work that well until Memorial Day or later. If there's spot tail shiners to be had then that's what I'd be planning on fishing, but I'd have crawlers & leeches. It certainly can change day to day though.

[Team Otter]

I would suggest posting this in the Vermillion and/or BWCA forums.