Jarrid Houston Column: Walleyes were plentiful on Minnesota’s opening weekend – Duluth News Tribune

Another fishing opening has passed.

It was a great weekend filled with good weather and a few bites of fish, not to mention plenty of fishermen. The fish seemed to be where they should be and doing the things they should be doing.

Many of the walleyes we caught had a lot of milky liquid sprayed on the bottom of our boat. Towels were definitely necessary. As for big mom fish, we didn’t score any this opening weekend, but the amount of fish caught kept us happy and busy.

The water temperature was over the 50 degree mark, and by mid-week we had already started seeing some in the mid-50s. This means that trophy caliber fish are already back in their hiding places.

Males seem to dominate the capture rate. Fun fact: A small drop of walleye milt can fertilize 300 to 400 eggs at a time. Something to consider when harvesting fish: males are just as important as females.

We have a lot of topics to cover, so let’s get started:

Lake Superior anglers have been busy grabbing bites of trout and salmon. The best bites occurred early to mid-morning, with the action stopping in the afternoon. Target depths remain waters 60 to 120 feet just offshore. Stick baits and spoons remain the popular choice among anglers, but lead length is becoming increasingly important. Keeping your baits away from the boat will definitely set you up for greater success. Offshore planer boards or large skis mounted on a mast will help cover the water. You can definitely hang a rod on the back of the boat. But, by spreading out, you’ll prepare yourself for better odds. The hot colors this week have been oranges, pinks and whites. 5- to 9-inch stick baits have been good, but don’t be afraid to go smaller on less windy days and longer on gusty mornings.

As the shoreline continues to green up, fishing on the Gitch should continue to improve. River fishing now sees some anglers scrambling to get spots with canoes or kayaks. Slow worked material gets a few browns and an occasional rainbow, but the salmon has been tricky on our resources this week.

The St. Louis River Estuary, as well as other area rivers, has seen some good walleye bites. The fish are well past peak spawning and are returning to a regular routine. Jigs and minnows are a popular bet and provide good bites, especially in windy areas of the lake. The best depths are around 10 feet, but we get a few fish in up to 18 feet of water and, of course, in the shallow flats as well.

This is definitely a fun time of year because walleye respond to most tactics: jigging, drifting, casting, and trolling all attract fish equally. One thing I like to challenge myself this time of year is finding a new pattern to catch the elusive big-bodied gravel lizard. I happened to find one, but I’m not going to talk about it.

In addition to the walleye bites in the rivers, we are seeing the ubiquitous bass and pike moving strongly toward the edges of the channels. The current and water levels are much lower than usual, so the edge of your favorite channel may look a little different, so be careful when navigating there. We have seen many incidents with stranded boaters.

Inland lakes have certainly seen plenty of walleye bites in Minnesota and Wisconsin waters. Areas around Duluth were good for a few bites, but the big plants of Leech, Winnibigoshish, Cass and Red lakes were hot for walleye action. Pulling worm rigs, or drifting Lindy rigs on mid-range flats, seemed to elicit plenty of bites.

The fish are pretty well schooled, so if you encounter one, expect to see more bites. The schools are easy to find as many community holes have taken shape with many boats. If you don’t have good electronics, you can certainly use other anglers’ locations to your advantage. I just recommend not getting too close to the next fisherman. Adopt good etiquette. (Speaking of which, we’ve had to greet hundreds of other anglers throughout the last week, and many have decided not to respond. I don’t know what happened to Minnesota Nice, but thanks to those who responded with a friendly wave.)

The bluegills are still getting going so we have some time on them, but if you’re looking for pike and bass (especially small ones), look to the steep break areas and use big paddle tails or live bait.

Happy fishing everyone and we will definitely see you back on the water with a friendly greeting. All the best hooks.

Jarrid Houston of South Range is a fishing guide (houstonsguideservice.com) on the inland waters of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the St. Louis River and, in winter, Lake Superior.