Minnesota is known for its 10,000 Lakes and outstanding Walleye fishing.  There are plenty of other fishing species to target in Minnesota; like Northern Pike, Muskie, and Bass, but no other fish gets targeted more in the state than Walleye. Walleye are easy to fillet and they taste great which makes them the favorite of many anglers.

Some of the top Minnesota fishing lakes that are targeted for walleye are Lake Mille Lacs, Lake Winnibigoshish(Lake Winnie), Leech Lake, Upper Red Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lake Vermilion and Rainy Lake.

Lake Mille Lacs is a huge lake with 132,000 acres of water to fish. The lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet, but there are plenty of shallow mud flats that on the north end of the lake that hold lots of walleye. There are tons of walleye in the 2 to 3 pound range, which are perfect size for eating.

Lake of the Woods is one of the most popular fishing destinations in Minnesota and the entire midwest. This lake is located on the border of Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. The lake is very big as it covers over 65,000 miles of shoreline. You will also see plenty of wildlife and pristine wilderness around the lake. The portion of this lake that is located within Minnesota is known more for its walleye and northern pike fishing, although you can also catch plenty of perch to go along with an occasional smallmouth bass. The Rainy River is also nearby and the fishing can be incredible during the spring for spawning walleye. The Rainy River connects Lake of the Woods to Rainy Lake. If you can plan a trip to Lake of the Woods in the spring, spend a couple of days in the river and you will have some excellent fishing opportunities.

Rainy Lake is located in the northern part of Minnesota and there are plenty of walleye to catch in this lake. There are lots of walleye with tons of scenery to give you the ultimate Minnesota fishing experience. Crankbaits that resemble perch do very well on Rainy Lake. This lake is also very popular for houseboating in the summer time.

Leech Lake is a very popular lake for fishing vacations. The lake is a big lake and it may take some time to learn, but it will definitely reward you when you find the hot spots. There are plenty of weed lines to go along with some flats, and deep water humps that will hold walleye. It is very common to catch big perch and northern pike in the same spots that you will be catching your walleye on this lake.

Lake Winnibigoshish, also called Lake Winnie, is an excellent walleye lake. This is another big lake, but there are plenty of walleye and a very good northern pike fishery. Many anglers like to go out and catch their walleye for dinner and then fish for northern pike for action. There are a lot of pike in the 20 to 29 inch range with 30 to 35 inch fish being common.

Minnesota Walleye Fishing Tips

Walleyes have a reputation for being short strikers. They’ll hit the bait without getting hooked. Avoiding this problem—and consequently hooking more fish—is a two-step process. Step one is to understand how a walleye eats.  Sometimes a walleye will slash a bait like a pike or a muskie does.  But usually they’ll swim up to it and flare their gills, inhaling their prey and the water surrounding it. If anything happens to interrupt that flow of water, you get a short strike, or nothing at all.

Step two, is adapting your presentation to decrease resistance in the lure-and-line combination, and thereby permit your bait to flow right into the walleye’s mouth. To that end, he offers the following six tips:

1: Use Light Line Light (4- and 6-pound-test), thin-diameter lines offer less drag, or resistance, on a lure. This lets a walleye suck it in more easily.

2: Bounce the Bait When you’re using live bait, McClelland recommends also using a bottom-bouncer rig. Bouncers are L-shaped wires that have a lead weight molded to the shaft. As an angler retrieves the rig, the weight bounces off the bottom and creates slack in the line, which allows the fish to inhale the bait more easily.

3: Shorten the Stroke Many jig fishermen pump their rods too vigorously, using long vertical strokes that can pull the bait out of a fish’s mouth. Use short lifts instead and you’ll hook more walleyes.

4: Offer a Bigger Bite Adding a plastic body to a jig also helps by increasing the surface area to which the fish’s sucking force is applied. It may seem counterintuitive, says McClelland, but a slightly bigger bait is easier for the fish to inhale.

5: Pump a Crank With crankbaits, steady retrieves may hook aggressive walleyes, but a stop-and-go technique is better for deliberate feeders. Once the lure achieves proper depth, lift the rod tip, reel in the slack, and repeat.

6: Troll With the Flow When the water has a chop, trolling with the waves imparts that necessary slight slack in the line. Also, keep a close eye on your inside planer board as you make a turn; it will give you that small amount of slack that allows for more solid strikes—and more walleyes in the boat.

Links

Minnesota Fishing Online Site Map