Big Stone

[Rippinlip]

Any guess on what a person may look forward to on opener?

[idratherbefishing]

Frozen hands!

[ortonville]

open water the lake was mostly froze over this morning.the ice went off last friday

[Team Otter]

Stained water and shallow will be a good start. An arsenal of jigs, cranks and bobbers will be a must.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Stained shallow water with a fair amount of current.

Slip bobber rigs, jigs, and cranks are the ticket. Along with 4 layers of long johns, carharts, and 5 pairs of chopper mits.

[kaz2611]

wow this lake musta changed in the last year never had any current strong enough to alter techniques and usually first couple weeks of season lake is fairly clear in shallow. glad you found someone to fish with boilerguy since i have to work and wontr be able to make it out there a guy call me asking to partner up with him and had to say no.

[Youngbuck]

Is there any particular area of this lake to focus on?

[Sutty]

Usually good fishing all over the lake on opener. A lot fish the south end by the islands and a lot go to the north end. You will probably do fine wherever you go. Usually a long cold ride if you want to explore in the spring...

[Moses2531]

Does the fishing stay pretty good even into May, I'm contemplating fishing either Big Stone or Shetek for MN opener... My dad hasnt caught an 'eye three straight years now so I'm hoping to put him on one this year! :-/

[Fish'n guy]

Look shallow in the morning and evening to pitch jigs and plastics or with a minnow, whichever you prefer. I am anticipating cooler water temps which will put the fish shallow especially if the water is stained. During the daylight hours look deeper and pulling cranks 7-11' on the breaks adjacent to the rock shorelines. this always seems to put a limit or two in the boat. If its like any other openers on Big Stone dress like an eskimo, because its probably gonna be windy and cold.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Actually, you can hit them both as the opener on Big Stone is April 21. It's a border lake.

[spoonbill]

Looks like rain again on april 21st. You will find out that their is no such thing as 100% waterproof rain gear! Its like waders some how they always seem to leak! Good luck to everyone that goes I will be out their...

[Sutty]

Big stone is goofy, It may be good fishing than and it might be tough. Depending on weather, water quality and It usually gets pounded real hard with tournements in the spring so you might have a 100 boats zipping back and forth to every point on the lake.

[spoonbill]

What do you guys think? Walleyes on bigstone start to spawn already with the cooler weather? Or do you think the main spawn is done already? Does anybody know what maybe the water temp is? What do you guys think about next weekend for walleyes, great bite or hard to get em?

[Sutty]

I know the lake froze over again after ice out. I doubt it has warmed up a ton. with warmer weather forcasted maybe done spawning by opener either way I would guess the females will be busy or recovering and the smaller males will be catchable.

[spoonbill]

That would be picture perfect. lets hope the the males are easily catchable

[kaz2611]

If we get warmer weather next week i look for the walleyes to start spawning dont think they will be done spawning by opener. I will be out there opening weekend with my daughter.

[ortonville]

my guess is the spawn is over.but i am not sure there are a few places that i wont give up but when the run is on they are stacked with fish. after the ice went out within 3 days these places where stacked with fish then 2 days later the weather got crappy and cold and the lake refroze.the fish pulled out of the creeks and spring areas and have not been back. the lake is about 75% froze as of right now. my guess is there will still be some males in shallow and still milking. but the big fish will have pulled out and gone back deep. but that is my guess

[LOTWSvirgin]

I dont personally believe the fish have spawned in the lakes the water temp has not been much if any over 40degrees on any lake and thats just a bit to cool of water if you ask me

[kaz2611]

Done spawning has the lake been warm enough prior to our recent cold snap to trigger them to spawn? I'm confident I'll still catch several walleyes opening weekend.

[ortonville]

i am sure the fish will be biteing.i just think the major spawn is over. but that is my opinion.i dont know for sure what the water temp was i heard that it got to 42 but i dont know that for sure it is just hear say.time will tell

[spoonbill]

Hey Ortonville any tips or spots your willing to share? I know i am asking a lot but thought i would ask. It would mean a lot to me. I've got my normal spots but helpful tips or other areas would be fun to try.

[Sutty]

I am really excited to get out this year on big stone. I have a new boat, motor going on next friday the day before the opener. Still working on getting the trolling motor installed not to mention some electronics.... The early opener is killing me, cutting it way too close but I can't wait.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I hear ya. I really want to get my boat in the water, shake the bugs out of it, and get on Big Stone!!

[ortonville]

spoonbill,i usually start on the south end and in shallow.there reallyis not any givin spot that produses better than any other.just stay shallow and find the males that are still milking and you will have good luck. as of today at noon it looks like the lake is mostly back open.the only ice i could see on my way home at noon was from the foot to the pier.i will keep my on the little feeder creeks to see if the fish move back into them or not

[spoonbill]

Thanks for the info. We got a little piece of hunting land just 1 mile south of clinton by old cemetary road. Can't wait to get back up their. Looks like the forecast for next weekend is rain...........hopefully it changes

[ortonville]

east or west off 75.

[spoonbill]

off of cty 8 east

[CAMOMAN]

Sounds like we are heading back out to Big Stone for more torture... a buddy & I have tried opener the last 2 years out there & we have yet to catch an eye... My inlaws have a cabin south of Mallard Point & seems like we have tried about everything up there to put some fish in the boat with no success (except for some sheephead!) I sure hope this year is different, but the confidence is not very high at this point. Hope the weather is better than the last 2 years anyway, but I am not holding my breath for that either... Will be good to get on the water regardless....

[Borch]

Fish are always biting. Just gotta find them. Like others have said the typical bite is shallow early and late in the day. But some days they are there all day and others day never make it up shallow. A few years we had our best bite in the middle of the lake in basin.

Good Luck guys. Looks like I'll be heading out the following weekend.