One Month to Go!!

[LMITOUT]

We have just 31 days left until the opener!

What lake(s) will you be hitting at midnight or the next morning looking for the first catch of the season?

Any opener traditions that you follow from year to year?

Good Luck!

[Ryan_V]

I myself am more of a hard water fisherman, but the opener is the only open water weekend I regularly hit anymore. We camp and have my sister and brother-in-law with his boat come and hit marion. last year, we all did really well!! hopefully this year will be better, especially the weather. it got below freezing at night!!

[friendlyfisher]

Limitout, I myself will be hitting a few lakes at midnight and shortly after. I will try Washington/Stella, Jennie, the crow river and of course my specialty lake X. And after sunrise I might give Minniebelle a try.

You never said where you will be going. ]

ff

[LMITOUT]

I'll be at your Lake X.

I never know where I'll try first. Heck, one year I didn't decide to go out at midnight until about 10pm! Ended up being a great night though as I got a nice 8+lber. I was pretty tired by sunrise when the rain started, but I was already home by that time listening to it in bed.

I try to avoid Washington as that's typically a zoo. I know most lakes are on the opener, but that one seems especially bad. I'll probably sneak onto a smaller lake a couple hours before sunrise, but Minnie Belle, Stella, Collinwood, and Jennie are all on my list right now.

[walleyeking#8]

Don't have a tradition besides big stone opener in two and half weeks. But as far as minnesota opener, I probably will head north to lake reno, depending on the weather. Did the midnight thing there last year and ended up catching some nice eyes, so maybe again this year. Otherwise I'll be fishing some of the willmar/spicer area lakes. Goodluck to everyone this upcoming opener.

[eyepatrol]

Unfortunately, I'm going to miss opening day. First time in years, but my brother graduates from college that day, so I'm heading for that. But, I will be fishing the Sunday. I'll be hitting either Hook, Erie or possibly even Belle, although Belle has been a tough bite for me over the past 4 years.

No specific opener traditions except to hit a lake north of Hutch.

[friendlyfisher]

lmitout, I forgot about collinwood, that can be one of the hottest opening lakes in the area. I will put that on my list along with big Kandi. Maybe ill see ya on lake X. ff

[LMITOUT]

Well, we're down to under a week left before the season!

What is everyone's outlook for the opener after our cool weather snap the past few weeks? I haven't had the boat in the water for a few weeks, but I've heard the water temp dropped. Should be an interesting opener.

Appears to be cooler for this week as well, but right now not much indication of rain for the weekend in the forcast.

[eyepatrol]

So far the outlook isn't too bad for the opener. Something like low 60's for highs each day (with lows in the lower 40's). If it holds, that will be pretty decent weather comparitively. However, we all know that could change day by day.

My notes from last years opener was that the water surface temp was about 56 degrees. We caught walleyes along the weedline in about 10' of water on the lake we fished. This year might be colder, I don't know since I haven't seen the boat yet this year and haven't gotten out to fish and check water temps. But, I'm going to use the same approach as last year and go from there. Jig & minnow fishing very slowly....almost vertical, but not quite.

[LMITOUT]

Well, it looks like we're the ones that got hooked by the weatherman for the opener again. What was once said to be 60° earlier in the week, is now in the 40's with plenty o' wind by mid-morning.

I wasn't planning on going out at midnight, but that might be the nicest weather we'll have until Sunday when the wind finally blows itself out. With that wind and temperatures, we won't need any rain to make it any colder out in the boat.

Good luck everybody! Hope to read about some good times had this weekend.