Opener Results!

[Sportland_Bait]

Wow is right! You guys are great. Every year it just keeps getting busier and busier here at the bait shop. The reports this weekend were pretty spotty. Most boats were reporting the walleye action to be a bit on the slow side. Although this afternoon there were a few groups that popped in for more bait and reported a decent morning. The best results came from Gull/Round Lake in 13-20 feet. Most everyone was using shiners. A few boats did pretty well trolling shad raps this morning in 8-10 feet of water. The size of the fish is ranging from 12-18 inches on average. The bigger fish reported today were a couple in the 26-28 inch ballpark. The night bite was OK on Gull and very good over on Mille Lacs. We had our Nisswa Guide Service crew on various lakes today Round, Gull, Whitefish, and Pelican. They all reported simlar results, 6-12 keepers per boat for their morning trips. The pike were really feeding up on many of our walleye spots, lots of big strikes waking anglers up today. The crappie fishing is still going but it will not last long since they are finishing up their spawn and are starting to leave the shallows. It was a beautiful day up here in the north country and a great day to be out chasing fins. We'll see what tomorrow brings and I'll keep you posted as the reports keep coming in.

Jason Erlandson

[bmc2b]

Anyone know how the Hole in the Day landing at Gull is like this spring?

[Sportland_Bait]

All of the landings are in pretty good shape around the area including hole in the day and round lake.

Jason Erlandson

[DUCKJ]

This was one of the best openers we have had in a couple years. 4 people in the boat and we kept 16 fish ranging from 12 to 23 inches. Boated a ton of fish(aprox 200) Walleyes, Pike, Smallies (I know not open yet but fishing river and cant controle it), Rock Bass and even one Dogfish.

Fished from 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. Hit Gull for some Crappies and boated alot of fish but kept only 14(ave size 1/2 lb). When to lake X and kept 18 more (2 to 3 to a lb). Went back out last night and boated aprx 20 eyes and kept 4.

Feels realy good to be out again.

Duck

[Sportland_Bait]

Great Report Duck. Well it must be the walleye chop that activated the walleyes today. This morning was pretty good but it was a tad windy. The fish are starting to show up on some of the early summer spots. They were holding tight to the weeds. A couple of our guides were out hitting them good on shiners and lindy's. Another good producer was a small shiner on a Fin-Tech Nuckleball jig, they were just slamming it. It was tough to fish in the wind but thats where they were. The fish were a little nicer today, up to about 25 inches. The same reports held true for last night's night fishermen. Trolling silver or gold Rapalas. produced lots of 15-26 inchers last night. We'll be on the water all week with trips so keep checking back with us for the latest. I'll also be updating our site www.sportlandbait.com with more reports and some fresh pictures. Good luck everyone and stay safe.

Jason Erlandson

[weeds]

Took daddyducker's advice (troll shad raps) used x-raps and minnow raps though. Did well early saturday morning on gull. A few nice fish in 10-12 ft on the grassy point. Spot got popular though, kinda lost the lane. Thanks much daddyd.

[B420]

Fishing seemed a little bit slow compared to other years, but still was able to scracth out a limit of 15-17.5" eyes between gull and pelican. Started on gull sat. morning and the best bite for us was lindy rigging shiners in 18-28'. Hit the nite bite on pelican (windy) and found some nice eaters in 10-12' using slip bobbers and shiners Shook of the hangover sunday morning and hit a small lake in the Cross Lake area due to the weather. Got one nice walleye peppered with those black spots, released him and found the pike to be active.

[Fishing_High]

fishing was great, we were up on a smaller chain of lakes just south of whitefish i think... Caught alot of northerns a and a couple while but the story of the trip was having a 20 in 5lb largy i landed as the sun was going on took a quick picture... I don't think she had eggs, but i made sure to get her back in quick and in the same spot. I'll have to post some pics when i get the chance.

[TrophyEyes]

I could not catch a walleye to save my life. I have never had that much trouble on Pelican in the 5 years we have had a cabin on the lake. I had them on my depth finder and the aqua view, but could not get them to bite. I tried Lindy rigs, spinners, cranks, bobbers, leeches, shiners, fatheads, deep, shallow, weeds, sand, rocks, day and night. I hit all my hot spots and nothing. I tried "off the beaten path".....nothing. I would have put money on that I could have at least caught one. I caught tons of Pike, Bass, and one monster Bluegill, but we (dad) only caught 1 walleye and it was about 13" and that was in 4 ft of water over by Breezy Point. It was so bad I almost didn't want to write about it. However I am finding this kind of therapeutic, like yelling about your boss to your wife. I am planning on redeeming myself memorial day weekend. I am looking at the bright side......I really can't get much worse.

[rockyhook]

We had the same problem on Whitefish, 4 boats 10 guys, 12 hrs on the water nobody even saw one eye caught. Nice to be back on the water and hang out with buddies though, I'll be trying N Long or M L tomorrow.

[Mr. B]

On Gull we could not buy a Walleye during the day with live bait Saturday or Sunday. It took until evening trolling crankbaits before we got in to the fish. Both Saturday and Sunday night we had a blast catching fish. Even released a 40" Northern.

Hopefully in a week or two (the next time I can get back to Gull), the live bait bite will be going strong.

[packman]

do people fish with bobbers at night on gull or do you just troll cranks?

[Crappie Kid]

Ive done well with bobbers at night on the rock reef before. Leeches or minnows. But crankbaits are more fun for me.

[Jay -- WFC]

Fished the Whitefish Chain Saturday morning, and it was eventful to say the least. Only got 1 walleye (in between all the northerns) but it was really nice, best one I've ever caught by several inches. Thought I had another northern on, was I ever shocked when this thing came up! Was 29". I was alone, which made it even more of a challenge (it's a WALLEYE! GET THE NET! OH $#!+, I'm by MYSELF!). Apparently you can't add photos to these posts or I'd paste in a picture (I have MANY). Went back to the dock and fished sunfish and crappies with my 3 yr. old after that, couldn't come up with a good enough reason to go back out & fight the wind!

[Redline]

you can post pictures. Do this

That is a big Walleye! Great catch. Which lake were you on?

[Moses2531]

Anyone starting to pick up 'eyes now, after the rush of opening weekend on the WFC??

[MnIceman]

We did great on Pelican . Took 3 days but we kept a limit of walleyes for 5 guys. All were 15" to 21 1/2". Caught alot of smaller ones that we sent back. Also caught alot of small northerns and large mouth bass. We always were catching something. It was a blast as usual .We only kept walleyes and a few crappies .

[TrophyEyes]

Iceman, what depth were you in and what time did they turn on? I am heading up Friday and would love to make up for my opening disaster.