By Larry Anderson
Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but those lakes hold only one fish that is popular enough to be the state fish: walleyes. Anglers target walleyes on lakes and rivers throughout Minnesota. Walleyes are known to make excellent table fare, but they are also an elusive species that can be difficult to catch. For Minnesota walleye fishing tips, read on.
Venture to a Big Lake
While walleyes are present in thousands of bodies of water across Minnesota, the state has some lakes that are well-known for producing walleyes, and lots of them. Lakes such as Lake of the Woods, Leech, Mille Lacs, Vermilion and Winnibigoshish are walleye factories and produce fish throughout the year. These lakes also are large, so if walleyes are not biting on one part of the lake, it is likely they are on other parts.
Find Comfort in a Lindy Rig
A Lindy rig, which consists of a sliding sinker, swivel, leader, hook and chunk of live bait, is the pre-eminent method for fishing walleyes in Minnesota. The leader can be lengthened or shortened based on how far off the bottom the walleyes are, and there is not a way to present bait in a more natural fashion. Many walleyes in Minnesota hang around weedlines, drop-offs and the edges of reefs and sunken islands, and Lindy rigs are a good choice in each of those areas. Drop the rig to the bottom and slowly start trolling around until you find a concentration of walleyes.
Do Not Overlook Vegetation
Many anglers think of walleyes as deep-water fish that prefer rocks and sand. While that is true, there is a good walleye population in many lakes that lives in vast beds of vegetation, especially cabbage and coontail. That is why many anglers catch walleyes accidentally while they are bass fishing. Fish the edges of the weeds with a Lindy rig or a crankbait, or tie on a 1/4-oz. lead head jig, tip it with a minnow or leech, and throw it into the vegetation.
Wait Until Dark
Walleyes are notorious for feeding after the sun goes down, and for developing a case of lockjaw when there is a lot of boat traffic--angling, recreational or otherwise--on the water. As a result, many walleyes, especially in clear-water lakes in Minnesota, feed after dark. The fish move onto shallow rock piles or up toward the top of vegetation, and feed heavily. A good technique is to tie on a floating crankbait, let out about 100 feet of line behind the boat, and troll over these areas after the sun goes down. While the motor may at first spook the walleyes, they should be ready to bite by the time your crankbait comes by.
Troll a Crankbait
Some anglers believe walleyes only can be caught using finesse methods, like trolling a Lindy rig. But other anglers are more aggressive about their walleye fishing, and they catch lots of walleyes in Minnesota, too. Tie on a crankbait that will dive slightly deeper than the water in which you are fishing and begin trolling along weedlines, drop-offs and the edges of reefs and humps. Walleyes will often hit a crankbait hard.
About the Author:
Larry Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2000. He has covered a wide variety of topics, from golf and baseball to hunting and fishing. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including "Fargo Forum" newspaper. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from Concordia College.
