Opening Week Walleye

This year has to go down as the latest ice out on record.  Even today, May 22nd, there's still lots of ice in the central basin of Lac Seul.  Here on the SE end, we're iced out.  Deception arm opened up on a few days ago, and as of Thursday May 22nd it's clear sailing up to Chamberlain.  

On opener I dodged ice on Pelican Lake and ran the falls into Lac Seul.  The water on Pelican is as high as I've ever seen it and Lac Seul is also high for this time of year.  

Fishing was great with a lot of big walleye landed.  It was pre-spawn, with males milting, but the females were holding eggs still.  Water temps were only 39 deg.  

Lindy Jigs and big minnows worked best and fish were a little deeper than normal for opener.  I found that 12-to 20-feet was the best depth.  Things are going to warm up this week and that'll bring the fish shallower and they'll wrap up the spawn.