# MN walleye opener



## ruger1

With MN walleye opener jsut 2 weeks away, it's going to be iffy regarding the ice out. Most lakes around here still have whitish looking ice with just a few feet of shoreline missing. Wouldn't be the first time I've broken ice with the boat.


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## jonesy12

Where in MN are you from? I'm in the south metro and all of the lakes are wide open with some people taking their boats out. And I saw a jetski yesterday with the guy going balls to the walls around the lake with no wetsuit. Can you say COLD!!!!


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## ruger1

Dang, that must have been cold. I am in the Grand Rapids area. Pokegama is still white/gray ice and just a few feet off shore. I guess all the bigger lakes up here are like that right now. The rivers are open, but that's about it.


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## jonesy12

I've been hearing that lakes up that way will be pushing it. But if it keeps warming up, raining and windy it might work out......


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## goosehunternd

im hopin to get on the ice at lake of the woods for opener like about 7-8 years ago, I guess time will tell


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## averyghg

ottertail is still pretty frozen over


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## blhunter3

Same for BL


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## MallardMayhem21

This weekends weather isnt helping the situation either. The rain may detiorate the ice but not as much when its in the 30's!!! Many lakes in northern MN will have ice on them on opener. May have to break the portable out one more time! This weather is getting old. This transitional time between ice fishing and open water is just killing me. :eyeroll:


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## Nick Roehl

The ice will have to be off for awhile so the water warms up enough for the eyes to start biting. I don't see that happening by opener this year, I'm hoping for the best though. There are always some small fish biting but the big ones take a little while


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## goosehunternd

every opener I have fished up on the big water there has been ice on the lake, it must affect the smaller lakes more im guessing cause the ice seems to keep the big fish in the rainy from what I have experienced. No shortage in action thats for sure


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## fubar

lake winnie and cass lake are still froze up. fish bite when its cold.


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## ruger1

The ice went off my lake last night. Of course it's only 200 acres and about 10 feet deep spring fed lake. But it went off. It was cool, the wind blew all the ice into my bay, and then the wind shifted and blew all the ice out of the bay to the other side. The ice sank shortly after that.


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## Traxion

Was up in Warroad a few days ago. Lake of the Woods was frozen still, lots of ice yet. Looks like the weather is cold up there right now too. Most of the locals we talked to said there was no way ice would be off before opener, some even thought it might take two weeks after the opener to totally open up! You guys that live up there are tougher than me, and I like winter!


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## USAlx50

Mille lacs is good to go, and I cant wait! :beer:

ruger1- My family has a place on Johnson lake just a little north of rapids on 38. We used to fish Deer lake opener every year and I can remember about 10 yrs back when it wasn't open for opener.


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## njsimonson

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html

My guess is you will see the ice on a lot of those lakes start to go this week.


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## ruger1

USAlx50, did the ice come off Mille Lacs or have the winds just blown it around? I understand that the indians may have lost some nets in the shifting ice.

Hopefully this cold weather, cold water temps and the shifting ice really put a hurt on the reservations walleye harvest.

I guess Red is almost open. The winds have shifted the ice out to the East end of the lake.

We are going to give Rainy River a try. I'm betting the fishing will be outstanding there.

USAlx50, you may have been thinking of spring of 1996? That was a wierd year. I remember fighing ice on the river on opening weekend.


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## USAlx50

My uncle has a resort on the lake and he was saying he didn't see any left out there on Saturday. I would bet it is gone for sure by now.

'96 sounds about right.


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## schultz345

Detroit Lakes opened up this weekend i heard.


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## Jer_Londgren

Still people icefishing on leech lake on saturday. Thats near walker Mn.


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## goosehunternd

That sounds tempting, I wouldnt mind gettin on the ice one last time, Anybody here how the ice is doing on lake of the woods??


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## USAlx50

Tempting? Man I'll hop in a boat over the ice if the option is open any day of the week!


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## ruger1

I finished up all the upgrades, cleaning, and prep on the boat last night. She ran like a top. If I wasn't excited for opener before I darn sure am now. I may even put it in the lake tonight and just go for a cruise.


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