Fishing Report April 2015

April 24-26, 2015

The lakes in the Hackensack, Longville, Leech Lake area are ice free and the DNR has just wrapped up the last of walleye spawning traps where they strip eggs from the big females, stir in milt from the males with a turkey feather, and stage them in quart jars for the fish hatchery.  In a couple weeks, almost 90% of the eggs successfully hatch into walleye fry which are used as the basis of the DNR walleye stocking program.  Eight walleye spawning traps are set up each spring at some of the best walleye lakes in Minnesota, and the Boy River on Woman Lake is one of those locations each year.  It is quite a sight to see if you get a chance some year.  The trap nets are located just a hundred yards east of the County Road 5 bridge over the Boy River, and viewing is open to the public.  Ten percent of the total egg take from this trap location are then restocked into Woman Lake.

April 13, 2015

The ice went out on most of the area lakes over the weekend, and even the very biggest ones should be ice free before the end of the week.  The walleyes have begun spawning in the creeks and rivers feeding our lakes, as well as along shallow rocky points and shorelines that provide some current.  Black bottom bays will start warming with the direct sun and mild temperatures we are enjoying this week, and as soon as that bay water warms to 50+ degrees, the gamefish will flock into these bays in search of food.  When the algae starts to bloom, the zoo plankton gets active.  When the zoo plankton gets active, the minnows go on a feeding frenzy.  Where the minnows get concentrated, the gamefish immediately follow.  This feeding pattern has been repeated for many centuries in the lakes of northern Minnesota, and with any luck I will have my boat  in a black bottom bay looking for those big fat spring crappies very soon.