Fishing Report May 2022
May 30, 2022
We have experienced very few days of decent weather in the last two weeks, so the fishing has been quite limited. High winds have been the biggest issue, but also rain, hail, thunderstorms, and a couple days of cold. When we did have a chance to fish, it was usually a very short stint in the morning or evening, between weather events. We have caught both walleyes and crappies on the few times we got out on the water, but it was usually only for a couple hours here and there. Surface water temperatures are still colder than typicial for this time of year, and I estimate the fishing bite is at least 2 weeks later than normal. That is good news, because the really good bite is yet to come. Weather forecasts indicate the weather will be more stable starting next weekend, so I am optimistic.
May 14-15, 2022 Minnesota Walleye Opener weekend
The Woman Lake surface water temperature was only 47 degrees on Saturday morning, however my fishing group managed to catch 13 nice walleyes, along with another 7 walleyes on Sunday. Along the way we caught several northern pike, perch, and a nice smallmouth bass. We faced very windy conditions both days, but under the circumstances I was happy with our catch. Check out the "Catch Photos" section to see some of our fish. Our largest walleye was 25.75 inches and we had 3 others over 20 inches, but most were in the 15-18 inch range, representing at least four different year classes of walleyes, which is typical on Woman Lake. We also had the luck to observe some beautiful astronomical phenomenon with the total lunar eclipse followed by a display of the northern lights on Sunday evening. Needless to say, we had a wonderful fish fry.
We were fishing spottail shiners on live bait rigs in 16-18 feet of water off shoreline points and breaks, for the most part, but we also caught nice walleyes casting Rapala X-Raps over the 5-8 foot sand flats. The crappies are also active in the shallow black bottom bays right now, and Tuesday we caught a nice batch of them (largest just short of 13 inches) fishing fathead minnows under slip bobbers. The fishing will only get better over the next month. Come on up and get out on the water.
May 8, 2022 - Mother's Day
The ice finally went out on Woman Lake this morning, May 8, 2022. It was a very long, snowy, and cold winter up here and we are anxiously awaiting the MN Walleye Fishing Opener on Saturday, May 14th. I hope you all can come up this spring, summer, or fall to experience the excellent fishing we enjoy on the Woman Lake Chain and surrounding lakes. For 2022, I expect the walleye fishing will be as solid as it has been for the whole 16 years I have been guiding on these lakes. The DNR just concluded their walleye trapping / egg stripping operation on the Boy River, just across Bungey Bay from my Woman Lake cabin, and the local walleye population once again looks very strong and well balanced. Water temperatures will be cold for the walleye fishing opener, probably well below 50 degrees, since the ice just went out. Never-the-less, we almost always manage to find the walleyes and catch a nice batch of them opening weekend every year, and we expect to do it again this coming Saturday. We have a weather forecast of warm sunny days this week, so the water should begin to heat up quickly. Once the sun begins to warm up the shallow, black bottom bays, the hot spring crappie bite usually begins to come into play, as well. I hope to see you on the water. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call.