Another fishing opener is here and we don't even have any ice! Bait has been coming in strong the last week, and we're sitting very good on most options except the shiners currently. We're hoping to get in some more shiners soon since it sounds like the trappers are having a little more luck the last 24hrs. Until then, the rainbows are looking really good, and we have a nice walleye mix with some golden shiners mixed in as well.

Tomorrow when the anglers hit the water in search of the walleye, we're expecting them to be pretty shallow giving the current timing and weather forecast. It could be a dandy of an opening day with some nice clouds and enough wind to get a walleye chop going. We'd recommend getting a larger minnow like a rainbow, fathead, small sucker, or shiner if you can find them and work the wind blown break-lines in 6'-15'. It should be pretty good fishing with the water temps up they should be getting hungry, and the clouds/chop should make them easier to target since they'll be less finicky. Don't rule out artificial like Jiggin' Raps, plastics, or crankbaits as they can be very effective.

Crappies have been hitting the shallows a little bit here and there, and that should get even better with the water temps moving up. Most crappie are coming out of a little deeper water, but we've been hearing more and more crappie anglers picking some shallow fish off in the later part of the day when the water is warmest. We should see them moving into their spawning areas over the next week and fishing should really be ramping up.

All in all it should be a great weekend, and though bait availability has been a little hit and miss across the state so far, we're loaded up on some options to get you out on the water! Good luck out there!