Do the tighten up- Leech Lake walleyes in May

We have been catching fish on spots all over Leech Lake this week with the best bite still coming on a light jig and minnow in 9-14 feet of water. 

We are seeing a really healthy average size with most fish being in the 17"-25" range.

Dragging a light jig along at .6 mph can be really effective. 

Limits and many slot fish each day has been the standard. 

We actually ran through all of our bait one day after boating 40+ fish. This was no problem though as Chris wanted to catch some smallmouths on artificials to end the day. 

This competitive Nebraska group mopped up on the 'eyes on Wednesday.  

The fish didn't cooperate quite as well on Thursday but the quality of the fish coupled with perfect weather made up for it. 

Cheers and hook-sets!

Fort Knox, Minnesota

With the dawning of a new walleye season on Leech Lake, the bite is coming together. We are sampling again that almost unbelievable mix of sizes and year classes available in this healthy fishery. 

Some days the catch is dominated by 15"-20" eating sized fish.

While other days the 20"+ slot fish rule, with enough keepers still coming in for a nice fish fry.

Either way, my goal is simple: to help you bring to the surface...

..what is just lying down there like gold bars stacked up at Fort Knox.

Cheers and hook-sets!

Warm-Ups

Don't get me wrong with this title, I do enjoy early open water fishing for crappies, bluegills, suckers, perch and stream trout. However, big water walleye fishing is in my veins and the grand tradition of "walleye opener" can't come soon enough for me. To build on the anticipation, Leech Lake is one of the best early season walleye lakes anywhere with loads of 15"-20" fish right now with just enough bigger fish to make things really interesting for fisher folk. 

The next 3-4 weeks should be silly good for crappies if we can pry ourselves away from the walleye haunts.

Bluegills picnic in the shallows on warm afternoons, they will start making beds and staying shallow as long as water temps continue to rise.

We have a few trout streams in the area as well, if you don't mind bush whacking a bit. 

Cheers and hook-sets!

Last Call for Pre-Spawn Walleyes- Rainy River

Well, it has been a great start to the open water guiding season. I just wrapped up three awesome days on the Rainy River with two great guys who made the most of every minute out there.

Our bites were split evenly this year between a vertical jig and minnow presentation and a pitched jig and bright colored plastic. 

                                                            "Not bad...not bad."

It's certainly nice to get back into practice with boat control and netting fish.

I even got to catch a few myself. 

Larry tied his personal best for length, but this fish was heavy!

With MN Walleye season still three weeks away, I'll be doing C&R Sturgeon trips on the Rainy River (many dates are available). Also, it's looking like Leech Lake Crappie and Perch trips in the first half of May are going to happen this year!

                                                      Cheers and hook-sets,
                                                      Captain Phil

Thawing out, and reeling 'em in- Southwest Florida

Florida has some of the best fishing on the planet,
I was lucky enough to sample it once again. 

Fishing the shallow mangrove maze in a small craft for redfish and snook is my favorite.

                                      Brooks caught a leaping snook "all by himself". 

"Great Oden's Raven! What did I get myself into?"

This hammerhead was a bucket list fish for me. Wow was he tough. I traded a few thousand feet of line with this fish and grabbed hold of the leader 6-7 times during a dozen or more huge runs. 

Fishing with loved ones makes for an ideal vacation.

Dare I say it...snapper does indeed rival fresh walleye fillets.

Cheers and hook-sets!

Respect

Wow do lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) have heart, they just don't give up. What a great success story here on the Rainy and St.Croix rivers. Their ancestors may have been swimming lakes and rivers since the triassic period some 245 to 208 million years ago. They have been around as we recognize them now since the upper cretaceous period 136 million years ago, during the peak of the dinosaurs. Many live in excess of 100 years. Respect.

Book your sturgeon adventure today at  

http://www.outrightangling.com

Cheers and hook-sets!

Whatever Floats Your Boat- Kicking off the Open Water Season

Two of us arrived at the Rainy River just after noon, launched and set up in 14 f.o.w. Our first spot was a good one as we managed 20+ fish from that one anchor position in just a couple of hours, with half of them being 23-1/2"-25-1/2". After the bite slowed we moved around quite a bit with only a few walleyes and one giant sturgeon to show for our efforts. It was amazing weather and a great afternoon on the water. Besides getting our first walleyes and sturgeon of the open water season, I got to enjoy my first open water sunset as well while my fishing partner fetched the truck. Open water has arrived in the north country!!

Lake of the Woods Walleyes pour into the Rainy River in March and April to stage for spawning. 

Temperature, flow and fishing pressure can affect the bite and walleyes are not always a sure thing.

On this afternoon, we experienced a couple hour bite window followed by the fish completely shutting down for the evening.

   Jigs and plastics can indeed put more fish in the boat than minnows when the fish are on the chew.Longer casts and faster presentations can be made with plastics, making it far more efficient at times.

Big lake sturgeon are abundant in the Rainy and can provide an awesome change of pace from jigging for walleyes. 

                           My first open water sunset was a good one too. Cheers and hook-sets!