Minnesota boaters will find a variety of conditions at public water accesses for the May 10 fishing opener, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR Division of Trails and Waterways is making a special effort to ensure all DNR boat launches are ready by the opener, said Nancy Steward, the Public Water Access Program coordinator. She noted, however, that repairs to access sites depend on the weather and ice-out, which has been running two weeks behind normal. click here for Ramp and water access Info..

Plastics have really made an impact on river walleye fishing. Plastics allow anglers to change shapes, colors and size with an ease that cannot be accomplished with the traditional minnow or shiner. Jigs tipped with a plastic body often shine in river fishing conditions for a variety of reasons. First off, the current present in rivers sweeps the jig by fish and fish have to decide quickly if they are going to eat. Often, the fish don't get a chance to scrutinize the bait or lure. click here to Fish for Walleyes on the Missouri River System.

Field staffing for two marketing groups allows me to work at a number of fishing/hunting and boating shows during the year. Surprisingly, one of the most commonly asked questions is about getting started in tournament fishing. I get the feeling that there are a substantial number of anglers that fish for both bass and walleyes on a recreational level, but wonder what it would be like to fish a tournament for their favorite species. I fish a number of different tournament series so I know that tournament fishing can become very time consuming and quite expensive. But, there is a simple way to get a "little taste of tournament fishing" to see if you like it, to satisfy your curiosity and still keep the time commitment and out-of-pocket-costs to a minimum. list. click here to go Tournament Fishing.

Not all good walleye water is of the crystal clear pristine variety, if fact some of the best options are downright dark. Walleyes inhabit a wide range of lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, and their size and makeup can vary greatly, including water clarity. The present clarity can have a definitive effect on exactly where walleyes can be found and just how active they might be. Dark or stained is even preferred in many situations, and there are a number of good solid reasons for keeping dark water at the top of your "to do" list. click here for Dark Water Walleys Tactics.

Made it out to pool 4 on Sunday and hooked up with this 13 pound monster on the first cast. Shatters my previous personal best of 10 pounds. She was the fattest walleye I have ever seen. 29.5 inches long with a girth that looked like she swallowed 2 basketballs. Ended up being the only bite for our boat, but it was worth it! She's still swimming to release those eggs! Mississippi River Walleyes for more fishing info click here.

It should come as no surprise to bass addicts that swimbaits catch fish. They catch a lot of fish and big fish. That's a tournament anglers dream. But for bass anglers in the northern regions that dream can turn to an expensive nightmare in the form of muskies, Northern pike or walleyes; toothy critters have a tremendous affinity for swimbaits. So I wanted to find a soft swimbait that was reliable when targeting largemouth bass and was still cheap enough to use in waters infested with Northern pike. I also wanted to find a bait that was so simple to use that my clients on guide trips could learn to use it quickly. Click here For More on Cheap Swim Bait Tactics!!.

Competition can be a good thing and most people engage in one way or another, whether they'd care to admit it or not. Bowlers will join leagues, same for golfers, same thing for archers. Card players might enter Texas Holdem' Tournaments, pie bakers enter baking contests, and so on and so on. There's competition involved and all would like to win and it gives them a chance to see how they stack up. Anglers really aren't any different and many have joined clubs, fished in a league, or entered a big time team or pro-am tournament. They do it because they love to fish and enjoy the competition along with the camaraderie. It doesn't make them any better than anyone else, but it can make them better anglers. Click here to go Tournament Bass Fishing!! .

Minnesota Muskie Fanatics locked up in cabins, basements, and garages took a break from sharpening hooks, making online equipment orders, and drooling over trophy Muskie videos to attend their favorite off season gathering, the Minnesota Muskie Expo. Held 100 days into the season's 190 day closure, the Muskie Expo is the "over the hill" celebration as folks count down the days until the first behemoth lures can hit the water June 7th. Click here for more on the Muskie Fishing Fanatics gathering.

Going toe to toe with a bunch of pole bending line stretching early season bass is the best way to get over winter withdrawals. With all of the new plastic and hard baits and all of those bass waiting to be fooled it's time to have some real fun. Although it won't always be easy, there's almost always a way to get 'er done. Click here to get bass fishing tactics .