Best Walleye Fishing In Minnesota
We'll see both little-known gems like Lake Elysian and famous waterways like the Mississippi River. Find out why Minnesota is the best place to go walleye fishing.
Best Walleye Fishing In Minnesota
Minnesota is a great place to fish for walleye because it has a lot of different lakes and rivers that are great for fishing. Leech Lake is famous for the legendary walleye grounds it has. Lake of the Woods is huge, and Rainy Lake is beautiful. Each offers a different setting for anglers looking for the thrill of walleye fishing. Come with us as we visit some of Minnesota’s best places to fish for walleye. We’ll see both little-known gems like Lake Elysian and famous waterways like the Mississippi River. Find out why Minnesota is the best place to go walleye fishing.
Best Walleye Fishing In Minnesota
Leech Lake
People say that the walleye fishing in Leech Lake, which is the third-largest natural lake in Minnesota, is the best in the state. On its 112,000-acre shore, which is very complicated, you can find many bays, such as Headquarters, Steamboat, Kabekona, and Sucker. Leech Lake is famous in the Midwest for being a great place to fish for walleye. Southeast of Bemidji is this lake, and the town of Walker is right on the water. That body of water close to the shore is mostly made up of windy, rocky flats that walleye like to use to hatch their eggs. Leech Lake is one of the best places in the middle of Minnesota to go walleye fishing because it is big and in a good spot for the best walleye fishing in Minnesota.
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is much bigger than Leech Lake, offering one of the best walleye fishing in Minnesota. It flows across the border from Minnesota into the Canadian regions of Manitoba and Ontario. Even though only a third of its huge area is in Minnesota’s arctic region, this part is a beautiful and walleye-filled fishing paradise. Lake of the Woods is one of North America’s most beautiful freshwater lakes. It was formed from the remains of the huge Glacial Lake Agassiz. There are almost 15,000 islands and rocks in this huge lake covers almost 1,700 square miles and has an amazing 65,000 miles of shoreline. It is a great place to enjoy nature’s beauty and the thrill of big walleye fishing. Because of its size and variety of scenery, Lake of the Woods is a great place for fishermen to visit.
The Rainy River
The Rainy River flows along the border between Minnesota and Ontario for 90 miles before emptying into Lake of the Woods. It is an important part of the legendary walleye hotspot that is linked to the huge lake. Walleye fish move from Lake of the Woods to the Rainy River every spring to spawn. This famous fishing show in Minnesota draws fishermen from all over the world. A large and healthy walleye population is found in the Lake of the Woods/Rainy River system, which supports thriving and long-lasting fishing. This healthy environment always brings anglers to the farthest corners of the Gopher State, where they can have a great time walleye fishing. The link between the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods makes northern Minnesota an even more appealing place for people who want to catch the best walleye fishing in Minnesota.
Rainy Lake
Garrison is proud of Mille Lacs Lake. It is often called the “Walleye Capital of the World” in Minnesota. This square-shaped lake covers about 132,516 acres and is east-southeast of Brainerd. It’s easily located just over an hour north of the Twin Cities. Mille Lacs, the second-largest lake in the Gopher State, is known as a great place for walleye to hang out. The variety of places for fish to spawn and the “phenomenal walleye catch rates” described by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources make it a top choice for hunters looking for an unforgettable experience. Mille Lacs Lake is great for fishing walleye, but it’s also great for fishing smallmouth bass, crappie, and yellow perch, so anglers have everything they need for a great day on the water. Together, Mille Lacs’s closeness to big towns and wide range of fishing options make it a top choice for people looking for a rewarding and varied fishing experience in the middle of Minnesota.
Mille Lacs Lake
Garrison is proud of Mille Lacs Lake. It is often called the “Walleye Capital of the World” in Minnesota. This square-shaped lake covers about 132,516 acres and is east-southeast of Brainerd. It’s easily located just over an hour north of the Twin Cities. Mille Lacs, the second-largest lake in the Gopher State, is known as a great place for walleye to hang out. The variety of places for fish to spawn and the “phenomenal walleye catch rates” described by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources make it a top choice for hunters looking for an unforgettable experience. Mille Lacs Lake is great for fishing walleye, but it’s also great for fishing smallmouth bass, crappie, and yellow perch, so anglers have everything they need for a great day on the water. Together, Mille Lacs’s closeness to big towns and wide range of fishing options make it a top choice for people looking for a rewarding and varied fishing experience in the middle of Minnesota.
Red Lake
To the south of Lake of the Woods is Red Lake, which is one of the best places in Minnesota to fish for walleye. When it comes to size, Red Lake is the biggest natural lake completely inside the state’s borders, covering 440 square miles. A collaborative effort between the state and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa/Ojibwe has been vital in managing this impressive body of water. They worked together on a big project to recover a great walleye fishery that had been damaged by overfishing at the end of the 20th century. Today, Red Lake is a great example of how conservation and cooperative management can work together to protect the environment. It is also the largest natural lake in Minnesota, and it has a great walleye fishery.
Lake Winnibigoshish
Lake Winnibigoshish, which is affectionately called “Lake Winnie” or “Big Winnie” in the area, covers almost 67,000 acres and is a great place to go walleye fishing. Because the lake is in the Chippewa National Forest and most of its coast has not been developed, it offers fishermen a peaceful and natural place to fish. Visitors to Lake Winnie can enjoy a variety of fishing opportunities thanks to its large walleye population and large yellow perch. The presence of these yellow perch makes the area more appealing to anglers who want to catch more than just the prized walleye. Another good thing about Lake Winnie as a walleye fishing spot is that it is close to other great lakes for fishing, like Cut Foot Sioux and Little Winnie. There are many lakes close by that give anglers the freedom to explore and fish as much as they want. This makes fishing in the Chippewa National Forest a complete and enjoyable experience.
Lake Vermilion
Lake Vermilion is a famous place for walleye in the Northwoods. It is in the Vermilion Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota. Its name, which came from French explorers, comes from the Ojibwe word for the lake’s reddish water at sunset. The shallow bays and feeder rivers offer a variety of fishing experiences. In the spring and early summer, they become popular places for “eye fishing,” while deeper waters continue to offer chances into the fall. Notably, the lake’s changing nature reacts to the weather and water conditions, which is why walleye fish move into shallow areas that are easy to reach when the water is rough and the sky is cloudy. Because it can change, Lake Vermilion is even more appealing, offering walleye fishermen a varied and satisfying experience in the stunning scenery of northeastern Minnesota’s Vermilion Iron Range, establishing itself as one of the top destinations for the best walleye fishing in Minnesota.
Kabetogama Lake
Kabetogama Lake is a clean body of water in the backwoods in northeastern Minnesota, surrounded by wolves, moose, and loons. It is mostly in Voyageurs National Park. With more than 24,000 acres and a connection to Namakan Lake, Kabetogama is a great place to fish for walleye. Anglers can find a wide range of options all year long. In the spring, they can fish along windy shorelines. In the summer and fall, they can explore offshore humps and rises. A two-foot-long walleye is not unusual in this wilderness gem, which is known for both its beautiful scenery and its big fish. Kabetogama Lake’s allure stretches beyond walleye, providing anglers with a rich diversity of freshwater prizes, including northern pike, cisco, bluegill, black crappie, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, and the walleye’s smaller relative, the sauger, making it an exceptional destination for the best walleye fishing in Minnesota. This beautiful lake in Voyageurs National Park offers a real taste of the Upper Midwest wilderness for anglers looking for an exciting and varied fishing trip.
Otter Tail Lake
Otter Tail Lake is one of the best places in southern Minnesota to catch walleye. It has shallow, rich areas and depths that drop as low as 120 feet. This lake is at the center of the Otter Tail River group of lakes, which also includes Rush, Big Pine, Little Pine, Deer East Lost, and West Lost lakes. It covers more than 14,000 acres and has more than 20 miles of shoreline. Otter Tail Lake has a mostly built shoreline, but it still has old beds of hard-stem bullrush, which makes it more appealing. The lake is a great place to fish for walleye all year, and every year they add more fry to the lake. Part of the walleye population moves to the Otter Tail and Dead Rivers to spawn, which makes fishing in this diverse and well-stocked lake in southern Minnesota even more exciting.
Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake, which is on the border between Minnesota and South Dakota, is a great place for walleye to live, offering prime opportunities for the best walleye fishing in Minnesota. It covers about 13,000 acres. Fed by the Little Minnesota River and serving as a source for the Minnesota River, it gives excellent walleye depths in the far west of the Gopher State. Because it is regularly stocked with walleye fry, this “border water” gives hunters an earlier season than many of Minnesota’s inland walleye lakes. This gives them an advantage on the yearly yellow pickerel hunt. In the first few days of spring, you can find walleye close to the shore, spawning in full force. As the summer goes on, they move to deeper water and the edges of southern islands. This makes fishing on Big Stone Lake’s beautiful waters exciting and varied.
The Fairmont Chain of Lakes
The Fairmont Chain of Lakes is this beautiful north-south stack of basins that includes Amber, Hall, Budd, Sisseton, and George Lakes. It is generally thought to be the best place in south-central Minnesota to go walleye fishing. The freshwater necklace covers about 1,200 acres and is great for casting or trolling for walleye, with Hall Lake being the most famous. It’s also a great place to catch large numbers of bluegills, black crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, channel catfish, and northern pike. Walleye fishing is one of the best things about Hall Lake. There are many different types of fish in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes, which makes it an interesting place for anglers who want to enjoy a variety of types of fishing in the beautiful south-central Minnesota scenery, including some of the best walleye fishing in Minnesota.
The Mississippi River
Most people think of Minnesota’s inland lakes when they think of walleye fishing, but the Mississippi River is a secret gem. Anglers who only fish in lakes miss out on some great chances to catch fish in the country’s strongest river. For walleye fans, the St. Cloud Dam, Coon Rapids, and Lake Pepin are all great places to catch them. No matter what you catch, going after walleye on this big river makes the fishing experience even better. Because it is so big and has so many different areas, the Mississippi River is a fun and exciting place to go walleye fishing in Minnesota that isn’t a lake. When walleye fishermen explore the Big Muddy, they find a unique and memorable part of the sport. They can connect with this famous river while looking for their favorite catch.
Lake Minnewaska
The lake is in Pope County, which is in the middle of the state of Minnesota. This is a great example of how to enjoy great walleye fishing in Minnesota without going all the way to the Northwoods. There are a lot of walleye in Minnewaska, which makes fishing there very enjoyable. Eight thousand acres of water cover the lake, which is more than 30 feet deep. Northern pike, muskies, green sunfish, bullheads, and largemouth and smallmouth bass are just a few of the other game fish that live in this beautiful lake. Because of this, it is a great place to go swimming. Anglers are welcome to find the many and rewarding walleye fishing opportunities that can be found beyond the more well-known Northwood destinations in Minnesota. Lake Minnewaska is a hidden gem. The state of Minnesota is home to Lake Minnewaska.
Lake Elysian
The grassy pothole that is Lake Elysian covers about 1,900 acres but is not very deep. Although the walleye proliferate there, making it one of the best places to fish for walleye in southern Minnesota. Although Lake Elysian is a little deep, it’s known for being very productive. This helps to make up for the few winterkills that happen, which is typical for a big and deep lake. A unique chance to enjoy excellent walleye fishing in a beautiful prairie setting is available to anglers who visit this unknown gem in southern Minnesota. Because of its size, growth rate, and fishing potential, Lake Elysian is an excellent place for people in the southern parts of Minnesota who want to go walleye fishing in a satisfying and different way.
Lake Washington
It is the last gem on Minnesota’s list of the best places to fish for walleye. Mankato is just a short distance from Lake Washington, which is shared by the counties of Le Sueur and Blue Earth. Lake Washington covers 1,500 acres, has a coast that goes on for about 13 miles, and the water can get as deep as 50 feet. This is another great place in southern Minnesota for walleye fans to have a good time. There are two public boat ramps that anglers can use to get to the lake, even though most people live there. In addition to walleye, northern pike, crappie, and bass can be caught in large numbers at Lake Washington. This means that anglers will have much fun while fishing in the beautiful southern Minnesota scenery.
Conclusion
Many great places to fish for walleye can be found in Minnesota’s varied and beautiful surroundings, offering some of the best walleye fishing in Minnesota. Each place to fish differs, from the famous Leech Lake and the massive Lake of the Woods to the peaceful Lake Elysian and the mighty Mississippi River. People who like to fish can enjoy the beauty of Voyageurs National Park at Kabetogama Lake, look into the clear seas of Lake Vermilion, or cast their lines into Otter Tail Lake. Minnesota is a great place to go fishing because the waters are full of exciting walleye experiences, whether you’re in the Northwoods or the southern prairies.
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