So we headed north with a ton of shiner minnows and jigs to the famed Leech Lake for opener. I had a last minute cancellation so it was just my little brother, Joe, and I.

The fishing was phenomenal to say the least. Joe and I caught several walleyes in between 16 and 28 inches and all were on jigs and shiner. We concentrated on shallow weed flats adjacent to spawning areas. We caught most of the fish in 6 to 8 feet of water. It seemed like it took the right speed to get them to bite. Pictured below is Joe and I with two different 28 inchers.

Fishing Tip:
Usually earlier in the season I fish with Kenkatch Hair Jigs and Northland Tackle Stand Up Jigs. It seems both of these jigs have triggering qualities that most jigs do not. The Kenkatch Hair Jig has a large profile and floats through the water. It just seems to drive them nuts. Northlands Stand Up Jig has a special way it wobbles when you hook the shiner up through the head. There are many ways to fish a jig and one way I get a lot of bits is just swimming the jig through the water. Cast it out and just reel it back like a crank bait. The stand up jig is also designed to sit on the bottom of the lake with the hook up. This gives the appearance of minnows feeding on the lake floor or burring its into the weeds. If you not getting bits try and just let your jig sit for 5 seconds and sometimes that is what they want. There is no wrong way to fish a jig as long as your getting bits. Make sure you vary your cadence and you will be sure to get bit!