{"id":798,"date":"2026-06-01T06:04:06","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T06:04:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/minnesota-fishing-season-calendar\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T18:32:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T18:32:07","slug":"minnesota-fishing-season-calendar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/minnesota-fishing-season-calendar\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Fishing Season Calendar: Month by Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Minnesota fishing is built around the seasons. The walleye opener \u2014 the second Saturday in May \u2014 is essentially a state holiday. Ice fishing dominates four months of the year on a serious recreational scale. The summer pattern shifts as bait moves and water temperatures change. And the fall trophy windows for walleye, musky, and pike draw anglers across the country to specific lakes at specific times. Knowing what&#8217;s biting and when is the difference between booking a trip that produces and one that doesn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n<p>This calendar pulls together temperature patterns, seasonal species behavior, and regional considerations across Minnesota&#8217;s primary fisheries \u2014 Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, Leech Lake, Lake Vermilion, the Boundary Waters, and the metropolitan-area lakes. Use it alongside the <a href=\"\/charts\">SST charts<\/a> to time your trip and the <a href=\"\/fleet\/\">fleet tracker<\/a> to see where anglers are actually finding fish.<\/p>\n\n\n<!-- fishing booker link  -->\n<br>\n<div style=\"width:100%; background:#0a2744; border-radius:8px; padding:28px 24px; font-family:var(--font-sans); color:white; border:1px solid #1a4a7a; box-sizing:border-box;\">\n  <div style=\"display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; gap:16px; text-align:center; flex-wrap:wrap;\">\n    <i class=\"ti ti-fish\" style=\"font-size:44px; color:#4db8e8;\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n    <div>\n      <div style=\"font-size:24px; font-weight:600; color:white; line-height:1.3;\">Let&#8217;s go Fishing!<\/div>\n      <div style=\"font-size:24px; font-weight:600; color:white; line-height:1.3;\">Search for the Perfect Fishing Trip or Charter<\/div>\n      <div style=\"font-size:18px; color:#7ec8e8; margin-top:4px;\">Minnesota Lakes &amp; Resorts<\/div>\n      <div style=\"font-size:14px; color:#5a8aaa; margin-top:2px;\">Verified reviews &middot; Free cancellation &middot; 90-day price match<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div style=\"display:flex; gap:10px; flex-wrap:wrap; justify-content:center; margin-top:20px;\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/charters\/search\/us\/MN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" style=\"display:inline-block; background:#f6a623; color:#1a1a1a; font-weight:700; font-size:14px; padding:12px 20px; border-radius:6px; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;\">\n      <i class=\"ti ti-ship\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> All Minnesota Charters\n    <\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/fish\/walleye\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" style=\"display:inline-block; background:#1a3d6b; color:#b8d8ee; font-size:14px; font-weight:500; padding:12px 20px; border-radius:6px; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap; border:0.5px solid #2a5a8a;\">\n      Walleye Trips\n    <\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/fish\/muskellunge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" style=\"display:inline-block; background:#1a3d6b; color:#b8d8ee; font-size:14px; font-weight:500; padding:12px 20px; border-radius:6px; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap; border:0.5px solid #2a5a8a;\">\n      Musky Trips\n    <\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div style=\"margin-top:18px; padding-top:14px; border-top:1px solid #1a4a7a; font-size:17px; color:#5a8aaa; text-align:center;\">\n    Powered by FishingBooker &middot; Affiliate partner\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<br>\n<!-- end -->\n\n<h2>At a Glance: Minnesota Fishing Calendar<\/h2>\n\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Month<\/th>\n<th>Avg Surface Temp<\/th>\n<th>Primary Targets<\/th>\n<th>Trip Types<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Jan<\/td>\n<td>32\u00b0F (ice)<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Pike, Perch, Crappie (ice)<\/td>\n<td>Ice fishing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Feb<\/td>\n<td>32\u00b0F (ice)<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Pike, Perch (ice)<\/td>\n<td>Ice fishing \u2014 peak conditions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mar<\/td>\n<td>32-38\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Late-ice Walleye, Pike, Crappie<\/td>\n<td>Late ice fishing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Apr<\/td>\n<td>38-50\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Trophy Pike, Crappie (open water begins)<\/td>\n<td>Pre-spawn pike, panfish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>May<\/td>\n<td>50-62\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Walleye (opener), Pike, Crappie, Smallmouth<\/td>\n<td>Walleye opener \u2014 peak booking<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jun<\/td>\n<td>62-72\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Smallmouth, Pike, Musky<\/td>\n<td>All trip types \u2014 best variety<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jul<\/td>\n<td>72-78\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Walleye (deep), Smallmouth, Musky, Largemouth<\/td>\n<td>Multi-species summer trips<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Aug<\/td>\n<td>74-80\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Musky, Walleye (deep), Largemouth, Smallmouth (deep)<\/td>\n<td>Musky-focused, summer multi-species<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Sep<\/td>\n<td>62-72\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Walleye (trophy), Musky (trophy), Smallmouth<\/td>\n<td>Fall trophy season begins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Oct<\/td>\n<td>50-62\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Musky (peak), Walleye (trophy), Pike (trophy)<\/td>\n<td>Fall trophy peak<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nov<\/td>\n<td>38-50\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Musky (late), Walleye, Pike (late)<\/td>\n<td>Late-season fishing, freeze prep<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dec<\/td>\n<td>32-38\u00b0F<\/td>\n<td>Early-ice fishing begins<\/td>\n<td>First-ice fishing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<h2>Winter: December through March<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water\/ice condition:<\/strong> 32\u00b0F surface, varying ice thickness<\/p>\n\n<p>Winter is when Minnesota fishing culture reveals itself. The lakes freeze, ice shanties appear, and entire towns of pop-up fishing villages form on Mille Lacs, Upper Red Lake, and Lake of the Woods. Walleye remain catchable through the entire winter. Pike are caught on tip-ups. Crappie schools concentrate in deep basins. Perch fill bait shop freezers. Ice fishing is its own ecosystem, with specialized gear, dedicated guide services, and resort towns built around it.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-walleye\/\">Walleye<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Active throughout winter. Tip-ups with shiners or jigging with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/43333xx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">VMC Mooneye<\/a> jigs and Rapala Jigging Raps produce. Dawn and dusk windows still apply.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-northern-pike\/\">Northern Pike<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Big pike are very catchable through ice. Tip-ups with large shiners or suckers along weed edges. Trophy fish in late February-March before the spawn.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Yellow Perch<\/strong> \u2014 Schools concentrate in 15-30 foot basins. Small jigs tipped with waxworms or maggots produce numbers. Big perch (10+ inches) come in waves.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Black Crappie<\/strong> \u2014 Deep basins in mid-winter, suspended schools. Small ice jigs and small minnows on tip-ups. January-February best for big slabs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>Ice condition tip:<\/strong> Always verify current ice conditions before going. Resorts in Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, and Leech Lake areas post current conditions and provide guided ice access. Don&#8217;t trust internet reports more than a few days old.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Spring: April through Mid-May (Pre-Opener)<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 38-58\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>Spring in Minnesota is transitional and underrated. Most species&#8217; fishing seasons aren&#8217;t yet open or are in the late ice window. But the pre-opener period produces excellent trophy pike fishing as big females push into shallow bays to spawn. Crappie fishing on smaller open-water lakes can be exceptional. Smallmouth bass fishing opens in late May or early June depending on the lake.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-northern-pike\/\">Northern Pike (Trophy Window)<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Post-ice-out pike fishing is the first trophy window of the year. Big females push into shallow bays. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4fT3Wjz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Dardevle spoons<\/a> and large suckers under bobbers produce. Many anglers travel specifically for this window.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Black Crappie<\/strong> \u2014 Pre-spawn crappie push into shallow water on smaller lakes that warm fastest. Small jigs and minnows along shoreline cover produce excellent action.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bullheads<\/strong> \u2014 Underrated Minnesota fishery. Bullheads push shallow as water warms and feed aggressively. Kids and casual anglers can fill buckets with simple worm-and-bobber setups.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Steelhead (North Shore tributaries)<\/strong> \u2014 The Lake Superior tributaries produce spring steelhead in late April through May. Knife River, French River, others. Fly fishing and gear fishing both produce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>SST tip:<\/strong> Spring is when temperature breaks matter most. South-facing shorelines warm faster. Dark-bottom bays warm fastest. Even a 2-3\u00b0F difference between sides of the same lake matters.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Walleye Opener: Mid-May Weekend<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 50-58\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>The second Saturday in May is the Minnesota walleye opener \u2014 and it&#8217;s the biggest fishing event in the state. Resort towns book out months in advance. Bait shops run 24-hour shifts. State officials hold the ceremonial Governor&#8217;s Opener at a different lake each year. The fishing itself can be excellent or tough depending on weather, but the cultural event is genuinely unique.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Walleye<\/strong> \u2014 The headline species. Post-spawn fish at most lakes, in transition. Jigs tipped with minnows or fatheads at 8-18 feet on points and rocky structure. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4uJRIyx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Northland Fireball jigs<\/a> are the opener standard.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Northern Pike<\/strong> \u2014 Still in spring pattern, accessible in shallow weeds. Large suckers and big spoons produce.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Crappie<\/strong> \u2014 Late spawning crappie in shallow water. Quick limits possible on the right lake.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smallmouth Bass<\/strong> \u2014 Catch-and-release only in most waters until the regular bass opener later in May. Don&#8217;t keep them but can fish.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>SST tip:<\/strong> Watch surface temperature carefully in the days leading up. Cold spring = slow opener. Warm spring = aggressive bite. The 50-58\u00b0F band predicts the action.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Late Spring: Late May through Mid-June<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 58-68\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>The post-opener stretch is when patterns establish for summer. Walleye spread out from spawning areas. Smallmouth bass season opens and produces excellent fishing. Pike are still accessible but starting to push to slightly deeper edges. Musky season opens in many waters around Memorial Day weekend.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Walleye<\/strong> \u2014 Building pattern. Live bait rigs with leeches, jigs with minnows, slow trolling with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4dYwype\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Berkley Flicker Shad<\/a> on structure.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-smallmouth-bass\/\">Smallmouth Bass<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Pre-spawn and spawn period. Trophy fish in 8-15 feet on rocky structure. Excellent fishing.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-musky\/\">Muskellunge<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Season opens. Post-spawn fish in shallow weeds. Smaller lures produce \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4fekt1r\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Mepps Musky Killer bucktails<\/a> in standard sizes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Largemouth Bass<\/strong> \u2014 Pre-spawn and spawn on most southern Minnesota lakes. Texas-rigged plastics and crankbaits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Summer: June through August<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 65-80\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>The deep summer pattern. Surface temperatures push past the prime band for walleye and pike. Musky and smallmouth remain active in the warmer water. Crappie school in deeper basins. Topwater fishing produces at dawn and dusk for multiple species. Mid-day fishing concentrates on deep structure.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Walleye<\/strong> \u2014 Push to thermocline depth (18-30 feet on lakes with thermoclines). Trolling with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4vl05jZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Rapala Shad Rap<\/a> or Flicker Shad along structure. Live bait rigs at depth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smallmouth Bass<\/strong> \u2014 Active across multiple depths. Topwater at dawn, finesse plastics like <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4fP5YBh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Z-Man TRD<\/a> midday, vertical jigging in deep water.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Musky<\/strong> \u2014 Active feeding period. Big baits on weed edges. Topwater plugs at dawn produce. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4vfnoLR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Bull Dawg<\/a> soft plastics worked through weeds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Northern Pike<\/strong> \u2014 Push deep to escape heat. Trolling crankbaits at the thermocline edge produces. Dawn and dusk shallow fishing still produces.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bluegill<\/strong> \u2014 Shallow water spawning beds in early June. Big bluegills (8+ inches) caught on small jigs and worms. Family fishing favorite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>SST tip:<\/strong> Watch for thermocline development. Once it sets up (usually mid-June), walleye and lake trout (where present) will be at the upper edge of the cold water layer.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Late Summer Transition: Late August<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 70-78\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>The transition period. Surface temperatures peak and begin slowly dropping. Musky activity increases as the prime band returns. Walleye fishing remains good but tougher than spring or fall. This is when serious anglers start watching for the fall pattern.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Musky<\/strong> \u2014 Building toward fall trophy window. Larger fish becoming accessible. Big baits dominant.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Walleye<\/strong> \u2014 Still deep on most lakes. Trolling produces best. Trophy fish becoming more aggressive.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smallmouth Bass<\/strong> \u2014 Returning to shallower structure as temperatures stabilize. Excellent fishing on Mille Lacs and Sturgeon Bay.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pike<\/strong> \u2014 Still deep but feeding more aggressively. First fall pattern signs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Fall Trophy Window: September through October<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 50-65\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>The most underrated season for many Minnesota waters. Surface temperatures drop back through the prime feeding bands. Walleye, musky, pike, and smallmouth all become aggressive simultaneously. The biggest fish of the year are typically caught in this period. Tourist crowds are largely gone. Resort prices drop. The fishing is exceptional.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Musky (Trophy Window)<\/strong> \u2014 The famous Wisconsin and Minnesota fall musky bite. 50+ inch fish become realistic targets. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3PYCA0S\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">Big jerkbaits<\/a> and live suckers produce.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Walleye (Trophy Window)<\/strong> \u2014 Aggressive pre-winter feeding. Trolling crankbaits and vertical jigging both produce. Trophy fish in 8-15 feet on structure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pike (Trophy Window)<\/strong> \u2014 Second trophy pike window of the year. Big females actively feeding. Large suckers and big spoons.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smallmouth Bass<\/strong> \u2014 Aggressive fall feeding. Crankbaits and jerkbaits on rocky shorelines produce.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Steelhead (North Shore)<\/strong> \u2014 Fall run begins on Lake Superior tributaries. Drifting eggs and small spinners produce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>SST tip:<\/strong> Watch for the prime band returning to mid-depth water. As surface temperatures drop into the 60s, fish that were 30 feet deep in summer come back to 12-20 feet \u2014 the same structure as June and July, but now in cooler water.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Late Fall: November<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Water temperature:<\/strong> 38-50\u00b0F<\/p>\n\n<p>The end of the open-water season. Most resorts close in early November. Day temperatures hover near freezing. Open-water fishing continues but becomes harder to access. Musky fishing on the sucker pattern produces the year&#8217;s biggest fish for those willing to fight cold weather. Walleye fishing on the deep structure continues until ice forms.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s biting:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Musky (Sucker Pattern)<\/strong> \u2014 Late-season specialists using quick-strike rigged 14+ inch suckers produce the year&#8217;s biggest fish. Cold weather, big fish.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Walleye<\/strong> \u2014 Deep, slow, but feeding. Vertical jigging on main-lake structure. Numbers down, average size up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pike<\/strong> \u2014 Late-fall pike fishing produces big fish for the persistent angler. Suckers along deep weed edges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Top Minnesota Lakes by Season<\/h2>\n\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Lake<\/th>\n<th>Primary Species<\/th>\n<th>Best Window<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Mille Lacs Lake<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Smallmouth Bass<\/td>\n<td>Opener, mid-summer smallmouth, fall trophy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lake of the Woods<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Pike, Smallmouth<\/td>\n<td>Opener through fall freeze<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Leech Lake<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Musky, Pike<\/td>\n<td>Opener, summer musky, fall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lake Vermilion<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Musky, Smallmouth, Pike<\/td>\n<td>Year-round, peak summer-fall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Upper Red Lake<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Crappie<\/td>\n<td>Opener, ice fishing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lake Winnibigoshish<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Pike, Perch<\/td>\n<td>Opener, ice fishing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cass Lake<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Musky, Pike<\/td>\n<td>Opener, summer, fall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lake Mille Lacs<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Smallmouth Bass<\/td>\n<td>All seasons<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rainy Lake<\/td>\n<td>Walleye, Pike, Smallmouth, Musky<\/td>\n<td>Summer, fall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<h2>How to Use Ocean &amp; Lake Data to Plan Your Trip<\/h2>\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Identify the season<\/strong> \u2014 Use this calendar to narrow target species by month.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the <a href=\"\/charts\">SST charts<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 current surface temperatures. Running ahead of or behind the historical average tells you to shift trip timing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Look for temperature structure<\/strong> \u2014 Breaks, warm pockets, cold inflows. Different parts of the same lake warm at different rates.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cross-reference the <a href=\"\/chlorophyll\">chlorophyll map<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Productive water concentrates bait, which concentrates predators.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Watch the <a href=\"\/fleet\/\">fleet tracker<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Real-time intelligence on where boats are actually finding fish.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the <a href=\"\/beta\">AI predictions<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 Daily forecasts synthesizing the data.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<h2>Plan Your Trip<\/h2>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/charts\">SST Charts<\/a> \u2014 current Minnesota lake temperatures<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/chlorophyll\">Chlorophyll Maps<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/fleet\/\">Fleet Tracker<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/weather\">Marine Weather<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/beta\">AI Fishing Predictions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/upper-midwest-fishing-trips\/\">Upper Midwest Fishing Trips<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Related Guides<\/h2>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-walleye\/\">Best Water Temp for Walleye<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-northern-pike\/\">Best Water Temp for Northern Pike<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-musky\/\">Best Water Temp for Musky<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-water-temp-smallmouth-bass\/\">Best Water Temp for Smallmouth Bass<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-walleye-jigs\/\">Best Walleye Jigs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-walleye-crankbaits\/\">Best Walleye Crankbaits<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-walleye-rods\/\">Best Walleye Rods<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-walleye-reels\/\">Best Walleye Reels<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-musky-lures\/\">Best Musky Lures<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-northern-pike-lures\/\">Best Northern Pike Lures<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/best-smallmouth-bass-lures\/\">Best Smallmouth Bass Lures<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/walleye-trolling-guide\/\">Walleye Trolling Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/walleye-jigging-guide\/\">Walleye Jigging Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/musky-fishing-guide\/\">Musky Fishing Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/wisconsin-fishing-season-calendar\/\">Wisconsin Fishing Season Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/lake-of-the-woods-fishing-guide\/\">Lake of the Woods Fishing Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/mille-lacs-fishing-guide\/\">Mille Lacs Fishing Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/upper-midwest-fishing-trips\/\">Upper Midwest Fishing Trips<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/how-to-read-sst-charts\/\">How to Read SST Charts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><em>Tight lines!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Minnesota fishing is built around the seasons. The walleye opener \u2014 the second Saturday in May \u2014 is essentially a state holiday. Ice fishing dominates four months of the year on a serious recreational scale. The summer pattern shifts as bait moves and water temperatures change. And the fall trophy windows for walleye, musky, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fishing-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=798"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":822,"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/798\/revisions\/822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}