Hello all,
This is my first post here. So I’ll be taking a trip on May 11th to Wood Lake(ep26). I’ve never experienced a walleye opener before, and have spent countless hours of research on the topic. Just looking for some insight on bait, lures, and even points of interest on Wood Lake. It’s a fairly shallow lake with a few water sources and some islands. I plan on targeting shallow water near streams ,islands ,bays, coves. Looking if I should freeze/salt some minnows in advance as ice fishing comes to a close? Will leeches be available? Any tips on essential lures. Our group will have 5 ish guys fishing. Most interested in catching walleye with an occasional northern or smallie if they’ve come up from deeper water. Would not be opposed to go up to basswood either, but there could be heavy traffic with it being post opener. Any insight/advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance. I think I’m overthinking it, just want do well and provide some shore lunches.

Get some minnows, keep them alive. Pick up some jigs...orange, pink, red, etc. In Wood Lake go to the narrows...take off from the portage and go to your right. There is current, fish in the current!

I'd be surprised if you didn't catch anything in there.

Harv nailed it. Current current and I would add crawlers as a backup. (sometimes my minnow keeping skills lack; and have good luck keeping good crawlers) I doubt leeches are out that early. Live bait and current should do it.

Work the shorelines, close to shore, and shallow water near the shore. And shallow bays, maybe near shore. The narrows could be good as well, but any flow is very minor. Wind against shore has usually worked for me on Wood.

Welcome to the board.

I would second the thoughts on looking shallow first. Being post-spawn, however, if your not having luck shallow search the 20-30' range.

overthehill: " Harv nailed it. Current current and I would add crawlers as a backup. (sometimes my minnow keeping skills lack; and have good luck keeping good crawlers) I doubt leeches are out that early. Live bait and current should do it."

x3

How well do you guys think that salted minnows would do for opener?

A1t2o: "How well do you guys think that salted minnows would do for opener?"

i would bring that before live minnows unless your staying on an entry point lake , and i dont salt mine just freeze in layers in ziplocks in a 6-pack cooler fits under the canoe seat , and you can have bait for almost 7 days if kept in a cooler area.
and a chunk of ice for a cocktail too ;) dont forget the vodka and tang ;)
and maybe some rolaids too LOL
pic of what i bring in , mainly for lake trout fishing from camp on a deadbait set up. you can fit a lot of fatheads/crappie minnows in a 6-pack cooler , thats for sure

moving water is always good , but after the spawn , it can be tricky for a week or so , if you find them they can be STACKED ! i've found areas that are reasonably close to the moving water/spawning, that are some what of a basin(but not necessarily flat basin) in the 25'-30' range or a little bay close can also be very productive , BUT when your in that 7-14 days after ice out , the walleyes can be almost none existent , but if you get them when their back on the feed , you can strike WALLEYE GOLD ;)
thats why i've said many times , you plan your trip and you see what mother nature gives you.
here's a good story , on one of my many openers in the BW we were catching walleyes basically every where , and i was fishing this very shallow back bay with a lot of wood in the water(smallies) , it was high noon and no clouds , i hooked into a fish and i told my partner now thats no walleye and sure enough it was a walleye.

I've brought salted minnows into the BW on opener with good success. I just bought minnows at the bait shop, dumped the water out, put the minnows in a ziplock, dumped an over abundance of salt in and they were good for 4 days without issue, i kept them cool when in camp.