Spring fishing forecast for Red Lake -- explosive!

Bow Narrows angler Terry Ditsch hoists a big pike taken last May

The late ice-out expected for Red Lake, Ontario, this spring means fishing is going to start with a bang!
Walleye and northern pike will likely be spawning during the first couple of weeks of May, just before fishing season opens May 18.
That means both of these species are going to be voracious after a long winter's nap. Also, the lake water temperature is going to be cold enough that lake trout will be right on the surface. This should make for a triple-species bonanza.
A long time ago, cold water would have meant slow walleye fishing at first. That's just not the case any more. Thanks to extraordinary early springs during the last decade, Red Lake is stuffed with so many walleye that they are biting like mad starting on Day One.
Anglers will find them right on or near their spawning areas and on the north side of shallow bays where the water warms up rapidly with the sunshine on these long spring days. Expect to find hordes of them in three to six feet of water.
Northern pike will likewise be hanging around their spawning areas and at the backs of shallow bays that will become weed-choked later in the season. Most of them will be in just a few feet of water. This will be a great time to use the dead bait system of a half-cisco and 5/0 circle hook with or without a bobber but also the newly discovered spring method of surface baits such as the Live Target Walking Frog, Zara Spooks, and the like. We found these surface lures worked wonderfully last spring.
Both species will be easily taken by trolling with shallow-running crank baits like Rapala, Rebel, Long A Bomber, AC Shiner, etc.
Make sure you pinch down the barbs on these trolling lures' treble hooks because you are also going to tie into a lot of lake trout, all of which must be released on Red Lake.
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