Most anglers don’t come to the Minneapolis area to target walleye, however, for many anglers that are in the area, it is nice to have some options for walleye. While this area has way more lakes that are better for bass, pike or panfish, there are some places you can go to catch some walleye in the metro area.
Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka is a 14,528-acre lake and it is only about 15 to 25 miles away from Minneapolis, depending on what part of the lake you are fishing. The lake is an irregular shape with numerous bays and islands, which helps make up around 125 miles of shoreline. Lake Minnetonka is known for its tremendous largemouth bass fishery. You can also catch northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie and panfish.
Chisago Lakes
The Chisago Lakes area is home to some excellent bass fishing to go along with quality northern pike and panfish too. Some anglers do catch some walleye, but this area is known for its excellent largemouth bass fishing.
St. Croix River
The St. Croix River is a little farther from Minneapolis, especially if you head up to Taylor Falls. The Taylor Falls area is very close to the Chisago Lakes area, so combining a day on the river with a Chisago Lakes trip could work out perfect. The St. Croix River is known for its smallmouth bass and white bass fisheries in this area. You can also catch many other species of fish here such as walleye, catfish, northern pike, muskie and more.
Prior Lakes Area
The Prior Lakes area offers that small town lake community vibe and is located about 30 minutes southwest of Minneapolis. The lakes here offer good fishing for a variety of species. The lakes right in town are North Prior & South Prior Lakes. Head just outside of town and there are many other lakes that you can fish as well. Anglers target largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, muskie, panfish and more here.
Bald Eagle Lake
Bald Eagle Lake is located just north of the City of White Bear Lake. It has been the most popular muskie lake in the east metro area and it offers plenty of options for other fish too. Anglers target walleye, largemouth bass and northern pike here and some quality fish are present in the lake. Bluegill and crappie are here in good numbers with a low abundance of perch.
MN DNR Lake Information Report
Forest Lake
Forest Lake is a popular fishing lake in the metro area. Largemouth bass and walleye are the main targets for most anglers here. This lake does have a lot of vegetation growth in the summer with plenty of recreational boaters, so you may have to get out early on the weekends or during the week if you want to hit all your favorite fishing spots without being crowded. Other species of fish here are muskie, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, rock bass and perch.
MN DNR Lake Information Report
Lake Waconia
Lake Waconia is a 2,996-acre lake with a maximum depth of 37 feet. It is located in north central Carver County, just north of the city of Waconia. It is a good lake for a variety of fish. It is managed for walleye and muskie, but the lake has better numbers of crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass. Northern pike are big in this lake, but they are not here in large numbers.
MN DNR Lake Information Report
Mississippi River Pool 2
Pool 2 is the portion of the Mississippi River from above the dam at Hastings, Minnesota and extends upstream to the Ford Dam. Backwater lakes in this area include Baldwin Lake, River Lake, Spring Lake, Mooers Lake, Pig’s Eye Lake and Grey Cloud Slough.
Anglers target a variety of fish in the river such as catfish, walleye, sauger, smallmouth bass, white bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie and largemouth bass.
White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake is a popular lake for fishing in the east metro area. Largemouth bass fishing is good here with good numbers of bass and some quality bass too. Northern pike are here too but they run on the small side. Anglers target walleye more in the spring and fall. Panfish include
angling lake. Largemouth Bass are the favorite target of summer angling. Northern Pike are easily caught, but they tend to be small (18 – 22 inches). Walleye angling is better early in the season and in the fall. Anglers should be prepared to compete with recreational boaters, especially during weekends and holidays.
MN DNR Lake Information Report
Best Baits for Walleye
Walleye eat a variety of different baits, however, when push comes to shove, it is much easier to catch them with live baits. Minnows, nightcrawlers and leeches are definitely the best live baits for walleye.
While most anglers will just use live baits, many anglers will also target walleye with lures as well. Crankbaits and soft plastics are the best lures for walleye, however, you can catch walleye with a variety of different lures.
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Best Rigs for Walleye
When targeting walleye, there are many different rigs that you can use to catch them. While most anglers will keep it super simple and just use a simple jighead, many anglers will use a variety of rigs such as spinner rigs, 3 way rigs, bottom bouncers, drop shot rigs and many others.
To learn more, take a look at our best rigs for walleye page.
Best Techniques for Walleye
Jigging is by far the most popular technique for walleye fishing, however, you can catch them a variety of different ways. Casting, trolling and drifting are some of the other awesome techniques that anglers use.
To learn more, take a look at our best techniques for walleye page.
Learn More About Walleye
Our walleye fishing section has tons of tips on the best lures, live baits, where to catch them and how to catch them.
Visit our walleye fishing website to learn more.
