Which is great.
Because while Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding area offer the best trophy-class metro fishing in the nation, most urban angling here is done by kids (young and old) on bikes and foot.
Here's a breakdown of key metro fishing opportunities
• Upper St. Croix River near Grantsburg, Wis. This is john-boat country -- or canoe country. Put in on the Wisconsin side of the river at the public landing just above the bridge crossing the St. Croix near Grantsburg. Motor (as water depth allows) upstream between 1 and 2 miles, plugging the shoreline for smallies. Great for fly fishing, too. Otherwise, spinners or small floating Rapalas or other crankbaits work.
• St. Croix River near Prescott, Wis. The water is relatively low this year for so early in the spring, making fishing tougher here, perhaps, than it traditionally is in May. Still, lots of walleye and smallmouth bass opportunities are available. A jig and minnow works. Troll crankbaits.
Also, get a depth map and troll a lead-core line with a Shad Rap upstream of the bridge.
• Mississippi River, Pool 2. Launch your boat off Mississippi River Blvd. in St. Paul or just downstream from the new bridge crossing the Mississippi in South St. Paul. Give yourself time to learn where walleyes and smallmouth bass lurk. It's a metro treasure once you do.
• White Bear Lake. Popular for muskies, panfish, northerns and walleyes. Low water has hampered access in recent years. This year also will be challenging.
• Minnetonka. Can provide excellent muskie fishing. Competition is keen, however. Terrific largemouth lake. Less well-known for its walleyes, but lunkers are available. Crankbaits retrieved along weedlines and atop reefs and points can produce trophies of bragging size.
• Waconia. Managed for walleyes, muskies and largemouth bass, this lake is another Twin Cities area fishing gem. Panfish here also, but the larger species get most of the angling attention. Again, the size of walleyes caught can surprise.
• Phalen. A fun St. Paul area lake to fish, with bluegills and crappies available from shore and a pier (vegetation can hamper shoreline fishing as summer progresses.) Great lake to canoe and fish. Walleyes, too, with some big ones.
• North and South Center. Located near Chisago City, these lakes have good walleye and panfish populations. Great angling opportunities here a short distance from home. On most days, a canoe will do. Plenty of boats likely here for the opener. Walleyes bigger and more plentiful than many anglers would guess. Bass, too.
• St. Croix River near Prescott, Wis. The water is relatively low this year for so early in the spring, making fishing tougher here, perhaps, than it traditionally is in May. Still, lots of walleye and smallmouth bass opportunities are available. A jig and minnow works. Troll crankbaits.
Also, get a depth map and troll a lead-core line with a Shad Rap upstream of the bridge.
• Mississippi River, Pool 2. Launch your boat off Mississippi River Blvd. in St. Paul or just downstream from the new bridge crossing the Mississippi in South St. Paul. Give yourself time to learn where walleyes and smallmouth bass lurk. It's a metro treasure once you do.
• White Bear Lake. Popular for muskies, panfish, northerns and walleyes. Low water has hampered access in recent years. This year also will be challenging.
• Minnetonka. Can provide excellent muskie fishing. Competition is keen, however. Terrific largemouth lake. Less well-known for its walleyes, but lunkers are available. Crankbaits retrieved along weedlines and atop reefs and points can produce trophies of bragging size.
• Waconia. Managed for walleyes, muskies and largemouth bass, this lake is another Twin Cities area fishing gem. Panfish here also, but the larger species get most of the angling attention. Again, the size of walleyes caught can surprise.
• Phalen. A fun St. Paul area lake to fish, with bluegills and crappies available from shore and a pier (vegetation can hamper shoreline fishing as summer progresses.) Great lake to canoe and fish. Walleyes, too, with some big ones.
• North and South Center. Located near Chisago City, these lakes have good walleye and panfish populations. Great angling opportunities here a short distance from home. On most days, a canoe will do. Plenty of boats likely here for the opener. Walleyes bigger and more plentiful than many anglers would guess. Bass, too.
• Green. Also near Chisago, offering the same species as North and South Center, Green each summer coughs up trophy-class largemouths, as well as reasonable numbers of walleyes.
• Calhoun. Some crappies here. Tiger muskies also -- great fun from a canoe or, fishing at night, when caught from shore. Walleye fishing is better than you'd guess in the shadows of skyscrapers. Good pier access.
• Cedar. This is a good, fertile Scott County fishery, with its emphasis on bluegills. Walleyes have been tougher here in recent years, but a sizable stocking of fingerlings last year bodes well for the future. Tiger muskies are available, as are crappies.
• Calhoun. Some crappies here. Tiger muskies also -- great fun from a canoe or, fishing at night, when caught from shore. Walleye fishing is better than you'd guess in the shadows of skyscrapers. Good pier access.
• Cedar. This is a good, fertile Scott County fishery, with its emphasis on bluegills. Walleyes have been tougher here in recent years, but a sizable stocking of fingerlings last year bodes well for the future. Tiger muskies are available, as are crappies.
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