While anglers do some shore-fishing for walleyes, it’s a vastly untapped fishery, according to John Lindgren, a DNR fisheries specialist for the Duluth area fisheries office. One of the best locations is along Rice’s Point near the boat access closest to the Highway 53 bridge.

“There’s an old railroad bridge here that’s maintained as a fishing pier, but I hardly see anybody fishing there,” Lindgren said.

It could be because the area is not well marked or that it’s 10 to 15 feet off the water, but it has plenty of walleyes around it throughout the summer. Because the bridge spans the river, it moves over water as deep as 25 feet, and there’s an underwater crib. “Not too many people fish it, but they should because you can work the entire estuary and it’s in an area where it constricts and concentrates walleyes,” Lindgren said.

Early in the season, top areas include the Boy Scout Landing in west Duluth and Chamber’s Grove near the Highway 23 bridge. There is also an area in between these locations off Grand Avenue near Perch Lake. “You can cast from shore here and get into the main channel pretty easily,” Lindgren said.

For information on the Duluth area, go to www.visitduluth.com or call 1-800-4-DULUTH.

LAKE BEMIDJI
Lake Bemidji has such a strong population of walleyes that it would be a shame to neglect it as a shore-fishing location. Even with two primary locations for shore-fishing, the odds are pretty good that it will be just you and the hungry walleyes overlooked in these locations by boat anglers.

“One of the areas you can fish is on the public fishing pier on the south end of the lake, and the other is a spot on Diamond Lake Park, which is my favorite,” said Bryan Sathre of First Choice Guide Service of Cass Lake.

At the city park, people do well pitching minnow-shaped crankbaits into the lush cabbage beds. Working lures over the top of the weeds or through them can trigger voracious walleyes actively feeding in these spots. Walleyes move up and down all year long in this area where a depth of 30 feet can be reached with a healthy cast.

Sathre recommended bringing a pair of waders so you can extend your casting ability, especially parallel to the weed edge. “Walk out to where the water is a few inches shy of the top of your waders and cast away,” he said.

Additional information can be found at www.firstchoiceguide.com or by calling (218) 444-5888. Area information can be found at www.visitbemidji.com or by calling 1-800-458-2223.

NORTHWEST TWIN CITIES
The river town of Anoka might be considered a suburb by big-city folks, but locals know this is a small town that’s grown up and just happens to be part of the larger Twin Cities area. Either way you look at it, there is some tremendous walleye shore-fishing along the Rum River, Mississippi River and in several area lakes.

The mouth of the Rum River where it runs into the Mississippi River can be a tremendous location, according to Jack Kordiak of Action’s Fishing in Anoka. “This is an area that’s easily accessible, as is the Mississippi Point Park across the bridge on the Champlain side of the river,” he said.