Walleye fishing at Banks Lake is great right now, and it appears that it will be good this season, in spite of the fears that the draw down last year would have negative effects. Very good numbers of walleye in the 20-inch plus category are being taken, and even a few over 30 inches.

One of my fishing partners when I fished Banks recently, Olin Smith with the Department of Fish and Wildlife is limiting regularly and he showed me some very impressive photos on his cell phone. Smith is finding walleye on the back side of Steamboat rock, and is taking them on bottom bounce and spinners rigs. He also has had some great action on crank baits in Moon Bay and in the area known as the Poplars.

When we fished behind Steamboat, Smith was looking for 20 feet of water and pulled a variety of dark-colored spinners at just over 1 mph. We launched in a wind storm in the evening and found fishing tough. We did get a double and landed two keepers, though.

I am anxious to get back to Banks when conditions are better and I have more time to fish. I know I will put some dandy walleye in the live well.