Mike Gnatkowski

Serious walleye anglers in Michigan get plenty of days in on the water well before the traditional walleye opener on the last Saturday in April in the Lower Peninsula (April 25, 2026).
The Great Lakes and connecting waters are open to year-round walleye fishing, and anglers take advantage of the opportunity. Still, others make a point of celebrating the opener on their favorite inland walleye waters.

If the calendar runs true to course, December provides anglers one last opportunity to pursue walleyes in open water. It can be a cold proposition, but some of the biggest walleye of the year are caught in December just before lakes freeze up, often under the cover of darkness.