MADISON CHAIN
The natural lakes within view of the capitol dome in Madison continue to produce good catches of walleyes because of careful management practices. Lake Mendota is the largest lake in this chain, with an 18-inch size limit in place. DNR surveys indicate Mendota has the greatest numbers of walleyes and size structure, with an evening spotlight cruise the best way to locate fish before opening day (hint: turn on the light right by the Tenney Park locks).

Lake Kegonsa at the lower end of the chain near Stoughton produced quite a few walleyes near the 15-inch legal size last year, with a great year-class ready for the frying pan come opening day. The key to catching walleyes in this soup-bowl basin lake is targeting openings in the weed edge with a 1/16-ounce weedless jighead tipped with a jumbo leech, or working the hump out from Quam and Colladay points with a live-baited Lindy Rig. The hump out from Christie's is a good place to anchor up before midnight prior to opening day, with a lighted slip-bobber and leech solid medicine for a fish fry. Other traditional opening weekend hotspots are the long bar and weed edge north of the boat launch at Babcock Park known as Rockford Heights, and the weed edge south of the slide at the Bible Camp. If I had just one lure to throw here, it would be a No. 5 jointed ShadRap worked in a steady retrieve just ticking submergent weedtops.

Contact: Ron Barefield's Fishing Adventures guide service, (608) 838-8756; Madison Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-373-6376 or www.visitmadison.com.

LAC VIEUX DESERT
If veteran guide George Langley could choose just one lake in Wisconsin's northwoods where there is more water than land, 2,900-acre Lac Vieux Desert on the Michigan border would be the place. The "Desert" ranks right at the top as both a bass and muskie producer, with nice panfish as well. And then, there's those walleyes.

Opening weekend, submergent cabbage weeds in Rice and Thunder bays hold good populations of walleyes, with Duck Point and a series of offshore humps on the south end of the lake also worth probing.

There is a good boat launch on Thunder Bay, with another great big boat access on the Michigan side in Misery Bay. Fish the "Desert" more than once and you'll see virtue in purchasing a Michigan license.

If we have a cold spring and the cabbage weeds aren't a factor, try targeting rockbars on the lake's west side. You can launch a small boat here, but venturing more than a couple hundred yards from the launch is not advisable. Wind is almost always a factor on Lac Vieux Desert. This is a place for a deep-V "walleye" boat -- even if you're chasing muskies. Walleyes are a primary forage base for the muskies. Take along a good supply of crankbaits, especially in fire-tiger and orange hues.

Contact: Eagle Sports Shop, (715) 479-8804 or www.eaglesportscenter.com.

LAKE NOKOMIS
People by the thousands drive right past Tomahawk, a little city on the cusp of the north country, without giving places like Lincoln County's Lake Nokomis a second thought.

This fertile 2,433-acre lake along U.S. Highway 51 has a walleye population that DNR fisheries personnel say is "nothing short of incredible. The reproduction is almost off the charts." At least four year-classes of adult walleyes are present in the system, with a size and numbers limit that is subject to change.

Because Nokomis is so fertile you can expect fish to be in shallow water and very active when the season opens. A good place to look is over the transition zones between soft and firm bottom in from the lake's several tributaries. This is one place where a cast within inches of the shoreline will often produce results, especially if a wind has been blowing out of the same direction for several days.

Because the water is so fertile, fluorescent colors tend to work better. Lures that have rattles provide another edge. Although lipless vibrating crankbaits like the Rat-L-Trap are known more as bass baits, these lures are very effective on Nokomis. Lipless crankbaits track down 4 to 5 feet, which is perfect for these waters.

Guide Bryan Schaeffer says leaving the electronics at home is a good plan when fishing here. "If you can't touch the bottom with your rod tip, you're simply fishing in too much water," he says.

There are several good boat ramps on the lake. The launch off of Highway 8 is little more than a long cast from prime walleye water.

Contact: Chuck's Sports Shop, (715) 453-3101.