Sleep never comes easy the night before opening day. It doesn't matter whether the quarry has feathers, fur or fins, anticipation always cuts into sack time.

Opening day of the general fishing season is a little different than chasing ducks or deer. Technically, the walleye opener starts at one minute past midnight. Come dawn on opening day, I should be home sleeping like a baby, waking up about 9 a.m. to fry some potatoes and fillet a few 'eyes for breakfast.

No matter where you live in Wisconsin, there is at least one lake within an hour's drive of your home with a good population of walleyes. Walleyes are so named because their opaque eyes give these predators an advantage when feeding in low light.

The first Friday night in May might be a good time for an on-the-water tailgate party, followed by a long cast into shallow water when the clock strikes midnight. Here's our annual look at some top lakes for chasing Wisconsin's most sought-after game fish on opening weekend.

MADISON CHAIN
In recent years, I've always kicked off the fishing season opener on the Madison Chain due to these natural lakes' close proximity to home. Classic walleye structure is limited on these waters when compared with other lakes across the state. Essentially, the Madison chain is panfish water with a healthy population of walleyes swimming there.

Walleye behavior is the same in Dane County as on North Country lakes. Post-spawn fish move into very shallow water to feed when the sun goes down, herding baitfish toward an easy place to ambush them.

There are several places on the Madison Chain where walleyes will be looking for a meal on opening night. One of these is on the big flat out from the Tenney Park locks on Lake Mendota. Two other good spots are the big dropoff at Rockford Heights on Lake Waubesa and the narrows by the railroad trestle at Waubesa's north end on the way to Mud Lake.

No need to get fancy when chasing night-bite walleyes here or on any other lake. Soak a minnow or a leech under a lighted slip-bobber on one line while making a slow, steady retrieve with a 3- to 4-inch fliptail on a 1/8-ounce jighead or stick bait like the No. 13 Rapala on another.

Wisconsin law allows an angler to use three lines. Another worthwhile option is setting two slip-bobber rigs, and then using your hands to hold a bratwurst and a cold beverage. Conventional wisdom says walleyes like to bite when it looks like you aren't paying attention.

Every lake on the Madison Chain has at least one boat launch. Several of these access points are illuminated. Don't forget to check the navigational lights before launching the boat. You won't be alone out there. (Continued)

For more information, call D&S Bait at (608) 241-4225.

WAUKESHA COUNTY OPTIONS
Like the Madison Chain, these southeastern Wisconsin lakes see an incredible amount of pressure during the open fishing season. Walleyes haven't seen an intentional hook here for a solid two months, so your chance of showing them an educational hook are as good as anybody's.

Most of the local competition prefers to target fish on Pine, Nagawicka or Lac La Belle lakes. All of these lakes have good walleye populations and reputations guaranteed to draw attention.

Golden, Keesus and the Nemahbin lakes were all hit hard last year, but they still hold good walleye populations. Access isn't the best on Keesus, perhaps one reason why the walleye population in this 237-acre lake continues to thrive.