A common way to locate these types of fish on opening day is ofcourse trolling. I like to use walleye divers, hot & Tots, rapella's. Troll at the mouth of bays, thru channels and across island points. A color pattern will be determined by day by day trial and error.
Targeting these fish using vertical jigging can also be effective. The fall and winter deep holes 25'-40' are a good bet early in the season and all species can be caught in numbers here.
Sitting on one spot in the morning hours,in a predetermined channel can yeild an enormus catch of fish. I will sit and not catch for 20 - 40 minutes at a time and than "boom" one after another. (15'-30')And than they will stop biting for a period and once more pick up again. They are probably passing thru these channels.
Mainly walleye's are caught with these methods but you can hit crappie very well and the odd northern pike.
When the weed's begin to grow, this is a excellent opportunity for great fishing. That is another story.
