MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A day like Thursday only adds to the anticipation of the fishing opener on Saturday. In fact, it is the weather that might dictate success.

However, not the current conditions: an early spring has made for an unpredictable walleye bite.

Remember March and its record highs? Well, that has something to do with the fishing opener. The warm weather warmed the lakes. But what that means remains to be seen — or caught.

Steve Carney is a fishing guide and studies the trends.

“It’s going to be changing presentations on a real quick basis. I’m going to go out and I’m going to start trolling crank baits. And I’m going to work very fast initially in the beginning to try to find the fish shallow,” Carney said.

If you had success last season in one spot, don’t expect a repeat experience with a different water temperature.

“One thing you don’t want to do is do is sit there and what you did last year: Stay in the shallows because you caught them last year. This is a different year,” Carney said.

His basic rule of thumb is based on proximity, as in where you decide to fish.

“If you’re on a deep, clear lake up in northern Minnesota, they could still be shallow. But if you’re on a southern Minnesota lake, or west, a shallower lake, they could be in summertime, almost summertime, condition,” said Carney.

As for Carney, he will go west this week, but for a different reason.

“The farmers are out on the field right now. They’re out planting and I think a lot of them will not be fishing. So, I think western Minnesota is gonna be less disruptive, less people, a little bit more laid back.” he said. “That’s kinda why I’m going out there.”