There are two good reasons to head to Banks Lake right now. One is that the walleye are biting. I’ve had several reports of people getting not big numbers of them, but lots of good quality fish. Many in the 15 to 18-inch class and many over 22 inches are being released. Remember, only on walleye over 22 inches is allowed in your five fish limit. I always look for walleye on Barker Flats in 20 to 25 feet of water, but there are a couple of other areas that should be explored. One is the Punch Bowl, which is around the corner from Northrup and across from the Steamboat State Park. This can sometimes be protected when it is windy. I also like to look for fish on the back side of Steamboat Rock and start trolling on the sand flats down lake. Another good reason to head for banks is that the smallmouth are now coming onto their beds and the fishing can be the best of the season. Smallmouth can be found throughout the lake, and I like to cast crank baits on the edges but also look for shallow flats this time of year. Barker Flats can be hot!