Fishing Q&A
Tips on Walleye fishing?
I have my own favorite ways, but would like to hear other opinions. They're catching them off my island right now, I know the general area, but not exactly. There is a steep drop-off in one area, goes down to 80 feet less than 50 yards offshore, but are also a lot of shoals in that area. There is an old railroad bed, that separates the deep water from a relatively shallow bay (15 feet), the channel going into the bay is about 30 feet deep. Where would you start? What's your favorite bait / lure? Some of my best luck has been on a whole crawler threaded on a plain hook, and I like Erie Dearies too, but I've never caught a monster like the ones I'm hearing about. Drift, troll or anchor? I do have a fishfinder, but there are so many fish in this lake, it always shows fish. I think we're going to try on Sunday, if it's not too sunny and calm. If it is, we'll go looking for the elusive crappies. Thanks in advance for your advice! Hope you get to go fishing this weekend!
Public Comments
- troll with a crawler on a harness
- I would start at any rocky areas you mark on your finder at the 15' depth and troll out into the bay following any ledges along the way. The bait I would start with would be a Rapala Deep Tail Dancer Hot Flash in clear water or a Bleeding Tiger color in stained water. Here is the lure: http://www.rapala.com/products/luresdetail.cfm?modelName=deep_tail_dancer&freshorsalt=Fresh If your aren't getting any bites in these areas, I would try using a Lindy Rig/Worm Harness and stay in the same are. Often a change to live bait can cause lethargic fish to strike when lures aren't working. No action yet? Move out and fish the shoals with rocks topping out at 30' depth an be sure to fish on top and all around these places. Rod of choice would be a 7' medium action, Fireline with Fluorocarbon leader, and speed would be +/- 2 mph and make adjustments as needed. I hope you get on 'em good and find those elusive crappies schooled up shallow eating small baitfish and crappie jigs!
- worms..
- Sounds as if u have agood spot! I would look for a transition area and submerged grass beds! Walleye are movers but can be found easily with there normal patterns in movement. I start out with a finder rig(slip cork and minnow or leech)!Or using a jig n minnow working the area.If I have to I will use a stinger rig with my jig! I also troll baits normally I will use a long thin lure for walleye like rapala originals or wally divers! If it is sunny and calm I will change over and fish a live minnow on a jig in deepwater on or near ledges and breaks just on the bottom and work them very slow!(using 2 to 6 lb line)
- The only real walleye experience I had was in NC in reserviors. I would fish the river during the spawn with a firetiger color rapala and catch lots of nice ones . After the spawn there they would go to a depth of about 30 feet off lake points . They favored the red clay point areas . I am unsure if you have clay banks up there but any dirt point ,versus rock was the best in the lakes I fished here in the south. A nightcrawler worked good for them or a gold colored lure or gold blade spinner with a nightcrawler on the hook. We would cast to them off the points instead of trolling . I dunno if it makes a difference but baitfishing for walleye we would put red beads infront of our hooks or bigger spinners and seemed to get more bites.
- If there is a little breeze, drift with a crawler or leech harness off the bottom. Mark where you get the hits with a GPS preferably, or a bouy. Once you find them, either keep drifting over the same spot or use a leech below a bobber. I always have and always will be a plain hook, long shank kind of guy with the Walleyes.
- my personal fav is to jig for them using a fluke jr. Make sure to stay vertical.
