Asking for Walleye tips....

[HD]

I'm not a walleye fisherman, never have been...

I have fished on the Mille Lacs with lindy rigs on the sand & flats, also, slip bobbers on the rocks. But, that's about it.

What I would like to know is: What are your tactics on smaller lakes with weed lines and structure?

It's kinda hard to pull a lindy rig through a weed bed. So what should I use? Time of day better on these lakes? What should I be looking for?
Shinners? Fatheads? Crawlers? Leeches? Jigs? TNT?  

My son would like to target Walleye's, but, like I said, I never really fished for um....

[DDSBYDAY]

     Smaller lakes are tough.  Often they are so full of  bait stealing small panfish.  One way that I have had good luck with especially on a new lake is using crankbaits.  If you can find a rocky hump that tops off at about 10 ft you can troll a shad rap.  They will run about 8 ft deep.  If you can get it to tick off the bottom occasionally they eyes will hit it if they are there.   You will also increase your odds by fishing low light periods.  Sun up and sun down.  As the summer progresses the eyes will move deeper and rocky humps ,  bottom transitions  (sand to gravel) will often hold fish.  Inlets with current is another good spot to look.  Good luck.

[dakids]

TNT    lol

[Lee Borgersen]

 

Check this out for info on walleyes.

http://mnoutdoorsman.com/forums/index.php?topic=23629.msg164330#msg164330   

[HD]

  Lee, I read that, but I does not help me much.

The lakes that I'm trying to catch Walleyes on, are very shallow (7-9 fow) No stucture with weeds, no tansitions, silt and muck. These lakes have been stocked bi-annually with figerlings, so, they are there. Shallow running shad raps work so-so early till the weeds pop up, after that, you can't buy a Walleye.........

[dakids]

Bobber and leach or crawler.  Outside of the weedline.

[Lee Borgersen]

Lee, I read that, but I does not help me much.

The lakes that I'm trying to catch Walleyes on, are very shallow (7-9 fow) No stucture with weeds, no tansitions, silt and muck. These lakes have been stocked bi-annually with figerlings, so, they are there. Shallow running shad raps work so-so early till the weeds pop up, after that, you can't buy a Walleye.........

This lake sounds like it would almost be a freeze out with depths that shallow. Does it have an inlet and outlet current? Not to many interesting makeup features. If it has a definite weed line working the edges turns and pockets would be a go to system. It's hard to say not knowing the lake at all . It sounds like the type of lake that wouldn't be my first choice.

[FireRanger]

If this/these lakes have large populations of panfish, it may be very hard as DDS has said. But if the pannies aren't as prevolent, I have had luck catching walleye in the weeds if you can believe it. Use a slip and a minnow/leech has worked either on the edges or in pockets. I've had many walleye catches in weeds. To me it makes total sense for them to seek shelter, cover and forage in the weeds, especially in a lake with no structure. My 2 cents.

[corny13]

Not sure how high your weeds get but have had great luck in ND on small lakes like you describe trolling Salmo hornets size 4 the smallest around the edge of the weedline.  If stained water use a viking pattern.  If clear use perch.  These lures dont seem to snag up as much as shadraps.   Use thin fireline and just a snap on the end. Use a line counter to figure out the right amount of line to keep out of the weeds.  BTW go 1.8 mph.

[Fawkinnae]

If this/these lakes have large populations of panfish, it may be very hard as DDS has said. But if the pannies aren't as prevolent, I have had luck catching walleye in the weeds if you can believe it. Use a slip and a minnow/leech has worked either on the edges or in pockets. I've had many walleye catches in weeds. To me it makes total sense for them to seek shelter, cover and forage in the weeds, especially in a lake with no structure. My 2 cents.

I have heard it said more than once that stocked walleye will go to the weeds. So in other words, if you are on a lake that relies on stocking vs. natural reproduction the walleyes are more likely to be in the weeds.

[HD]

There are no real defined weed lines, the lake is full of um.

It does have an aireator (sp) and some parts of the lake are open through the winter.
This is basically a backed up creek with a dam at one end keeping the water levels steady.

My son and I, fished it Sunday for fathers day. We used jig heads with gulp minnows, trolling over and through the weeds at 1 mph. Just kinda popping them through the weeds.

We didn't catch any walleyes, but some dandy crappies. (I'll post a pic later)

There is "some" natural reproduction of walleys, (as so, the DNR says) Where, I wouldn't know. Because, looking at tipo (sp) maps and my sonar, it just shows silt and muck. (also took samples with my anchor   )

[HD]

We kept 10 Crappies like this one, and 1 Pike for dinner....

[attachment deleted by admin]

[corny13]

  Nice Crappies,  Why do you want to catch walleyes on this lake????  Take the kid to Leech or the Big Pond....

[HD]

45 minutes to the pond vs 20 minutes to this lake.

I take him once or twice a month to the pond, and it's been slow. He'll be going with me to Canada in August to get his fill. But, it would be nice to figure out this lake, cause it's close to home.

[DDSBYDAY]

      What does the DNR lake survey say?  Is there enough potential to make it worth while?  I look at the report and the management goals.  There will be a chart with the species, numbers, and size  of the fish surveyed.  If the numbers are good they can be caught with the correct pattern.  I would start where the bubblers are placed in the winter.  There is a reason they put them there.

[pickelfarmer]

Much like stated here in prev replies, Is this even a Walleye lake?? I only ask because not every lake has walleye in it even if they stock it. We have a lake here in my area that I was sure would produce walleye as it was stocked year after year but after fishing it for a few years I ran into an oldtimer that lived on the lake and he was laughing his butt off at me. He said there had not been walleye in the lake ever!! Maybe he was saying that to keep me off the lake, who knows but I do know that if I fish a lake year after year and target walleye and never catch one I move on to a different lake.
If you really think there are walleye in the lake then I would go with what DDSBYDAY said about the crankbaits. I wouldn't waste my time fishing there for walleye with anything else until I seen the glow of the old marble eye caught on a crank bait. You can cover much more area with a Crankbait and if their in there you will hook one sooner or later.
My favorite crank is the Rapala husky jerk. They have a rattle to them that seems to drive any walleye to bite if they are within a close distance.

[FireRanger]

HD...by any chance is this lake anywhere near Zimmerman? If it is I would like to give it a try. I have some open evenings next week if it's not too far from town. Not trying to steal a spot, just has me intrigued....I love a good challenge!