Eye for Walleye

[Aspano]

Hi guys - been reading these forums for a while, and a ton of great info around here. I'm new to the sport, and I have a quick question about Walleye - whats the best setup to catch? I'll be on Lake Scugog and Rice in the coming weeks, and probably be sitting in an aluminum rental with no gear other than me and my rod (no fish finder etc. and nothing fancy)

 

Any tips?

[Stoty]

Look for weedbeds in about 8-15 fow right now for walleyes.

Jig + grub, crankbaits, live minnows/worms, should all produce.

[Whitemikeca]

I agree with Stoty that a lot fish will be in 8+ feet of water, however don't be afriad to try shallow(3-6 feet) bays this time of year, especially in the morning and evening. The water is still very cold in the kawarthas and many fish will stay in the shallow bays, specifically on the south ends of lakes where the water tends to be the warmest. One of my fav lures for spring is a #3 or 4 blue fox spinner. I replace the trebble hook with a regular hook and I tie another hook onto the lure with about 4 inches of line. I then hook a powerbait worm onto both hooks similar to how you would rig a regular worm spinner(one hook at each end of the worm). Use a medium to slow speed retrieve. Good luck.

[Aspano]

Should I be weighting the line, and lowering by the boat to a certain depth? Or casting and reeling along the surface?

[Aspano]

I agree with Stoty that a lot fish will be in 8+ feet of water, however don't be afriad to try shallow(3-6 feet) bays this time of year, especially in the morning and evening. The water is still very cold in the kawarthas and many fish will stay in the shallow bays, specifically on the south ends of lakes where the water tends to be the warmest. One of my fav lures for spring is a #3 or 4 blue fox spinner. I replace the trebble hook with a regular hook and I tie another hook onto the lure with about 4 inches of line. I then hook a powerbait worm onto both hooks similar to how you would rig a regular worm spinner(one hook at each end of the worm). Use a medium to slow speed retrieve. Good luck.

 

Wow - it looks like english... LOL! I'll try some of that if I can figure it out where they are. Thanks for the tips...

[Whitemikeca]

You dont need to add weight as the spinner/worm combo has enough weight of its own. I like to fish it so that it is running on the tops of the weeds which in most shallow bays in the kawarthas is about 1-2 feet below the surface.

[Stoty]

If all else fails...try trolling with a crankbait that dives down 5-8 ft.

[Aspano]

Thanks for the tips guys - I'll be on the water this weekend. I cought nothing but perch last weekend on Scugog. Seems plain worms worked the best that day.

[GBW]

Wow - it looks like english... LOL! I'll try some of that if I can figure it out where they are. Thanks for the tips...

what he is saying is that he replaced the hook of the in-line spinner bait and added a single hook and a soft bait like the following.

worm rig

[Aspano]

what he is saying is that he replaced the hook of the in-line spinner bait and added a single hook and a soft bait like the following.

worm rig

 

Thanks Geoff - Now I understand, helps alot. (picture is worth a thousand words, at least a few dozen anyway) Hope I catch!

[lookinforwalleye]

Thanks for the tips guys - I'll be on the water this weekend. I cought nothing but perch last weekend on Scugog. Seems plain worms worked the best that day.

 

I have heard that the Scugog Walleye are still in the rivers, that may change by the weekend.

[GBW]

Thanks Geoff - Now I understand, helps alot. (picture is worth a thousand words, at least a few dozen anyway) Hope I catch!

no problem, good luck out there too.

oh and there is a section here for people to hook up and go fishing too if you haven't seen it yet... welcome to the board...

[Stoty]

I would have to agree with Clamp-It.

The norther shores of the lakes are warmer in the Spring time.

[Whitemikeca]

I stand corrected. And to think I had a really good day of fishing the southern bays of Buckhorn last week. I am going to have to try the northern bays this weekend!

[Billy Bob]

I also agree with Jed C. The north shores are also protected from the cold north winds in the early spring time. However, walleyes like the wind side of a lake once the water warms up a bit.

 

Bob

[whynotfishing]

Make sure you try trolling with my favorite walleye fishing lure : Storm Thin Fin. It will dive approximatively in between 8 to 10 feet depth. Have fun fishing spring walleye!

 

 

 

 

Mike

[walleyemaster]

hi i just came back from rice lake....i like to fish 8-15 feet of water at this time of year.....i like to use black bucktail jig and and a small worm...i also like to use a worm harness blue and siver with 2 hooks ...i use the worm harness when there is a nice drift ....i like to fish off bewdly side of lake this is where the deepest part of the lake is and great weed bed areas...just drive straight from the boat rental place and you will see the fishermen fishing the weed lines next to deeper water..since you dont have a soanar you can start there,