Targetting Walleyes in Shallow Lakes

[Reef Runner]

Good day all,

 

This weekend I will be heading up to a lake that hold Pike and Walleye. It is a shallow lake, maybe averaging 14 feet deep with weeds everywhere stopping just a few feet from the surface. In the past, I've targeted walleyes in these conditions with a small jig and white or chartruse twister tail, dropping them in pockets. I've had successes, but they were minimal. I bought some gulp leaches this past winter and will giver a go with that. Just curious, any other presentations, methods that can help me pull in some pickereyes in these conditions during primetime (morning/evening) and midday?

 

Any help would be much appreciated and tested thoroughly.

Thank you in advance,

 

reefrunner

[BillM]

I would think crankbaits would get the call also.

[Sinker]

spinner baits.

[ecmilley]

sounds like your on the right track poking pockets, but if there is a couple feet of water above the weeds try surface plugs such as x-raps or rogues deep cranks on the edges of weeds adjacent to the deeper water, slip float minnow always works or dragging a worm harness.

Good luck and post some pics monday

[Greencoachdog]

It's fun to fool the fish with artificials, but it can be a hard thing to do on lakes with fishing pressure... especially for fish of substancial size.

 

I'm a firm believer that live bait will catch more and bigger fish most of the time on lakes with fishing pressure. I personally like minnows because they're a "cleaner" bait than worms to handle. Live Leeches are another clean bait and very effective for Wall-ice!

[Billy Bob]

All good suggestions. They are in the weeds and ripping jigs can get them out. However, thats tough day of fishing.

 

One other thing to think about is night trolling with floating stick baits (large Rapalas #11 and #13). Trolling just outside the weed beds and even trolling right over the top but you have to do things to make the Rapala stay up like use cheap heavy line #20-#30 test or use a round plastic bobber about 7-10 feet ahead of the Rapala.

 

Bob

[Reef Runner]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will try most of 'em. Trolling and cranks are tough because of the heavy weed cover throughout the lake. Seems like as soon as you get the lure out there it's covered already. Billy Bob makes a good point,I got some suspending tape that I might make use of. No where to get live bait on this lake besides digging up some worms. Maybe put out the minnow trap overnight. As for spinnerbaits, never caught a walleye on one because the pike get to 'em first.

 

You guys rock,

 

reefrunner

[Greencoachdog]

Speaking of spinners in weedy lakes, I'm going to be trying these on the West Arm next month:

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...s&noImage=0

[Reef Runner]

Those look nice Coach! I just picked me up some roostertails upon your inspiring posts.

[Billy Bob]

Speaking of spinners in weedy lakes, I'm going to be trying these on the West Arm next month:

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...s&noImage=0

 

What that rig is, is basically a weight forward spinner that has been used in Ohio waters of Lake Erie for about 20 years now, a Erie Dearie spinner. It's tipped with a balled up nightcrawler and casted to suspended walleyes in 40 feet and less of water.

 

Bob

[capt bruce]

You can get the little spinner baits, I think mister twister makes one and make your jig a little more weedless , but on the bog in about the same condishions we have good success ripping the jigs thu the weeds ,like was said its a hard days fishing but all my large eyes from the bog have come this way. Night fishing around docks and any open areas allso will pay off as these fish tend to leave their weed homes to feed only in the night on these shallow lakes . good luck

[Reef Runner]

Thanks Capt'n. I've had those hard days fishing pockets. Tough to detect hits in heavy cover. Alot of good ideas here which I shall employ tonite. Funny you should mention docks, last year my buddy was texas riggin' a worm, midday, around docks for buckets and pulled out a respectable 3 pound eye. Fluked it, but ya never know until you try.

[Spiel]

....I'd would definitely try ripping shallow running, suspending stick baits (husky jerks) over the weed tops.

[gone_fishin]

i wouldn't expect there to be a whole lot of weed growth yet, it's still early and temperatures have not been very high. even on scugog it isn't too bad yet. i would think suspending jerkbaits along the weedlines would be good right now.

 

good luck!

[Fang]

RF

 

one of the easy ways to find walleye in a weed choked lake is the find the deepest weed free water and then work back into the weeds. Find the weedline and work up and down the edges. Fish should be off the spawn now and setting back up on the closest weedlines. I fish this method in the spring and it has paid off on many different bodies of water.

 

You can fish parallel to the weedline with jigs, minnow baits and spinners. The brighter the day the closer you need to get into the weeds.

 

My fav is casting jigs into the weed edges and working back out into cleaner water. A small 4" Berley Power worm has been a good bait for me on a 3/16th oz jig head. When you work a stretch and get a few bites, you can anchor off the weedline and fish a little slower.

 

You'll also run into some good schools of panfish doing this.

[Reef Runner]

Just awsome guys. Thanks so much. All these tips, honestly, I hope I can repay in some form. Until then...look for a report...and team 9 taking the lead...lol. OK now I'm getting ahead of myself.

 

Thanks a bunch, will let y'all know how it goes.

 

reefrunner

[Fang]

Oh you're on Team 9???

 

What was posted above does not work please disregard!

 

Have a good trip

[Reef Runner]

Oh you're on Team 9???

 

What was posted above does not work please disregard!

 

Have a good trip

 

Ha Ha ha ha.

 

Thanks Fang

[Moosebunk]

Slowly troll a medium to small Johnson weedless spoon tipped with a 3 inch plastic grub right through those weeds. Same could be done with a 3 way rig, minnow hooked onto a weedguarded hook, and just go super slow.

[linweir]

Joint rapala (float) minnow baits work well on Bog (both lake and river). Caught 5 pder there,

[Sinker]

Im with gone fishin, the weeds arent going to be up as high as they should be yet. The cranks and jigs will likely be your best bet.

 

If you saw the eyes I get out of the kawartha's on small spinner baits, you'd be tryin them Trust me, they eyes love em, and they're easy to fish.

 

 

Sinker

[Greencoachdog]

Here's one of the Terminator inline spinners with a 5" twin tail salty shad on it instead of the curly tail grub that comes with it. I plan to use it for Pike during the day and Wall-ice in the early morning and evenings. Should slip through the weeds nicely.