walleye

[walleye_man]

hey guys went out for the first time this year for walleye and got skunked

so my question to you is what should i be searching for

i fished sandy points, transitions from rock to sand, any weeds i could find anywhere from 8 to 25 feet

i am on the Ottawa river if that helps at all

thanks a lot

chevy

[Big Cliff]

hey guys went out for the first time this year for walleye and got skunked

so my question to you is what should i be searching for

i fished sandy points, transitions from rock to sand, any weeds i could find anywhere from 8 to 25 feet

i am on the Ottawa river if that helps at all

thanks a lot

chevy

 

Were you fishing in a boat or from shore? Any current in the areas you tried. What were you using for bait, live, plastics, lures? What were the water temps like and clarity of the water. What time of the day, was it bright or overcast? Have you got a chart of the area(s) that you were fishing so I can see what you have to work with or give me GPS Lat/Long, the Ottawa river covers a lot of territory LOL.

 

Lets start with these questions and try to narrow it down a bit for you.

[walleye_man]

i will be fishing from a boat i dont know of any places with to much current i use everything from jigs to walleye divers i usually fish in the eavning the temps are around 55 and i am in constance bay below the fitzoroy damn

i hope this helps

[Big Cliff]

Well, a year or two ago I would have offered you several suggestions based on over 50 years of experience but to be honest with you, I always figured I could figure out the walleye. This year I am not doing so well myself so I am probably not the best person to try to offer any advice.

 

Our fishing conditions are very similar, everything from shallow to deep, weeds to non weeds, water temps here last night varied from about 55 to 57 depending on where I was. I do have a spot with a bit of current that I can fish but even that didn't produce.

 

I have used live bait, plastics, tried trolling fast, slow, large baits, small baits, I'm almost ready to (oh never mind). LOL

 

If I can figure out a pattern that works here, I'll be sure to share it with you!

 

 

Sorry I couldn't be more help!

[Roe Bag]

This time of year I like to use the good old worm harness on a bottom bouncer. Slow trolled. Erie Dearies with a stinger hook tied on will work well in shallower water. Say 10' or less. Seems as though if the water temp is below 55 degrees they prefer these over crankbaits or minnows. Later in the year I switch up to live bait. Lindy rigs tipped with a minnow or a leech.

[walleye_man]

cliff i know exactly how your feeling i finnaly got my first walleye of the year last night but it was only 5 inches or so just a tease

one thing i have never tried is bottom bouncers i will make sure i try them this long weekend

i will also try Erie Dearies

i am also catching TONS of big rock bass where i usually catch the eyes does this mean something?

thanks so far for all the tips

Edited May 18, 2010 by walleye_man

[walleyemaster]

cliff i know exactly how your feeling i finnaly got my first walleye of the year last night but it was only 5 inches or so just a tease

one thing i have never tried is bottom bouncers i will make sure i try them this long weekend

i will also try Erie Dearies

i am also catching TONS of big rock bass where i usually catch the eyes does this mean something?

thanks so far for all the tips

 

i find when water temps are below 55 i start to fish walleye like i fish for bass casting the shoreline with some meat..i will tip my twister tail with a fat dew worm and slowly retrieve my jig back to the boat bouncing of bottom as i reel back.. if i see fallen branches i cast there and fallen trees..if this does not work then the worm harness is next in 7-12 feet of water trying to follow some sort of drop off or trying to pass over rock shelves that are close to points were current could develop..when that does not work.. i look for a shelf between two points as to heard walleye through and anchor my boat just before drop off, usually depth of 9-11 feet and drop off about 16-20 and wait for dark..usually walleye will be crusing for food and at this time i tip my jig with a minnow..hope this helps..usually works for me, but then again walleye are finiky buggers..

[Fish4Eyes]

cliff i know exactly how your feeling i finnaly got my first walleye of the year last night but it was only 5 inches or so just a tease

one thing i have never tried is bottom bouncers i will make sure i try them this long weekend

i will also try Erie Dearies

i am also catching TONS of big rock bass where i usually catch the eyes does this mean something?

thanks so far for all the tips

 

If your consistently catching rock bass, move the eyes are not there.

[solopaddler]

i find when water temps are below 55 i start to fish walleye like i fish for bass casting the shoreline with some meat..i will tip my twister tail with a fat dew worm and slowly retrieve my jig back to the boat bouncing of bottom as i reel back.. if i see fallen branches i cast there and fallen trees..if this does not work then the worm harness is next in 7-12 feet of water trying to follow some sort of drop off or trying to pass over rock shelves that are close to points were current could develop..when that does not work.. i look for a shelf between two points as to heard walleye through and anchor my boat just before drop off, usually depth of 9-11 feet and drop off about 16-20 and wait for dark..usually walleye will be crusing for food and at this time i tip my jig with a minnow..hope this helps..usually works for me, but then again walleye are finiky buggers..

 

Good advice.

 

The only thing I'll add, the Ottawa is a river.

Walleye in rivers always relate to current.

Look for any obvious current breaks (islands, rockpiles, underwater humps, etc..) anchor behind them and probe the bottom with a jig and lively minnow.

[Oggie]

I fished walleye in the Ottawa river last week and I did OK, not great. I found them current oriented but much deeper than expected for this time of year. They were in 20-25 feet of water in the late morning. I know they're deeper as the sun rises but I've never fished that deep this time of year. Wonder if they're really POST spawn.

 

Dan O.

[Billy Bob]

Don't know about rock bass but my rule of thumb on Erie is if you are catching a lot of bass there are no walleyes around..when Mr Walleye shows up he kicks some (b)ass out. TRUE at least in my experience.