Walleye

[GoneFishin]

I need some advice on locating walleye! I've been fishing Scugogg lately and have been out 5 times so far and haven't caught a single walleye... I've tried worm harnesses, ripping bucktails, jigging gulp shads and leeches with and with out minnows/worms, on nuckle ball, jitter blade, whistler and road runner jigs.. I've tried fishing in 5 up to 15 feet of water.

I'm having a hard time locating a solid patch of cabbage or coontail weeds. I'm not sure what to look for. What depth and water temp should I look for? I only have an electric motor to get around with right now so I cant bomb across the lake to find spots yet.

Next time I go out I'm going to start throwing some cranks, jerk baits and spinner baits but I would really like to learn how to target walleye with a jig.

Any advise is appreciated

[doubleheader]

Okay I'll give this a shot but I'm not familiar with your lake. There are so many variables, but let's start with time of year. While walleyes do spawn in lakes, it seems to me in some lakes they prefer feeder streams. In my local lake a majority of walleyes are still in the upper portion of the lake or even still in the river from the spawn. I could fish down the lake for a week before catching a legal walleye, or I can go up lake and catch a limit in a couple hours. Next- presentation. While trolling harnesses is a great way to locate fish, this time of year I think jigging is the way to go. Whether using crawlers or minnies, work an area for 20-30 minutes, if you haven't had a hit move on. If you're slow trolling jigs stay at around .5-.6 mpg, and make sure you can feel the jig on the bottom. Try various retrieval methods, but typically this time of year the best retrieve is just work it slow across the bottom rather than hopping it. If the water in you lake is stained try bright colored jigs, like pink, orange, and chartreuse. If the water is clear try white, dark gree, or even black. If the water is clear pay attention to your line diameter. I prefer 6lb Sensation for shallow water jigging and 10lb braided line with a flurocarbon leader for deep water jigging. The small diameter lets you get a small jig down deeper as there is less resistence from the line going thru the water. The braided lines have a very good strength/diameter ratio. Do you know what a walleye bite feels like? Often it isn't a slam type strike or even a nibble, if you're slow trolling it's more like you've picked up a small piece of debis. It takes some practice getting the feel for a lite walleye bite, and while a decent rod and the right line will help, you absolutely don't need to spend a fortune on a jigging rod. If you're jigging and can only fish one rod, you should always be holding your rod rather than deadsticking it in a rod holder. It's the only way you'll develop the feel and long term you'll catch far more once you get the nack. Okay I have to wrap this up, but here's anoth tip. Hang around the boathouse/dock and ask questions of successful anglers. Many will be glad to get you pointed in the right direction. Good luck.

[wankerjohn123]

Okay I'll give this a shot but I'm not familiar with your lake. There are so many variables, but let's start with time of year. While walleyes do spawn in lakes, it seems to me in some lakes they prefer feeder streams. In my local lake a majority of walleyes are still in the upper portion of the lake or even still in the river from the spawn. I could fish down the lake for a week before catching a legal walleye, or I can go up lake and catch a limit in a couple hours. Next- presentation. While trolling harnesses is a great way to locate fish, this time of year I think jigging is the way to go. Whether using crawlers or minnies, work an area for 20-30 minutes, if you haven't had a hit move on. If you're slow trolling jigs stay at around .5-.6 mpg, and make sure you can feel the jig on the bottom. Try various retrieval methods, but typically this time of year the best retrieve is just work it slow across the bottom rather than hopping it. If the water in you lake is stained try bright colored jigs, like pink, orange, and chartreuse. If the water is clear try white, dark gree, or even black. If the water is clear pay attention to your line diameter. I prefer 6lb Sensation for shallow water jigging and 10lb braided line with a flurocarbon leader for deep water jigging. The small diameter lets you get a small jig down deeper as there is less resistence from the line going thru the water. The braided lines have a very good strength/diameter ratio. Do you know what a walleye bite feels like? Often it isn't a slam type strike or even a nibble, if you're slow trolling it's more like you've picked up a small piece of debis. It takes some practice getting the feel for a lite walleye bite, and while a decent rod and the right line will help, you absolutely don't need to spend a fortune on a jigging rod. If you're jigging and can only fish one rod, you should always be holding your rod rather than deadsticking it in a rod holder. It's the only way you'll develop the feel and long term you'll catch far more once you get the nack. Okay I have to wrap this up, but here's anoth tip. Hang around the boathouse/dock and ask questions of successful anglers. Many will be glad to get you pointed in the right direction. Good luck.

 

Great advice.

Thanks.

[Garnet]

Spend some time in 2-5 ft. Fish the holes.

[archie_james_c]

This time of the year on mid-sized lakes I have luck finding eye's in freshly emerging cabbage beds (1.5 feet or less) down in 7-15 feet of water. Pop jigs into the cabbage or troll the outsides of it with a worm harness with whatever bait you like on it.

 

A good hot spot for hungry active males (eating size 15-18 inches) is rubble shorelines (7-12 feet) that slowly taper into deeper water.

 

Here is a very good article on WC to help you get the locations started. Write the importnant things onto a note pad and keep it with you fishing...it will help!

 

http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?a=2390

[archie_james_c]

This time of the year on mid-sized lakes I have luck finding eye's in freshly emerging cabbage beds (1.5 feet of weeds or less) down in 7-15 feet of water. Pop jigs into the cabbage or troll the outsides of it with a worm harness with whatever bait you like on it.

 

A good hot spot for hungry active males (eating size 15-18 inches) is rubble shorelines (7-12 feet) that slowly taper into deeper water. EDIT- I also found that these males were roaming at the 8 foot mark on the depth finder, not sure if it matters in such shallow water but you never know.

 

Here is a very good article on WC to help you get the locations started. Write the importnant things onto a note pad and keep it with you fishing...it will help!

 

http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?a=2390

Edited June 8, 2010 by archie_james_c

[solopaddler]

Not unlike Rice I've always had my best success on Scugog ripping bucktail jigs through the weeds.

[fish-miester]

Rick buddy.. I'll talk to you on FB.

me and my buddies have been doin alright for walleye.

3-5 fow + weeds

Edited June 9, 2010 by fish-meister