In search of some suggestions

[Learning2Fish]

Looking for some different ideas that may work for the transition between a summer to fall bite.

During the summer the big thing is to troll and cast looking for those active fish. During the fall you move to bigger baits and slow it down.

The lake i'll be fishing has a max depth of about 8.5' with average of 5-6 foot. The color of the lake is a green. There is no holes just a larger bowl shape. The main thing will be alot of trolling, but was looking for some different ideas. The main thought that i've been pondering about lately is Drop Shotting. The only time you hear of drop shot is in bass fishing and was wondering why its not heard of more for walleye.

Basically was thinking tie the hook, leave about a foot then place a larger split shot on the bottom. Then use like a minnow, leech, worm, or gulp. Instead of the usual jig head and minnow or split shot first then hook setup. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a drop shot setup? Which knot do you tie to have the hook pointed outward? I finally got to see the gulp minnow in action and was suprised how much action it actually produced.

Also heard of dare devils used in the past to catch walleyes. Anyone else have good luck throwing them? Also another thought was rattle traps? Just was looking for a lure that might produce some attention in a green lake.

Just looking for any random thoughts and suggestions. Thanks for your help. Much appreciated!

[PerchJerker]

With the type of lake you described it sounds like trolling would be your best bet ---- cover some water, look for fish. If there's not much to hold fish in any particular location they will be moving around, and trolling is the best way to make contact with them.

If you find fish in a concentrated area then casting or dropshotting are better techniques than trolling. I dropshot, more for bass than for walleyes but it works for walleyes too. It is a slow technique and you don't cover a lot of water doing it. You can dropshot with live bait or with plastics, I use Gulp a lot --- ringworms work great too. For dropshotting, you can use an octopus hook like a #4 or #6 --- tie it on with a palomar not and leave a tag end of 12-18 inches. After you tie the knot, pass the tag end through the eye of the hook from the top side of the hook --- after you put your weight on the tag end the hook should stand out at a right angle to the line.

If you want to fish spoons I'd use jigging spoons that you use for ice fishing - you can cast and retrieve them, vertical jig them, use them under bobbers and work the bobbers, etc. Again, this technique works best when you've found fish in a concentrated area.

I look at rattle baits as a search bait - throw them a long ways, move them fast, cover some water. I like them more in the middle of summer than at other times of the year .... but if the fish are aggressive they'll hit them. I mostly use rattle baits when working weed edges, or when fishing lakes with smallies and walleyes.

[Burbot]

Also heard of dare devils used in the past to catch walleyes. Anyone else have good luck throwing them? Also another thought was rattle traps? Just was looking for a lure that might produce some attention in a green lake.

In a stained lake you may want to try a Blue Fox Vibrax or a form of Mepps weighted spinner you can let them sink down and vary the retrieve.

[Float tube guy]

i'm pretty sure in-fishermen had an article about using spoons for eyes last year, might be able to find the article online

[goblueM]

spoons are fantastic for walleyes - but i dunno about such a shallow bowl lake. If you are hell-bent on it...

I like swedish pimples, hopkins shorties, and a variety of custom spoons. I like to snap the rod tip, then maintain a semi-taught line on the fall. Many hits come this way. Works well in controlled drifts to cover some ground.

Personally I'd go with cranks for sure. Casting or trolling, I like both. husky jerk-baits, rattle traps, something with flash/vibration/rattle

[Rick G]

I have gotten walleyes this year on the little cleo spoons when the fish are feeding on shiners.