Question? "year class" finding bigger fish.

[scoutWBL]

Here is a question for all the FM/HSO walleye anglers out there. Recently I have been able to find good numbers of small 7-10" eyes in the same area, but no larger fish. I have read about fish from the same "year class" using the same area and it seems to hold true to what I have experienced. My question is where do you go if you are catching fish but not the quality you are looking for. My initial thought was to fish the same spot until some keepers move through, that didn't pan out. Is there a general rule separating cigars from eaters? I've been focus on small rock piles and hard bottoms in 25ish FOW (away from crowds) should I look deeper/shallower?

[Acemac]

great post wish i knew the answer. I have a huntch that most of the larger fish are really deep right now but I alwasy choke when looking at a fishing spot and end up picking the 25-30 FOW then i regret it after i see no action.

[scoutWBL]

Same thing here, I guess like all things fishing it is easy to stick to what I am confident in (even when it doesn't work. I moved the Perm today, went from a hard/rocky bottom in 26FOW to an 18ft deep weed edge on top of a break. I'll give the weeds a shot for a week or so and go from there. Picked up one 13" eye in the new spot, a step in the right direction I guess.

[fishinfey8]

IMO you usually find big fish in either deep water, or shallow water during ice season. It depends on the water clarity and a variety of other factors. What you have to remember is that the fish follow the food source. Figure out what the major food source for that lake is, and find where they are located. This could include bugs from the mud, perch from the rocks, or shiners suspended over deep holes. Match your presentation larva,shiners, or a perch chubby darter/lindy darter.

If you catch a big fish, others are usually near by. I've heard many stories of people catching one "stray" 28 incher, but they probably fished the same hole for the rest of the day. You have to be mobile and at least put out a tip up off the nearest break/bottom change, because chances are they are roaming a nice little piece of structure in which you are fishing one tiny bit of. Ohh ya, and unless you live in canada, only fish the evenings/morings.