Walleye presentation & baits

[Kettle]

I spent most of my childhood years fishing alongside my father in pursuit of walleyes, on varying types of lakes, mainly the larger walleye factories, leech, Winne and LOTW. I find myself out of college with a small boat targeting walleyes on smaller lakes.

Several questions I have thought of recently, one being on more muck bottom lakes (Swamp lakes with tamarack tress surrounding it) do people still standby the jig and a minnow? Lean twords a lindy rig or possible phelps floater, possibly a spinner. I find my self able to fish 3 days a week and have been fishing lakes with good number of walleyes but fail to produce more than 1 in 4-7 hr periods. It's June and I'm in East Central MN, water temps slightly below normal, so in this time of year do people still fish minnows (Shinner or Fatheads(Keep in mind my father only fished with shinners so that is what I'm use to)) Once the early temps of June came it was leeches then crawlers. Jigs were standbys with minnows on the hard bottom lakes, then leeches and lindy's in the summer.

If I even brought up the idea of rapalas or crankbaits my father might have killed me, apparently he thought they had ties to the devil..... So overall on these muck bottom lakes which is your favorite presentation for eyes? I've always been told to fish where the sand meets the muck, but most of the lakes are muck through and through and I use a green box Lowrance for depth and hover around the 13'-18' depth this time of year then gradually deeper as the season progresses. Any help would be great!! Thanks Kettle

[Nydds]

I fish some sandy/mucky lakes in the St. Cloud area and always start with my favorite presentation early in the season,a jig and minnow. I,like your father,was pretty anti crankbait. Tied on a 1/2 ounce Rat-L-Trap one day and have never looked back. When my jig bite dies short into the season I throw these and bring with a steady retrieve. Just got a limit this morning using them over 5 ft. sand flat. They are deadly on eyes,pike and bass and simple to use. Don't be afraid to try very shallow!

[swamptiger]

Try trolling floating Rapalas along the weedlines. If it's a clear water lake, they are often best in the evenings or at night.

[Kettle]

Thanks for the info, will try and put it to work next week! I'll let you know how it goes!

[adamr]

go buy a number 5 perch shad rap . the one that goes to like 8ft or around there it doesnt have the bent bill pull that thing about 2 to 3 mph in or around 8 to 10 ft try it at least once a week for the next month and a half. Once you start to figure it out you wont look back.