walleyes!!

[Guest]

i love catching walleye, they are also my favorite fish to eat, but the thing is ive never really cought that many. i need lots of tips for attracting the walleye.
-Nate

[Guest]

fish lakes that have good test net results via the dnr.sites check water clarity on the lake tou intend to fish verses the time of day you intend to fish. check weed content on or near available structure,wind direction over or into such structure, water temp (time of year) speed of presentation should coincide,hook ,blade, or bait color,lively bait,forage base and most of all keep reading forums. hope this helps,good luck fishing.

[Guest]

1/8 oz bottom bouncers, 3 feet of line with floating jig and shiner, leech or nightcrawler. Drift or troll at the slowest possible speed (little faster than a dead stop). Weave in and out from 12' to 17'. If you go to 8' you will catch an occassional northern. If you feel a tightening of the line, count to 20 then set the hook. If you use a slip bobber set 2 feet off the bottom and a fireball jig, count to ten when your bobber goes under before setting. If that doesn't work count to 20, then 30. Fish in the morniong or evening on a lake known for walleyes. Memorize the day before where all the boats are in the evening, then go to that spot the next day. Ask or use the binoculars to figure out what they are using. Too often the bait shops are clueless.

[BLACKJACK]

Winddance, why do you give it the 20-30 count before setting the hook? I've seen other people do that too. Is it because the walleye just has the bait in its mouth and you're giving it time to heat hook and all?

Thanks in advance for the info.

[Scott Steil]

Don't let the fish take it for 20-30 seconds. If you are missing fish there are a lot of other things you can do besides give a fish more line. Usually you will end up with a gut hooked fish or a fish that drops the bait because if feels the hook.

I come from the school that less is more. Work on hooking your fish just inside the mouth. Usually 6 ft of line and 6 seconds is plenty to still get a fish and avoid a gut hook. Remember, no matter how much line you give you are not going to get every walleye and if you fish enough you will find the most time less is more.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Borch]

I just give enough time for me to remove the slack and set the hook. Usually 3-8seconds. I miss very few.

A lot depends on the body of water your fishing as to where you will find walleyes. Some lakes I fish you'll find them in less than 6 ft in the middle the day in the summer. Other lakes they'll be in 40 ft.

Speed is also relative. Some times I creep along slowly. Other times I'll speed troll(3-5 mph). Most the time I'm some where in between.

I guess what I'm saying is to be flexible. If what you're doing isn't working try something else until you find a presentation that does.

Good Luck!

[Guest]

20 to 30 seconds?????......i would think all your fish would be gut hooked and then you'd have to keep everyone you caught reguardless of size....not a good thing....

[Jim W]

I agree with the shorter time to hook set.

Right off hand, the only fish I think I would let have my bait for more than 20 seconds would be a cat.

Good luck wall doggin'!!

Jim W

[Guest]

hey guys...thanx alot for the info...im goin fishing on cass on the fourth and ur tips will help alot
-Nate

[Norco]

Have you tried vertical jigging?? I use the Northland Rattling jighead with a fat crawler or leech and fish an inch off the bottom at times bouncing it off the bottom and this works great, usually get enough to have a good meal and more. If they are more aggresive I will troll with a phelps floater and leech and do very well. I think the key is just to locate them and experiment.
Have fun!!

[Icemandu]

On regards on how long to wait to set the hook, I think it can vary between lake and conditions. I watched a guide on a fishing show in northern Wisconsin wait one minute before giving the walleyes the yank. The lake was very clear, and deep. They brought up the "gut-hook" topic, but stated that most of the walleyes were caught in the side of the mouth, and were not gut hooked any more than usual. The guide had fished on that particular body of water for many years. I think the main point to make is that there should be some sort of pause whan live-bait rigging, and if you notice that the fish are agressive and really sucking in the bait, to yank 'em sooner.

[Guest]

I use to catch Walleyes in Lake Erie on a "golden nugget lure". Does anyone know where I can order these off the internet?
Thanks!

[can it be luck?]

BCA, What do those Golden Nuggets look like? I spend at least 1-4 wks a year on Erie and have never heard of them. Was up there the first week of June for a week. Fishing was spotty, ended up with about 90 walleye between 3 guys. I fish Kelly's Island and the reef complex. Although we did catch several 29-31" walleye, but on Erie thats the norm for me. Crawler harness was the ticket, but what was wierd this year was the color of spinner..blue. My friend asked to put on blue, and I told him "no, it's not a good color". He snuck one on anyways, and it turned out to be the "hot" color. I searched my tackle box's for anything blue and found 2 spinner blades which accounted for at least 30% of our fish. What's funny about Erie, them Ohio boys fish like dump! I seen 2 walleye caught between around 150 fisherman in a weeks time...unbelievable, it's like that evey year though. It's funny watching the "locals" trailing along your troll routes comeing up empty. Sometimes the fish are tight to specific areas and if you dont have GPS to control speed and location, forget it. Find em, mark em, work em over good!!! My friend has some pics of last year check em out. chumpchangewires, odds and end section. Mark Hoffmann/can it be luck?

[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 06-19-2003).]

[Guest]

can it be luck:
The gold nugget lure consist of a lead body painted gold (about 1/2" long) with a trailer hook (for worm/minnow)and a gold spinner on each side. This was back in the mid 80's though.
Thanks, BCA

[wallyH]

Time to wait to set the hook depends on how the fish are biting. I was up on Vermilion last week and my wife and I missed the first few bites we had. So we started waiting longer to set the hook. We had about 15 hits in half an hour and caught 8. All of them were hooked in the lip. Obviously, you should start out setting the hook as soon as you can and adjust accordingly.

Wally H

[Guest]

BubbleBoy,
If you want to catch a bunch of smaller walleye, which will be "practice" to get the feel of it... I suggest you try Lake Tetonka near Waterville. Best Point Resort has a T dock on a point that is casting distance from 25 foot water, has a great weedline there on both sides too. A "yard-light" is not too far behind you on the dock for evening casting.

Your problem in likely not the jigs you are using, though opening up the hook a tiny % will help and sharpening most jig hooks (especially gold plated hooks)... is a must. I do a three count... one-two-three... bam... set the hook and I do set hard. I figure you never know if it is a keeper or a pig... if it is a pig, I want a good firm & hard hook set in it!

I bet your problem is your rod.
I can not work a jig with a "inferior" rod. I loose a ton of fish when I do. I just do not feel the "tap". I have found that I need a IM6 or better rod blank and I like a graphite reel seat on it.
I can do any style handle, foam or cork, but I want to have my fingers on the graphite reel seat or to be toutching the rod blank itself, as I clasp the reel. Spinner baits, bobbers, or cranks.... makes on never mind ( I fish "any old rod" with these)... BUT, for light jigging....I gotta have the right rod.
I have used Berkley Series One for years, (having been sponsored by them)they'll work. But, I could not get the "feel" I wanted from a Berkley Lightning Rod.

Granted, I have not bought a new rod in years... but, I just yesterday, I did order two new ones! I ordered custom built St Croix blanks from Hooked on Fishing (in Rochester).
St Croix makes a nice "Walleye stick" for pitching jigs. I am sure I could have "over-bought" and got other name brands... but think I'll be happy with the St Croix. I visited their St Croix booth at the Mpls. Sports Show and was impressed with the "feel" of their Walleye rods.
Picking the right rod, even from St Croix is the trick! Here is my discription I gave to Mike at Hooked on Fishing when I ordered...

Walleye jigging rod.... medium action 6', a fast tip, lots of "backbone" for setting hooks. I would use for jigs up to 3/4 oz
Walleye jigging rod.... medium / light action 5 1/2 ', a fast tip, lots of "backbone". I would throw mostly 1/4 oz. jigs and under with this one. I would not throw over 1/2 ounce with this one.

Anyway... I think you might consider your rod for "feel"... the light "tick" bites, you might be missing when jigging.
Otherwise... If a new rod is not the ticket... try "safety-pin" Beetle-Spin type spinners slowly retrieved allong & over the weeds in evening before and after dark (sharpen your hooks!). I use only 1/4 to 1/2 a crawler. Those and small raps are not going to miss! Set the hook hard as soon as they hit.
Hope this helps.
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard
Catch'N Tackle Co.

[pikehunter]

Lets not forget that the "hook-set count" varies with each rig and the bait used as well. I often will use crawler harnesses, which one would think would mean less time to allow, but they often grab the bait from the side, meaning they have neither hook in the mouth when they innitially hit. I give them about 10 seconds max, usually, by then, they've got it. Anything over that and I think you'll simply kill to many fish.
Leeches and single-hook rigs, it seems most often are gulped almost immediately.
Food for thought.
Pikehunter

[Aquaman01]

How about in moving water - from shore? Say...a dam. Any ideas?

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[can it be luck?]

Unless fishing with very large bait, feel the hit...set the hook!!