In-Depth Electronics

[AaronM]

I was looking at a new In-Fishermen magazine the other day, and I saw an article about using your depthfinder to target large schools of baitfish, then use crankbaits to troll to catch the suspended walleye around the edges. My question is, how many people actually use their finder like this? Can you constantly keep yourself on the baitfish? I fish LOTW and usually stick to the bread and butter trolling spinners, and never worry about depth, suspended fish, ect.. Any info would be great. Happy Fishing!

FF

[walleyewacker]

If the bread and butter works then great. But finding and catching suspended fish separates the men from the boys. Everything depends on what type of baitfish, type of lake, time of year. You must have a high quality depth finder and know how to use it. My advice would be to read as many of these articles as possible in detail and if and only if you have the equipment to do it then sacrifice an afternoon or day to target open water fish. Its only a matter of time before you find what you are looking for and hook up, hang on because your biggest fish of the year will generally come from this.

[Chris Haley]

I'm always looking for baitfish on the depth finder!! Also look for insect plumes!! Both of these situations means dinner bell to walleyes. When you are fishing over baitfish, the probability is VERY high that the fish adjacent to these schools are active!! I never pass over a suspended blob on the depth finder without fishing it. You will also see these blobs pushed into break lines. That's when you really have active fish.

[Chris Haley]

Also, you don't have to fish cranks through baitfish or insects. A live bait rig or spinner with a leech or crawler is just as effective. Sometimes that little thing that is different from the surroundings is enough to trigger a great bite.

[Fish Head]

I read the same article. I have been hearing more and more about trolling over baitfish in deep water. Question- Isn't it hard to stay over the school? Is the school of baitfish always moving? If trolling, wouldn't you pass through the school rather quickly? Than I suppose you turn around and go back? Ive never tried this, but I'm tempted to give it a try this year.

[LocalGuide]

Im trying it this year for the first time. I hope to get some nice quality walleyes.
But I would guess you would go through a school then hit another one then turn around and do it again. Any tips for constantly staying on top of the fish?

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AKA PikeEye 300
And keep those hooks sharp!

[walleyewacker]

The turning around idea is tough for schools. The best for me has just find and area where they are more scattered while suspended and strain the water. If they are schooled up then at least try to find a few schools and mark them on GPS for every pass.

[Fish Head]

I haven't done this before, so please bear with me. I can mark the schools on my GPS, but are the schools constantly moving or do they stay relatively in the same place?

Also- the article I read made it sounded like this is trolling over deep water, not over the break line.

[Guest]

I know this is a walleye thread. But last summer, we trolled open water in the Big Narrows of LOTW for pike and muskie.

Let me give out a small secret..........

There are big walleyes chasing those schools of bait fish, along with big pike and big muskies.

We trolled over water from 25 to 80 feet. We targeted schools of bait fish and plowed right through them with muskie plugs diving at 20 to 25ft down. We caught Big fish doing this.

Find your fish and find your bait fish before you fish, unless you have electronics that won't pick them up. Then fish your confidence areas........

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!