Clear water walleyes

[greenwinger_13]

I live on a clear lake up north on the range. I have fished my lake since i was old enough to wet my line. I have caught lots of walleyes and they are beauties... but still can't figure out how to hammer them early season. Like my typical fishing on the big V, I fish different places where i know walleys are and the structure and water temp tell me to go to these places. Well, its not the same on my lake. they aren't as grouped up for spawning and such... and i can never find a spawning area or post spawn. I have river inlets, flat shallow bays, but i can't find nothin. The lake is full of drops offs and weedlines. Does anybody have any suggestions?! I need more then one walleye a day! Is there some technique i am forgetting

[james_walleye]

Hard to believe a slip bobber and leech/minnow wouldnt produce in the evenings on the weedlines.

[greenwinger_13]

last night we picked up one real nice fish around 11, trollin real slow with jigs and minnow. I have considered trolling in one of the bays that is shallow and has a river outlet... it just seems so perfect but i dont have confidence in it. Maybe lighted bobber idea... i dont know... anymore help would be greatly appreciated, i will try these techniques.

[Schnauzer]

Are there any shallow flats? In clear water, I'm sure you have heard the suggestion to night fish. I regularily fish a gin clear lake and do well around opener at night by trolling shallow shad raps on flats that top out in the 4-8' depth range sometimes late late at night - as in 2:00 AM or later.

Conventional wisdom says early season walleyes will only relate to shoreline structure or off of points or inlets. I have found them on mid lake shallow flats even in 50-55 degree water.

You mentioned something about them being spread out. Trolling plugs allows you to cover a lot of territory and connect the dots.

[can it be luck?]

On some bodies of water 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. An old saying that still holds true today. It sounds like this may be the case here. You find that 10% and your "In like flynn".
Shallow bays, river inlets and outlets, varied depth structure, weedlines...Man! This sound like a great lake!
Is this lake part of a "river system"?
Have you "ever" found any large concentrations of fish?
Is it always just one here and there?
What is the primary feed?
When you have caught fish, when, where, and what worked to catch them?
Have you seen any types of patterns at all?
How is the overall condition of the fishery? Healthy, few but large, many but small? Natural reproduction or stocking?

Answer some of these questions and you'll find your answers somewhere, or it'll at least get you a little closer to unlocking the mysterys of the fish in that particular body of water. Maybe you know of other lakes that are similar, perhaps you could apply something you learned elsewhere here? Fish instinctivly require certain wants and needs, for the most they're very predictable. Find thier wants and needs.....And you'll satisfy your's as well!

Good day, Mark

PS; The other day I was catching walleye in a river that had risen due to recent rains. Fishing from shore I caught 2 walleye as I was pulling my jig and twister out of the water! In 1' of water! At my feet! I told the folks I was with to bring in thier lines close to the bank. At first I told them a long cast was needed... and Man!
Did we catch fish! Hundreds of walleye.

Back to the point. I took that info and applyed it an outing on a river a few days ago and it payed off big time! 2 guys in an afternoon of fishing put a good 250 walleye on the shore. I would have never thought to fish in 1' of water 1' from shore......But I will now!!!! BTW, ALL FISH WERE RELEASED!!!!
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[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 05-22-2004).]

[greenwinger_13]

Really... it is a great lake, out of all the lake i have fished it has the best set-up and structure. It isn't part of a river system... the dnr puts about 1000 fingerlings i think in every 2 years... so they do alright on natural reproduction and just use that as a boost. I know there are schools, becuase i know people who have seen them when diving. On certain days i have found schools, mid-summer. Last night i fished a lake just as clear as mine. rocky shoreline, dropped gradualy (spelling) to about 20... no huge drop or nothing. And most of our fish came right off of shore practically in like 4 feet of water. Totally confused... i don't think it would ever work in my lake. When i have caught fish lately, it's been in 20 feet of water slow trolling a jig. i guess i might have to try this on my lake.