Reading a lake

[BobT]

Okay, you've decided to try a new body of water. The lake is about 7,000 acres some rocky points as well as sandy bottomed covered with weeds. In some of the bays you find bullrushes and pondweed. The water is somewhat clear with a weedline at about 15 feet. The maps shows plenty of midlake structure.

Your intended quarry is walleye. You have a contour map of the lake. You have no other information to work from. The weather has been stable for a few days and the forecast is for continued stability at least for the next couple days. Today skies are fair with plenty of sunshine and a few clouds rolling by. There's a light SW breeze at about 10mph putting a nice ripple on the water.

Where would you start looking for walleye?

[20lbSloughShark]

I have no idea about walleye, but i'd start on the shallow edge of a pondweed bed in a bay for pike.

[Big Bobber]

My first inclination would be to take a look at the shore. If you find a high bluff, chances are the lake drops off below the bluff. Next I would work the 15' weed line. Next I would look for mid lake bars and humps and work down from the top to deeper water until you find them. Finally I would try the points. My guess is that they receive the most fishing pressure as they are the easiest to locate. Just what I would consider doing, by no way could it be correct. Good luck.

[fishnowworknever]

If it were me, today, depending on water temps...I'd start at that weed line and work it moving deeper on the wind blown sides where there is immediate access to deep water. If nothing produces I'd try working those mid lake humps/structure. This is assuming it's dawn/dusk and not high noon since you said the water is somewhat clear.

[BobT]

Quote:

I'd start at that weed line and work it moving deeper on the wind blown sides where there is immediate access to deep water.

This is an interesting statement. I see this used quite a bit in outdoor circles but one question that always comes to mind is what defines "deep water?" This term to me seems to be suggestive and so what does one use as a gauge to determine what is deep vs what is not?

[TruthWalleyes]

First, I'd crack open a beer.

Then, i'd quickly scan some water deeper than 15' to see if anything is stacked in the thermocline or on deeper structure. Powercork or suspend troll cranks/spinners.

Crack open 2nd beer, if nothing special presents itself in deeper water i'd head straight to the weedline and begin covering some ground. First weedline i'd hit would be a large flat extending near deep water. Pockets and inside turns.

[fishnowworknever]

You're right, I guess it's more of a relative term in regards to the lake itself.

Here's an example of a lake I fish regularly, the water is considered clearer than most. These 3 general spots produce walleyes on a consistent basis on this particular part of the lake depending on the time of year.

[Walleye Guy]

Given the weather we have had this year the lake is probably behind schedule and closer to June 1 than June 27th conditions wise. I would definitely play the wind aspect. Fish the windy side of the lake if you have had consistent wind direction. I would look for wind blown points, and weedlines. I would probably start by jigging or rigging the edges of the break/weeds. If I get inundated with panfish I would probably start trolling the same ares with crankbaits. I then may try bobbers on any shallow midlake rock piles in the evening. Start shallow and work your way deeper. If the lake is ultra clear i would focus my fishing on the early morning and night time.

[tunrevir]

[Gordie]

I would look for the longest, sharpest, fastest breaks that lead to the deepest water in the area. I have used this technics and I learned them from Don Dicksons Structure fishing vids and it really works. It is lessons from the famous Buck Perry.

[wayne123]

I would start with the midlake structure.