Shallow Walleyes

[gopherfish]

Do any of you fish walleyes shallow this time of year (8-15 ft.)? I have a lake near my house I want to fish tomorrow night that I haven't caught walleyes deep on. I want to try right by my house in that depth range right in the weeds. I will be there from 4:30 to 8:00pm.

[Mike Walerak]

I would start near the edge of the weed flat early and work up onto the flat as nightfall sets in. I would also not be afraid to go shallower if the weeds will allow. I have caught night 'eyes in only a foot or two of water. My favorite night setup is a tip up with a larger minnow. I will also jig, but be sure to keep the lights off the holes and the noise to non-existant. This can turn away shallow fish very easily. Hope this gives you an idea.

Good Luck

mw

[gopherfish]

That is a good idea Mike. The lake I fish gets some pretty significant pressure, but I bet they would come up shallow, since no one is fishing them there. The water is clear and it has good weed growth. I think you are right about being quiet.

[mille lacs muskie bum]

The other night i had one on in 7 feet of water. I was fishing long lake with tip ups. I am suspecting it was an eye.

[icehousebob]

My brother-in-law told me that he was fishing a Dakota lake for Walleyes and found the fish where there was only one foot of water below two feet of ice. He would set the hook and bring them up the hole in one move. A very short fight.

[fisherking01]

There are walleyes in shallow water at times, on dirty water lakes they tend to run shallower, however I have speared on lakes and have seen numerous walleyes in four to five feet of water. I fish with a group of guys and run tip ups, we have caught a lot of walleyes (this year particularly) in three to seven feet of water. Seems to happen where there are rocks more often, time of day hasn't seemed to matter.

[Matt Breuer]

gopherfish, there are a few lakes up North here where I can find 'eyes in less than 10 feet. We sight fish them all year long and usually pick up a few fish per outing. Nothing better than sight fishing, especially 'eyes!

Also, one lake is fairly dark, while the other is clear as day!

[dsludge]

I fish shallow (14-19 fow) most of the time I catch walleyes.

I fish deep (20 fow +) most of the time I get skunked.

I believe hungry fish venture into shallow water that holds a greater variety of food. I think of it this way - If I take a group out for dinner, do I go to a seafood only place? No, I take them to a restauraunt with variety because there is a bunch of tastes in the group.

Besides, walleyes are notoriously finicky eaters!

dsludge

[EBass]

Is it true that when the snow cover gets think that inturns makes the weeds die. When weeds die they use up oxygen thus the fish and bait are pushed out. Is that true? My buddy was talking about that.

[honker23]

Yes it is true. The weeds get sunlight through the clear ice with no/little snow, but once we get a good covering, the weeds can't get the sunlight and die. O2 levels drop significantly and the fish die if it is a shallow lake. We get all too familiar with this pattern in southern mn with all our shallow lakes without sufficient systems to keep the water open. Last year was great until we got a foot or more of snow in feb on top of 2 ft ice. Many winterkills followed.

[mistermom]

Although we don't really get to experience it here in MN (season is closed) Shallow is really great for end of the ice season walleyes. The increasing sunlight and influx of warmer oxygen rich run-off gets the life cycle in the shallows going before the ice is gone. Lots of people, myself included, have caught nice eyes, and bass fishing crappies shallow in March.

mm

[dsludge]

Oxygen is good . Photosynthesis is oxygen.

Would it be possible that two-foot thick clear ice with multiple exposed holes over a shallow south-facing weedline break with mud/sand at 5-10 feet, sand/rock at 11+ feet, and extrodinarily varied bottom structure hold a little extra plant life/oxygen and attract some fish?

The whole lake is not covered with snow, there are spots where banked snow has left clear areas, like the lake roads.

I used water from an augered hole from such an area to re-aerate my bait cooler a few days ago. Because the weather was so cold, I left the bait cooler in the south-facing garage window. My cat got curious, knocked the cover off the cooler, and the water was green 24 hours later . It was a sunny day.

I do not fish deep water (30'+?) as a rule. I may try it once or twice during the next 3 weeks if I can relocate some deep structure I noted during open water last summer. If caught, I would regret killing any big breeders hoisted from deep water .

Thank you for the information.

Saying A Word,

dsludge

P.S. Poached the shallow water fillets and finished them off the in the broiler with butter and garlic until slightly browned.

[buzzsaw]

I was out from 8-11 AM today with a friend and we had one tip up with a shiner in five feet of water and had action all morning! We we not anywhere near this tip up so I guess you could say we were quiet.

I just love private mystery lakes that you've always been curious about due to local legend and then to finally get out and find out a lake is loaded with Walleyes!

[dsludge]

How deep was the water "not anywhere near [the] tip up"?

[freighttrain50]

oh Buzz, you gotta love those lakes. i found one just packed with 16-18 inch eyes. we fish in 5 feet of water and can see the bottom and everything. my girlfriend and her brothers wife saw one smash the $h!t out of a fathead on a plain red hook. they almost filled their pants. great fun!

[mistermom]

Sometimes the walleye rearing ponds that the DNR use don't winterkill for a few seasons. When that happens you can get a free-for-all on those fish. No winterkill, however, make them stink for raising fingerlings. The remaining walleyes cannabolize the fingerlings dumped in by the DNR.

mm

[Crappiechaser]

I was useing my aqua vu scout the past couple of days in 5 feet of water and every day ive had walleyes come threw and they wont hit any thing I throw at them but they do like the sunny for the cam. Its fun to see them come up and inspect the camera.

[buzzsaw]

sludge, I was in about 5 - 6 ft of water and about 4-5 ft down... I'm heading back tonight for the night bite... I'm pretty excied! I'll post some pictures of what I catch.

[dsludge]

Bam-Bam! In the weeds?

A Word,

dsludge

[buzzsaw]

Just above the weeds, snap bye bye Mr. Shiner!

[dsludge]

One 6 pound northern, 2 pan size walters out of 18 feet next to rock pile last night. Some new weeds on the bottom? Can't tell except they weren't scummy. Northern on big Shiner, walleyes on big blue fatheads.

dsludge

[TNFL]

One time when I was in wisconsin I was at a buddy's cabin. His uncle brought us out in the morning and we got 12 tip-ups set up from 4-8 feet all over a point. As soon as the sun peeked on the horizon the flags started flying. I've been meaning to try that on some local lakes, but its tough to get up that early on a day off, or on a work day.

[dsludge]

Monday night set up in 14 to 16 fow. Four boulders surrounded by rocks and sand under the 8 X 16. Gradual drop nearby into 25 to 30 fow. Two walleyes caught late, 9pm and 12 midnight (fell asleep).

dsludge

[Farley]

I consider 18 feet pretty deep for walleyes! I dont like fishing deep water. Since I fish mostly at night, I almost always am in 8-13 feet. Might try even shallower this weekend though.