why are the walleyes so shallow?

[mustangt69]

hi, just wondering why the decent walleyes are so shallow this year? Anything over 14 feet of water we havent caught any walleyes over 10 inches? We set up in 9-11 feet and we get many many more bites including northerns. For example:last weekend, keep in mind we were set up on the same type of structure, i caught 1 northern, 2 largemouths, numerous tiny perch and 1 18 1/2 inch smallmouth on the tip up. this was in 10 feet of water, granted one hole was in about 8 fow. My buddy, in 10 fow, pulls in 4 walleyes from 18-24 inches and gets 3 limits of northerns. He is not the only one doing this in shallow water. Another guy fishing by us is in 10 feet and has pulled in numerous 24+ walleyes and so many northerns he moves cuz he runs out of shiners. All the other years the nice walleyes were in deep water (20-30feet) what would cause them to be so shallow this year?

[HoleHopper]

forage

[walleyedan]

Yes, and the reason there is forage (bait/minnows/bugs, etc.) is becuase there are still a lot of healthy weeds giving off some serious oxygen because of the lack of snow (my opinion). We are finding the same situation up here.

Walleyedan

[hanson]

I think those guys have it covered.

No snow cover = sunlight penetration = growing green weeds = micro organsims living in weeds = minnows eating little bugs = bigger fish eating little fish.

Its the food chain plain & simple.

Fish go where the food is.

[StrosLit31]

Ok i get the whole forage thing, but what if you are fishing a break line, lets say 18' to 36' How do you decide where to put the house? Look to mark or see fish first? I know i have been out many times with not seeing one fish on the aqua view or vexliar and then prime time comes and they move in? So if you are scouting during off periods, what would you look for?

I guess the second questions i have is usally any time i fish 15' or less in the winter it's northern after northern. I am not saying that there is not walleyes down there too but usally anytime northerns are in the area walleye move out? So if you start catching northern does that mean its not a good walleye area? i would think if you get one or two a guy would still have a chance at walleyes later in the night but a limit of northerns i would think that area is not holding walleyes??

[volksdriver]

interesting topic....I'll throw in my experience so far this year for lake walleyes here in Manitoba, Canada. I too have found the fishing better in shallow water. Been out 3 times on Lake Dauphin, and once on Lake Winnipeg.... the walleye, mostly 20" and up, have been caught in less than 5 ft of water, some as shallow as 3.5ft! Certainly tried deeper, and varying structure, but not with much luck.....the comment about lack of snow cover isn't true here, most of the lakes are now to the point that vehicle access is very limited, or even non-existent. I travel out by snowmobile.....ice and hard pack snow just about makes an auger extension a necessity.... I don't have an answer to why, but while I ponder the situation, I will certainly enjoy the fishing!

[HoleHopper]

Another thing to think about is.... Walleyes are not just shallow, but they are in a lot of different depths, usually all of the time. I tend to think that they, more times than not, move shallow to feed. For example; you might mark fish in 33 ft. like crazy and not get em to even look at your presentation. Yet when you get your presentation on em in 12 ft. or less, 95% of the time they will be active and feeding. This may explain your expiriences this year.

On one hot, mid summer, day my wife says after 4 hours of nothing in the deep, "Go shallow"! I say "no they wont be there its too hot"! She says "go shallow or bring me in"!

So just to appease her we went real shallow over some rocks. That was the best fishing I have ever had in mid July for Eyes! And yes, she does catch more than me!