Walleye Assistance

[OlSkoolHuskr]

Okay Red and Landon,
I need some help figuring out where to look for Walleye in our lake and what specific lure presentation you would recommend.

This is a clear lake reservoir and its primary species are Striped bass, large-mouth and spotted bass. There have been walleye caught but again most anglers are looking to get that trophy spot or striped bass.

Thread-fin and blue backs are the main forage...........

The lake is Lake Lanier in GA.

http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/images/lake_lanier_map.gif

You guys seem to be more in tune to this so I'll turn to you for assistance.

 

[AHFox]

olskoolhuskr

I'm not Landon or Red. But I always fish the windy side of the lake nothing like a walleye chop. It push the bait fish towards the shore. I always fish the points of lake and look for hole and where the drop offs. If bait fish are in spawning mode i love to throw spinner baits and slow roll them back to the boat. Walleyes in Nebraska during the elwife spawn is something else when you hook one. Jigging feggie spoons on lake Mac in Nebraska have always worked Just some of things I've done to catch walleyes here in SD and Nebraska.

 

[OlSkoolHuskr]

Thanks for the info Fox. Seems those who do catch them in our lake keep the location and method as a very well kept secret...

Just wondering if the same concept there would work down here in the south. This is a fairly deep man-made reservoir.

 

[Red_Alert]

I couldn't begin to tell you everything in one post.

AHFox pretty much has it down. Pull a spinner blade rig or plain Lindy Rig across points and drop offs 8-12 feet of water. When you've got a good chop throw on a jig and drift.
During spawn (spring) you want to be on the rocks such as a dam. In summer you want to be in flats. If you're marking fish in the flats, use a floating jig head or a slip bobber. I use minnows, crawlers or leeches no matter what rig I'm using. Leeches are seasonal up north so primarily either a minnow or crawler. Keep your bait you're trolling with as natural looking as possible. Use a 2 hook spinner rig with a crawler. I actually have a worm threading tool. Minnows (on a one hook spinner rig) through the bottom of the mouth, out the top of the head in front of the eyeballs. About 1/2 oz bullet type weight is sufficient in 8-12 ft water. Some folks up here use 'bottom bouncers' with a spinner rig or lindy attached. I don't because I feel like I lose control over my presentation and feel for a real bite.
Walleye don't bite like you're used to. In their natural habitat they injure their prey before they eat it. So on your pole you'll feel a series of taps, when you do, feed the fish a little bit until you feel a little resistance, then set it. If you jerk it right away you'll lose it.
Time of day, cloud cover, clarity of water all make a difference in color. The 26" fish in my picture was caught pulling an orange and black spinner w/ a minnow. Chartreuse is popular. Sheels sells the spinner rigs I'm talking about either one hook or two. Get the kind where you can change out the blades, it saves you a bunch of time.

 

[OlSkoolHuskr]

I thanks for the info.

One of the team in our tourney hooked a nice 6lber on a jig in 90 feet of water about 3 weeks ago. Gorgeous fish and obviously going to be a great meal.

 

[Dupster]

Red Alert has some great tips. I'll add another regarding colour:

On dark days use a light colour jig or spinner, on bright days use a dark jig or spinner. My faves are chartreuse for overcast days, black jig with chartreuse head for bright days. Normally if trolling slowly I'll use a spinner, if drifting I'll use a jig.

 

[nebraskafishin]

red alert you said to walleye fish near decature nebraska...im very close to decature where do you recomend in those parts?

 

[NE1tm2nv]

I had the best luck last year using the above. I use lead core with a 6' to 10' leader made out of 10lb fireline, trolling 1.4 to 2.3 mph. I just let it bounce the bottom, trolling the points to the shelf.

Walleye were spawning week before last until the weather got all crazy.

 

[BigRedMoe]

I've always had the best luck with double hooked walleye spinning rig and live leaches.... trolling with a trolling weight. But have also used a plain old chartreuse Mister Twister as well. If I'm going from shore or a dock I almost always use a crankbait.