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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Fishing Forum Anyone want to catch a walleye? |
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04/13/2022 04:33PM
outsidethebox: "Jig just off the bottom with a minnow in 15-20 feet of water around rocky points in June. The end."
I will add.... fish points on the windward side of the lake. Shallower at dawn and dusk. Use bright colored jigs for stained water lakes.
04/14/2022 05:26AM
KevinBFanning: "Little bay de Noc isn’t in the BWCAW, or MN for that matter. It’s in Lake Michigan, which is currently open season. "
The Upper Peninsula Great Lakes walleye season runs from May 15th to March 15th, per the 2022 Michigan Fishing Guide. However, I know there are treaty rights that allow harvest outside that window and if that's the case, congrats to the angler on a good looking fish. For the many of us that struggled on the ice on LBDN this year, this wets the appetite for the coming open water season.
04/14/2022 08:45AM
My technique is to tie my canoe to one of the board's great walleye fishers. They then drag me to their hotspot and I ape whatever they do. However, don't do what I do as they already have a hard enough time to towing me.
I will paddle eternal, Kevlar and carbon.
04/14/2022 04:31PM
Ok here is what I do - some may disagree but advice is free and I hope it helps someone.
I normally go in late May or early June. Patterns may change as the year progresses. I look for water from 4 - 20 feet with rocky / sand / gravel bottoms. Listen to your anchor when it hits bottom. That will tell you a lot. Rocks from fist sized to basketball sized work for me.
I fish either 6 - 8 pound test line. One single hook #8 in size either red or yellow. Small hooks will hold. I think color is important. One small sized split shot as light as you can go and maintain contact with the bottom. Put the split shot 24 - 36 inches above the hook.
Use a leech and cast it out and retrieve slowly. Let the leech work for you. You will get snags, but then you know you are on the bottom. Most times a simple snap upward on the rod will free you from the snag. It's effective and inexpensive. I know some may disagree, but it works for me.
Wind blown shorelines can even be great during the day. Points will work. Dropoffs, wood, and submerged rock piles, too.
Let me know if you have any questions. Can't wait to get out there again. Good fishing everyone.
I normally go in late May or early June. Patterns may change as the year progresses. I look for water from 4 - 20 feet with rocky / sand / gravel bottoms. Listen to your anchor when it hits bottom. That will tell you a lot. Rocks from fist sized to basketball sized work for me.
I fish either 6 - 8 pound test line. One single hook #8 in size either red or yellow. Small hooks will hold. I think color is important. One small sized split shot as light as you can go and maintain contact with the bottom. Put the split shot 24 - 36 inches above the hook.
Use a leech and cast it out and retrieve slowly. Let the leech work for you. You will get snags, but then you know you are on the bottom. Most times a simple snap upward on the rod will free you from the snag. It's effective and inexpensive. I know some may disagree, but it works for me.
Wind blown shorelines can even be great during the day. Points will work. Dropoffs, wood, and submerged rock piles, too.
Let me know if you have any questions. Can't wait to get out there again. Good fishing everyone.
04/14/2022 06:14PM
Sounds like a solid approach, Izzy, and probably worth the approach. Slip bobbers with leeches on small jig heads work for me. We do well slow trolling worms in the early season a la Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers. And we also pick up walleyes tossing bucktails at smallies but those are bonus catches in my opinion.
04/14/2022 06:42PM
I had read that walleyes are voracious eaters. They are in the shallowest water where they feel comfortable. When you're fishing, early and late fish shallower, afternoons fish deeper. If it's cloudy and windy, you can fish shallower, if it's clear/sunny/calm fish deeper. Colder water, go shallower, warmer water look deeper.
Some guys look for wind blown points, or funnels.
Don't overlook weeds. I've had lots of success in the BWCA fishing in the weeds, or above them. Especially windy and cloudy. I have had good success in shallow weedy flats when it's overcast, and light rain, even mid day. My son caught a 31.5" walleye at 1 pm in 10 feet of water, on a weedy flat, with a muddy bottom. It was overcast and light rain, and the big girls were feeding heavy. It's not an isolated occurrence. Well, the 31.5 was, but not catching walleyes in those conditions. I do well in June in the 6-12 ft range.
I've read early spring (Mid may), look for current, you'll find the eyes.
Some guys look for wind blown points, or funnels.
Don't overlook weeds. I've had lots of success in the BWCA fishing in the weeds, or above them. Especially windy and cloudy. I have had good success in shallow weedy flats when it's overcast, and light rain, even mid day. My son caught a 31.5" walleye at 1 pm in 10 feet of water, on a weedy flat, with a muddy bottom. It was overcast and light rain, and the big girls were feeding heavy. It's not an isolated occurrence. Well, the 31.5 was, but not catching walleyes in those conditions. I do well in June in the 6-12 ft range.
I've read early spring (Mid may), look for current, you'll find the eyes.
04/15/2022 09:17AM
missmolly: "My technique is to tie my canoe to one of the board's great walleye fishers. They then drag me to their hotspot and I ape whatever they do. However, don't do what I do as they already have a hard enough time to towing me. "
Can I tag along? I'm quiet in person and you won't even know I'm there. Actually, you'll definitely notice the extra 200 pounds. BUT I'll gladly be the netman for a free tow!
04/15/2022 01:56PM
DRob1992: "missmolly: "My technique is to tie my canoe to one of the board's great walleye fishers. They then drag me to their hotspot and I ape whatever they do. However, don't do what I do as they already have a hard enough time to towing me. "
Can I tag along? I'm quiet in person and you won't even know I'm there. Actually, you'll definitely notice the extra 200 pounds. BUT I'll gladly be the netman for a free tow!"
I've reconsidered this and here's my reply: Heck, yeah! If the good walleye fishers are towing a train of canoes, that would make us their personal trainers and we could charge them!
I will paddle eternal, Kevlar and carbon.
04/15/2022 10:52PM
izzy052: "Ok here is what I do - some may disagree but advice is free and I hope it helps someone.
I normally go in late May or early June. Patterns may change as the year progresses. I look for water from 4 - 20 feet with rocky / sand / gravel bottoms. Listen to your anchor when it hits bottom. That will tell you a lot. Rocks from fist sized to basketball sized work for me.
I fish either 6 - 8 pound test line. One single hook #8 in size either red or yellow. Small hooks will hold. I think color is important. One small sized split shot as light as you can go and maintain contact with the bottom. Put the split shot 24 - 36 inches above the hook.
Use a leech and cast it out and retrieve slowly. Let the leech work for you. You will get snags, but then you know you are on the bottom. Most times a simple snap upward on the rod will free you from the snag. It's effective and inexpensive. I know some may disagree, but it works for me.
Wind blown shorelines can even be great during the day. Points will work. Dropoffs, wood, and submerged rock piles, too.
Let me know if you have any questions. Can't wait to get out there again. Good fishing everyone."
Do you fish with slip bobbers or a jig ever? What you describe seems like a hybrid of the two methods. Just curious if you notice an advantage over those techniques.
I’m definitely intrigued enough to try it. I love feeling a finesse bite and crossing their eyes. With that said I’m afraid of not being able to maintain bottom contact and feel if there is any wind.
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