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sirlips
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05/20/2014 09:05AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I'm new here, so i thought i would take a little time and post a thread I hope many will find useful. Like many of the people that will be reading this thread, i once came looking for information on catching fish, walleyes in particular, for the "big trip" to the B'dub. I had always fished, but at the time had never been to the BWCA (many years ago) and after no real luck on my first trip, i really wanted to get more information. It was hard to find, and to some extent was not what i was looking for, in a way i could understand.

Hopefully this helps those that are like i was back then, I may even teach a few more advanced fisherman a new or better way.

My goal is to explain what I would bring and how i would use it, if i was planning a true "Fishing trip" to the BWCA. I expect that to mean you are willing to carry in more gear, double portage if needed and to pay a few bucks for the right equipment. It also will hopefully save you some money on buying useless junk, IMO, that a lot of people bring, and never use or better yet...SHOULDN’T ever use.

A quick word about me and my experience. Many of my friends get mad, because i tell others how to do what has taken us a short lifetime to learn. There is often a sense of "don’t tell anyone" when you talk to fisherman. I honestly couldn’t DISagree with that attitude more. 1st, most of those that don’t want to share, don’t really know what they are doing. If they do, and don’t share, they don’t understand the value of this sport or the need to continue sharing knowledge, to pass on to other generations.
If I know where the fish are biting, I’ll tell everyone, unless i was asked by the person that pointed a particularly good spot out to me. I don’t agree with secret spots, but I also respect others opinions and will not lie. (ok, I’m a fisherman, i may lie...a little).
Experience: I have been an avid outdoorsman for most of my 40 years on this rock. Besides my day job, i am the marketing director for a local guide service, the President of "Take A Kid Outdoors, Inc" and the proud father of 3. I was a sponsored walleye tournament fisherman for 2 years, in my younger days. Ranking 13th and 11th in those 2 years in Minnesota. But most importantly, in an addict. I LOVE walleye fishing. I LIKE fishing....I LOVE walleye fishing. I don’t mind pitching a fly at some trout or steelheads, i have fun catching northern/muskies and sturgeon, i even get a kick out of catching "green carp"(some people call them bass ;) ), but i can’t find many things i would rather do than Walleye fish.

With that said, it’s nice to meet you, thanks for reading and feel free to add comments and or feedback.

What to know, before you go:

Walleyes. To help explain walleye CATCHING, you have to know a bit about these fish. They are predators. And like most predators, they are opportunistic and lazy. They don’t do any more work than they have to, and if they do something, it has purpose. They want to be towards the bottom in the shallowest water possible (YES, you read that correctly, i said shallowest), they are very sensitive to sun light, they want cold water, and they eat...ALOT. This helps you, the fisherman, because we can use this information against them. Along with these pieces of information and a few other things that are basic to all fish, you can set up a search plan for these tricky beasts. Let me also say quickly, when you hear a person say that the "walleyes are not biting today/this week/this year" just ignore them, they know not what they say. Save for some rare exceptions that will be obvious, Walleye are ALWAYS biting sometime that day and most likely ALL that day, you simply need to be in the right place with the right food at the right time of the day or night.

To help understand why walleyes are not always in the shallowest water, you need to remember that they also don’t like warm water or light. So, even though they would prefer to sit in 2 feet of water, waiting in ambush(lazy) to strike some minnows, they are forced deeper by the need for cool water, or less light. One of my best tournament experiences came when we found walleyes in 2 feet of water, near a creek inlet in the middle of JULY at high noon! It was 90+ degrees out and not a cloud in the sky. Every other team was fishing deep humps, sunken islands and deep flats. We found a spot that the carp were "rolling" and mixing up the dirt/water. This 50 yards circle was the mother load. They had cool water coming in from the spring fed creek, the light was low because of the dirty water, and they were shallow...just like they want it. That day, an 8 year old could have bested the best walleye guys in the world, just by understanding what these fish want. OH, and they need food!

So the next time you look at a lake, stop and think about the situation for a second. Is it cloudy? Or better yet, is it WINDY? Wind will stop the light from penetrating the surface MUCH better than a cloud. If the light isn’t getting in very well, the fish will WANT to be shallower. Is the water cool? For the most part, this won’t be an issue in the BWCA, as the water tends to stay cooler than many other areas of the USA walleye belt. I have caught a 30" walleye 1 foot from shore in the middle of a cloudy day in early august in the BWCA. They probably won’t hang out there all afternoon, but they will not shun a shallow bank simply because of the water temp in the BWCA.(this will happen the farther south you go) Is there food? You don’t have to be an expert at bait fish, but understand they are small and everything is trying to eat them...where would YOU be? They, for the most part, always moving. So, like a child in the woods, playing hide and seek...you are more apt to run from tree to tree, or along a hillside or other object, normally you wouldn’t stand out in the middle of the open field. Bait fish do the same thing. This means you will find predators sitting near "structure" that bait fish will attempt to use as hiding areas. They will go out of there comfort zone to grab a bite to eat, but will keep the more comfortable water near by. This means in middle and late summer you often find them feeding near deep colder water. Where can they ambush a meal? Points are a perfect example. "Inside turns" are even better. (ill explain later) The WIND side of the lake is often a great spot to start, as the bait and the waves are forced to that location. This creates 2 of the things walleyes look for...LOW light and FOOD.

So, at a basic level, we know we want to be where the fish are. We know they want to be in the shallowest water that is still going to be comfortable for light/temp and food. This could mean that the shallowest water that is comfortable is 30 feet deep or it could be 3 feet deep. We also know that the fish are eating something. Now, we just have to figure out what that is, and how to put it in front of their noses in a way they will bite.

This brings us to baits, lures and the presentation of these 2 things.

For the most part, in my experience, simple is better. But, simple may not put the bait in the "strike zone". But the goal is to err on the simplest thing that still is effective.

Some of you will see/read the "TGO" method or other such things. This simply means line, splitshot, hook and sometimes people think “ bobber” to. This is the most basic and many times effect way to fish in the BWCA.

There are a million things that can change the way you put bait/lures in front of a walleye, but to keep it basic, you will want to first start your search by placing the bait in the bottom 18" of the water column, as this is most likely where you will find the walleyes (in most cases) To do this you need LINE, WEIGHT, strike indication system and bait/lure.

Line: I am not a fan of switching out my entire set up every 30 minutes, until the fishing turns to biting. So, i use 2 set-ups in the BWCA. One rod is set up with the TGO method, with bobber. One with-out bobber. I use a very small snap/barrel swivel on the end of the line that doesnt have a bobber. I digress....The line. I like a good casting mono line in the 6lb test. Both for bobber and non bobber fishing. I use stren, but they paid me to say that. I would still use stren, as it works...but others work too. I also like to use a tinted line, usually orange tint, as i can see the line better for the non-bobber set-up. If i wanted to get fancy i would probably use clear on the bobber pole and orange on my non-bobber pole, but i dont.

Weight: This is a tough one, as there are so many varieties and situations, but in general you will be set up just fine with 2 types of weight. The first, again for the TGO method, is a simple dispenser of split shot. The container comes with several different weights. I tend to use 1 weight, rather than several small weights, as i feel the extra pieces add to the chance to snag and are faster to change, meaning im more likely to change them instead of just letting what i have sit too long. Second, is the lures that are already weighted, like the lead head jig. This means you will want several more jigs than you normally would use, as each size needs to have several of each color. 1/16 is small and not very common, but i start their and work my way up to the largest of 1/2 ounce, which is almost never needed. 99% of the time i will have a 1/8 ounce jig on open lake water and 1/4 ounce for spots with low to moderate current.

Bobbers: there is only one bobber style to bring. Lighted slip bobbers. These can be used for every style of bobber fishing, and are NEEDED for some styles such as nigh fishing, deep water fishing or drifting. Take the red and white bobbers out of your box, hide them in the drawer with the old power cords from your 1986 computer and forget you have them. You will have 2 varieties to choose from. Lighted with a snap glow stick and lighted with a battery. I prefer the battery type, but i always bring a few extra snap lights and rubber bands just in case. The battery style are more expensive, but they are much more cost effective and are brighter. The trick is to remember to remove the battery each night after use and re-install it the next time you need it. Do not use the bobber with the light turned off but installed. Its inevitable that it will get hit and the light will come on and you dont notice it is on during the day, wearing out the battery and leaving you with a 1 time $6 light. I also make sure to have all 3 colors (red/orange-yellow/green) This way 3 fishermen know what light is there’s if casting to the same local at night. On a normal trip i will bring 1 light for each pole for every 3 days of fishing. NOTE: slip knots. You will also need slip knots and a tool to cut the knot material. I prefer to use Pink, as it contrasts the most. I also bring many many extras. I have never needed to use the beads between my bobber and knot, but you will want extra beads if you prefer or need the bead.

For those that have not used these bobbers, they are very simple, once you see them and think about the way they work. With a normal bobber, the bobber is clipped to the line and doesn’t move, so that it suspends the bait at whatever length you clipped the bobber to the line at. This works fine if you are fishing only 2 or 3 feet down, but try to cast when you want to fish with a bobber 20 feet down and you will see the issue. With a slip bobber the bobber slides freely on the line and a knot is tied onto the line at the depth you want the bait to be suspended at. If you tie the knot on your line 20 feet from the end, the weight/lure pulls line through the bobber until the bobber hits the knot and stops line from "slipping" through. So a bobber knot at 20 feet would allow you to suspend the bait at 20 feet. (which would be perfect for 21 foot deep water)The bead simply makes sure the knot doesn’t slip through the bobber is the knot is small enough. I use larger knots, so i have no issue. The knot is then simply reeled into the spool and shouldn’t cause issues when pulling line out. (it is a good idea to check your slip knot depth often, as the knot may slide up or down during a fight or get hung up on the fishing pole eyes if not tied on tight. I always wet the knot before i tighten it down and i use 2 small pliers to pull the ends of the knot before trimming the tails off.)

Hooks: I am a hook snob. I admit it. However the hook is debated more than it should be. You simply NEED to use sharp hooks. Size is second to sharpness. I prefer Gamakatsu but eagle and several other lower priced hooks are workable. Make sure you use octopus style! Your hook set will be MUCH more effective for the walleye bite. I also check my hook tip often. if i can slide the hook across the skin of my finger with little to no pressure and not have it grab...i change it or sharpen it. I also prefer a anodized hook, meaning it is colored. just like the colors of my jigs, i like to have options for the hook color. Most common in my box is purple. I stay away from the coated hooks, as i want the hook profile to be as invisible as i can. The color may be an attractant, but the profile is not. You will use 3 sizes of these pointed metal bait holders. 4, 6 and 8. I always use the smallest hook for the job, based on what the bait can hide. BUT, remember, how many fish have you seen with a small mouth? Don’t worry about if the fish can fit the hook in its mouth..it can...worry about how much hook is showing. If you are finding that the hook isnt grabbing flesh when you set the hook, then consider a trailer hook. (i use trailer hooks in the BWCA more than any other place. Small hooks and a trailer have earned me days of 2-3-4 times the fish as the other guy im with not using one. (until they learn...which usually doesn’t take long)

So, where are we?
We are using 6 lb mono (smooth casting or limp...extra limp)line.
We have a slip not tied to a depth that will hang my bait 12 inches above the bottom.
We have just enough split shot weight on to get the bait down to the correct depth and keep it there. (more weight is a sin, DONT overweight your line, it causes less sensitivity for light bites, spooks fish as they can see it and spooks fish as they can feel it)
We have a SHARP #6 octopus hook tied on 8-12 inches below the split shot.

NOW, what? Sooner or later we have to talk poles/reels...
If the reel is important, the rod is VITAL. I will out fish another walleye angler 5 to 1 if he has a cheap pole and expensive reel and i have a cheap real and expensive pole. (OK, expensive is not the right word, as many GOOD rods are not that expensive...quality, that’s a better word for it) Think 1 thing when you look for a walleye rod. Backbone.You need a rod that is stiff. If you pick up the rod and run the tip across the floor in the store and check for sensitivity, you are only getting part of the equation...you need the pole stiff. 2 reasons. the stiffer the rod, the more you can feel. 2nd, walleyes have a boney mouth and you need to get a good hook set. Save your medium-light rods for the paper mouths of crappies or for the fleshy mouth of a green carp (bass). Although i have some poles that cost to much not to use, i found a GREAT walleye rod at wal-mart in the under $100 range..Abu garcia Revo. but just remember, the name and brand doesn’t matter as much as the backbone/stiffness. You want a pole that is firm all the way to the last eye. many poles are stiff and then the last 12 inches are too flexible. I cannot stress enough how hard it is to be a good walleye fisherman with a "noodle" rod. You need to be able to feel what’s going on and the pole transfers that info to you. This should be your #1 priority if money is tight and you need to budget it towards what will have the most impact.

Reels, to me, as long as the drag works, and it doesnt squeak, i can use it. With that said, a better reel will stand up to the elements better, deal with being waterlogged from rain, lake water etc, and just feel "smooth". The biggest thing i look for is a "tight" reel. I reel it backwards and expect little to no play. If there is play in it, it means its loose fitting and that means sand etc can get inside. bait casters are for green carp and muskies, closed faced reels are for the old woman and kids under 3...the rest of us should be using open faced spinning reels. You will want an open faced spinning style reel. I won’t get into all the reasons, but you are using a slip bobber knot on your line, so you NEED an open faced spinning reel or your just asking for troubles.
(I advise, for most people, to find the rod that works 1st, then fit a reel to it, or hope it comes with a combo, to save money. The rod is going to be the hardest thing to find, reels are a dime a dozen and a great reel can go from $40 to $400) Gander mountain Guide series were my go to combo for many of the my first years walleye fishing.
(if you want what i consider to be the best rod for the money..."13 fishing", black omen spinning rod. Medium 7'3. $100. A close second is the St.croix Icon rods)

Where are the fish? We know where they MIGHT be, because we stopped for a minute, looked at the sky, looked at the water, looked at the temp, looked at the map... but how can we be sure they are there? I use the old tried and true method that the Indians use....SONAR! Remember when i talked about double portaging? This is a "fishing" trip, so you need your fish finder. You wouldn’t go on a 7 day walleye trip on Leech or LOTW without a fish finder, so why would you do the same in the BWCA? Luck for you there are a lot of options. I tend to use the better, buy heavier option, but have used both and they both work. Option one, is a fish finder that operates on D cell batteries. They look and work just like your normal fish finder. For years i used an "eagle" that was made specifically for canoe trips. Since then i have switched to the 2nd option... The ice fishing "flashers". They run on larger 12v batteries, but IMO perform exactly how you would use them in the BWCA. They show 100% real time feedback on what is going un right below the canoe. I can see 2" separation if a walleye is hovering right off the bottom. I can see my jig if im vertical jigging below the canoe and need to convince a "watcher" into becoming a "biter". We bring 1 flasher for each person fishing. I have found the best way to troll is to put a bit of water in the bottom of the canoe and set the transducer on the bottom. it will work right through the hull and show the info you need when searching for humps, bumps or mumps/measles. It will not have quite as good of detail, but it is still MUCH better than most portable fish finders. When not paddling around, i simply toss it over the side. i don’t use a float or mess with a suction cup.
(Find one, rent one, steal one...but do yourself a favor and get one for your fishing trip, it will change how you fish in the BWCA)
(If you are going to buy something especially for this application, i would suggest the "show down" portable. It is less expensive, lighter, and runs on AA batts. I use a marcum and a vexilar, but i deal with the added weight.)

Now lets talk non-TGO methods. There are 4 main ways I walleye fish in the BWCA. 1) Slip bobber with purple hook and leech/crawler/minnow
2) Jig with leech/crawler/Minnow 3)"pulling" spinner bait rigs 4)tossing lures

I have covered #1 pretty well, so lets look at the other options.
#2 Jigging. Truth be told im not a big fan of jig fishing. There are times that it simply is the best way and i have caught some of my best fish jigging over the side of the canoe, but with that side i prefer to pull spinner rigs or slip bobber fish. Since my experience is more limited to general jigging, rather than specifically in the BWCA i will leave this open for more detail from others, but will add a few things i have found. 1st, don’t be afraid to use a stinger hook when jig fishing in the BWCA. As i said before, many or my fish come on the stinger when the bite is light and i cant seem to find the magic formula to get a harder hit. The key to jig fishing is color an size, when it is working. I take 8-10 colors of each size 1/16 to 1/2 oz. of each of these i usually have 8-10 of each one. That is some weight, but this is a fishing trip and i warned you that we would have added weigh. This could mean you easily have 300-400 jigs. There is nothing worse that finding the right combo of jig color and weight and losing the 3 you had. You will also be denting these up on the rocks and the paint doesn’t last for ever...

If you are using a flasher, then you will lose less jigs, as you don’t have to continue to drop the jig all the way to the rocky bottom, to make sure you are in the strike zone. If you are jigging, then you will want to move your rod tip down until you make contact with the bottom and then raise it back up several inches. Wait...and redo. If you are anchored, then ones you know you are in the strike zone, you can go at at and you no longer need to keep checking for the bottom. if i am Jigging, often my best action comes from finding a good "run" and setting up at the top of the target area then letting the canoe drift over the section as i jig just off the bottom, checking for the bottom every 15 seconds or so. Humps or "roller coasters" are great for this style of fishing. I could be better classified as bouncing than jigging. The key is to get the jig down into those low areas and no skip over the top of them. The walleyes will sit in there waiting for prey to come over the humps and try and hide in the trough.
Unless it is right after ice out, my jigging is "slow and low". meaning i don’t snap the jig up and down, and im raising and lowering it a max of 12 inches, but more like 6" or less in many cases and i keep it just off bottom.

#3 My favorite. Pulling. There are 7,642 ways to pull, and i have tried all of them. But, the basics are all the same. for the purposes of this, i am going to be specific just to the rig i use in the BWCA and how to set it up and use it.

The spinner: Allow me to first confuse you and say i don’t just pull spinners, some are lindy rigs some are homemade, some are crazy...But, the "thing" isn’t a concern right now as much as the set up. What you are doing is either canoeing around the lake slowly(trolling) or more often, drifting with the wind at a controlled speed. (controlled via how you point the canoe, how you sit in the canoe and the use of a drift bag)The rig is a "lure of sorts" that holds either crawlers, leeches, minnow/s. This set up is then tied to a swivel. The line going to your pole has an oversized weight threaded on and that line is attached to the other end of the swivel. The weight moves freely up and down the line between the swivel and the pole. When you let the line out/down, the heavy weight goes to the bottom. when held at 12" from the bottom, the "lure" trails behind 2-3-4 feet and since we are moving, the lures blades spin, or it floats up a bit if it has floats or it bounces along and does all sorts of wonderful fish catching things. The goal is to give the lure horizontal movement across the bottom rather than vertical movement up and don’t like other methods. The process is very similar to the process at the end of the last section, accept you are now "bouncing" the heavy weight up and down to "find the bottom" rather than the actual lure.
The "Lure". This will depend of the conditions. Mainly the weather. If you have a good wind that happens to be working in your favor to send you across the heads of hungry walleyes, then you can use "spinner baits. This consists of 1-2-3-4 hooks tied in a row, possibly with beads above them, and then a blade that spins above that. If you have enough movement through/across the water, the blade will spin and cause eye attracting vibrations and color flashes. This can be good...very good, or it can be bad. If i stand at an ATM yelling "free money for all!" everyone will come running, but if i do it at the county fair, i would get ignored. Some times subtle is more appropriate and other times yelling at the fish is the only thing that works. This, is yelling at the fish. I like yelling at the fish. When a more subtle approach is needed. Blades can be replaced with simple beads or floats or both.

Weights for pulling: this is another argument 10 fisherman will each answer differently. I like heavy weights. The fish basically hook themselves with this method, so the feel isnt quite as important as other finesse methods. You will also find things that save you from losing many weights and rigs. One i use often is a bottom bouncer. This is a weight that has a long pin running out the bottom of it. the line ties to the top of the bouncer and the lure line ties of a swivel on the back side. The bouncer is great for keeping the heavy weight out of the rocks and getting snagged up as the steal pin is the only thing that taps against the bottom. 1/2 to 1 1/2 ounce is typical.

Here is the key to pulling rigs: Keep the main line vertical with the bottom. You are not bottom "dragging" you are bottom "bouncing". If you cant keep contact and still stay almost straight down, then use a larger weight until you can. In 20 feet of water, with my rod tip 2 feet above the water line, my line shouldn’t be more than 1 or 2 inches back when it makes contact with the water during a 1 mph drift. If you still cant get it down and feel the bottom, then use a smaller blade. The larger the blade, the larger the drag, the more drag the harder it is to keep it vertical from weight to rod.
(if I know i will be pulling, often i bring a reel with braided line. This all but ensures i don’t loose any/many expensive bottom bouncers. Then i run fluorocarbon as the "lure" line. With large bladed rigs i will use 2 or even 3 barrel swivels, as these bad boys really like to twist your line. You want the blade spinning...NOT your bait.)

#4 The least of my favorite methods for catching walleyes and probably the most use in the B'dub. This is also why i think so many folks dont catch 50-60-70 fish a day with those few magical days thrown in that you just have to stop because your shoulders and wrist cant take anymore. With that said, my 4th biggest Walleye to date came on rapala while pitching. It was 1.5" from the personal best of 34". But, to my point..i was "green carp" fishing and got lucky. (actually these bass were more red than green...so i was RED carp fishing...and got lucky) But, they do catch fish. There is a time for them and i do bring 20-30 Wallaye specific raps and a full box of spoons and spinners. (many of these double as junk to throw at northerns and bass...but i have seen many delusional walleye make the mistake of thinking they needed a metal or plastic lure for lunch...or breakfast.

As i said, i dont care for this in the BWCA with no motor to get me trolling at 1.5-2.5 mph but there are some things to consider. The most obvious one, and the reason they are used so much in the BWCA, they are EASY to use/store/pack/rig... They really are a no brainer. Tie it on (with the correct knot)throw it out (in the correct spot) real it in (at the correct speed) and then eat the fish. No expensive bait to buy, no heavy storage containers to pack wet leech bedding in...This would seem like the perfect style for the B'Dub...and it can be...if you want to catch SOME fish. But, lets not forget, we are on a "fishing trip" we want numbers and we want size. that means you need to get the food in front of the fish and keep it there...that means live bait on method 1,2 or 3. If you sit back and watch a lure fisherman, and count the seconds from "throw, to splash down, to reeling in until FINALLY the lure is MAYBE in the strike zone to the lure coming up, to getting ready to throw again...the lure, during this 20-30 second ordeal is in the "zone" for a small fraction of the time you are fishing. Not ideal. But, there can be exceptions. Some times, this is the only way to fish a spot. For example if the fish are held up in the lower end of the rapids, tossing a floating rap may be the only way to not loose every lure in your bag. Sometimes it just a matter of tossing a rap of the rocks at camp, because some nights you could throw your uncle joe in the lake and the walleye would try to eat him...and NO ONE likes uncle joe. so an easy pitch and catch system like this is fine.
But, for the most part, we are not so lucky. We need to get down and stay down...ringing the dinner bell the entire time.
But, for those that must....here is my go to advice on this silly lures. You still need to get to the bottom. Don’t trust the box when it says "5-6 feet" or "12-15 feet" Thats ridiculous. if i have 100 yards of line out, that lures goes alot farther down that if i have out 10 yards. If i have thicker line it will stay up more than if i used 2 lb test (don’t unless you want to loose your lure). Then again, at some point, the more line out the LESS deep your lure will run do to the friction from all the line in the water behind you.
I have had the most fortune with blue/silver 3-4 inch deep divers. Don’t be afraid to add some split shot a couple feet up from your line to get down deep. If you dont feel the lure ticking across the bottom, your not in the strike zone. You will loose lures, but a good braided line will help with that. I also keep a file so i can fine tune a lure if i need to. I dont do this often as i tend to use tiny split shot to get the depth correct, but if you need to run shallower when no weight is added, it can get you there. You don’t want to ram the nose into the bottom, you want to "tick" the bottom every so often.
inline spinners: basically everything i said above about crank baits.
typically on Brite days, you want bright lures and on low light times you want dark colors. I never use inline spinners unless i start catching walleyes while fishing for other species and then i will switch around the colors to see what works best. Brass with a brass blade is my best in most cases. Gold a close second...silver no so much.
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These are some other items i though i would throw out.

#1-take a kid with you. If you don’t have one, find one. Niece, nephew the neighbor, etc... There are kids sitting there waiting/dreaming of a trip like this, all you need to do is ask...i know, i was one of them.

DONT take fish home. keep what you can eat when you are in. But don’t take a limit for each person in your 7 man group home. keep the resource viable for the future for those kids you are taking with you.

If, no, WHEN you catch a trophy...take some good pictures, measure its length, measure its girth and take any close ups of specific markings then let it go. When you take that fish to the taxidermist, he doesn’t use any of the real fish(except for the skin/scales) and then he paints OVER the actual skin anyway. Replicas are just as life like, just as "real" as the dead fish could provide and last MUCH MUCH longer. Why waste this amazing animal....leave it for the next guy to catch. Your not a bigger man for dragging it out of the lake, showing it to a few people at the dock/lodge, if any, and then throwing it away or giving it to the taxi to throw away.

Live bait keeps longer than you will be in the BWCA if you take a few minutes to keep them cool. Black dirt on crawlers is better than bedding. If you are doing a "Fishing trip" you are probably base camping. Dig a hole in the shade and cover the container with dirt. When you get ready to go out, take what yo
 
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lundojam
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05/20/2014 05:50PM  
Good work; it has the ring of truth. You oughtta submit it to a magazine or however that works. The only thing I would add is don't start bobber fishing somewhere that holds no fish. Find 'em first. I like #4 for that because you can get your lure in front of more fish, or better yet electronics.
 
05/20/2014 06:25PM  
sirlips,
Keep coming back.
We are headed into Quetico.
 
hammer1
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05/20/2014 06:30PM  
Thank you for this awesome write up! I am going to be on my first trip to the bwca in a couple weeks and I have never fished for walleye before so this helps a lot. I will be taking the family so I hope that I can get on the fish so they can have some fun.
 
05/20/2014 06:40PM  
Thank you for taking time to share your article. There is always room for more advice and different angles of looking at things. I look forward to future articles from you.
 
sirlips
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05/20/2014 07:17PM  
Sorry about that, must have been too long. Cut me off.

So, bait. Keep it cool by putting the crawlers in a foam container and then covering it up with a couple inches of dirt..in the shade. When you need bait, go get some from the stash in the hole.

keep the crawlers for the day in a container that has a good cover and it not going to let light in. Sunlight cooks these bad boys fast. I keep the container under my seat and directly on the floor of the canoe. this helps keep it cool and out of the light.

Minnows/leeches. you will want a minnow bucket and leech locker that is able to lock TIGHT. Like the crawler stash, you will stash your minnows and leeches, but this time at the bottom of the lake, off shore, and away from normal travel spots. Simply put a rock in the minnow/leech container, tie a rope to it, attach a jug/fishing marker, etc and sink it in 20 feet of water. The minnows and leeches will last longer than the trip, the summer and the fall...

During the day, a good minnow bucket in the canoe (see the next tip) and a soft leech locker over the side is perfect. keep the minnows out of the sun and change the water every so often. More often in hot weather.

Be QUIET. If your in an aluminum canoe, every noise is sent flying through the water. Fish spook and in the BWCA they spook very easily as they are not as used to motors, bangs, clangs like on your local hobby lake. Be careful to set the paddles down LIGHTLY. this is no small thing. we actually wrap a shirt or towel around the paddles where we rest them across the canoe. ALSO, don't let your minnow bucket clang against the side of the canoe. Keep it inside the canoe. If you cant keep the minnows alive, then tie them to your anchor rope and sink it a bit and have a small container for 6-12 of them in the canoe. replenish from the bucket on the anchor line.

To keep fish for breakfast, if you must and don't know if you are "on em" enough to know you can catch breakfast...then build a live well in the shallows near camp. This live well needs to have at least one area 2 feet deep. This will keep critters from getting your fish, giving them room to get away. make it as big as you can. if you can catch your fish with your hands, then its too small. Simply use your net to re-catch them. We try to find logs to make the perimeter, then stack a layer of rocks against them and add small rocks to any holes. They will find a hole if there is one. Take your time. DONT keep your bait in the live well, it isn't deep enough for any extended time and the dead minnows will attract critters to your catch.

Anchors. Bring a couple mesh laundry bags. fill the bags with medium sized rocks. Then secure the bag by wrapping thin rope around the bag, so as not to count on the mesh to really hold the weight of the rocks. This will stop the bag from ripping apart before the end of the trip. Some people will use a basket ball net as the material is stronger. We now use a drift bag, but before we had that, we would drag the anchor bag, which is why we used medium rocks. If the anchor held us in place to much, me would remove rocks until we got the drift speed right. Drift bags are very useful if you are pulling or drift jigging.

Time of the day...YIKERS. this is a tough one. We have pulled "all nighters" we have also had trips that we didn't night fish more than 30 minutes each day, if that. Night can be a magical time to walleye fish and you will want to spend some time doing it. The nice thing is that the fish will generally come to you. Often camp sites are set up on slow breaks. Simply using a lighted bobber and the TGO method will get you fish. Don't be surprised when you catch a walleye 2 feet from where you are standing, if you can stand still for a while. (no vibration remember) Although fires are only allowed in the fire ring, I happen to know of people building a small fire or setting up 2-3 lanterns right next to the water. this light attracts the bait fish. which brings in the lazy predators....tasty lazy predators. be prepared to fish at night. Don't use a lantern as the light source for baiting hooks, etc. An LED cap light or headlamp is much better for this. take only what you need to fish and BRING A HEAD NET and wear long sleeves. less junk in the canoe, the better.


Ok, I could go on for days, but will leave you with this last bit. Call me crazy. call me strange just don't call me a bass fisherman... DONT bait your hook with "junk" on your hands. ESPECIALLY deet/bugspray/oils, etc... After seeing the results with my own eyes I have always started my fishing by washing my hands in the lake water then taking a minnow and smashing it up in my hands and washing my hands with the minnow. Fish can smell...VERY VERY WELL. some better than others, but I am 100% convinced that walleyes will short hit sometimes because they smelled junk on the bait/lure. I smoke and have not been able to see a difference from smoking...but im sure that it could effect also. I watched a guy have a hot bite going...the type where you put the bait to the bottom and 5 seconds later had a bite...over and over. He sprayed the minnow with a QUICK poof of bug spray...the line would be dead. Pull it up, use a clean minnow...5 seconds later...BANG. I couldn't believe my eyes, but it is true. I don't minnow gut scrub my hands because its fun...but it kind of is.

PS...getting fish smell off your hands. Wash the fish smell off with warm soap and water. Then wash your hands with water and a good amount of toothpaste. Its not perfect but has been the best I have found to rid the odor. And the small amount that will be left over goes away MUCH faster after toothpaste washing them.


Thanks for the replies.


Lundojam makes a great point. #4 is a very effective way to cover large areas to "find em". I also like the rig/bottom bouncer for this. You can cover a lot of water and narrow the search. We usually run the searches with one guy in the front with a pole out each side pulling bottom rigs. The other paddling CAREFULLY as not to make noise. after 10-15 minutes we switch and he man the rods for 10-15 minutes while I paddle. Im not a fan of drift bobber fishing to "find 'em". I use that more for targeting a spot I know they have been in before or after we found them with the other methods. We will also "launch" jigs off each side of the canoe and jig them back to the boat, this covers a good 60 yard path as we search around. Again, im not a big jig fishing guy, but some are great and use this well as a searcher method.


Also, sorry for the typos in the first post and here. was trying to get the content out. ill spell check later.

Tight lines-

CHAD



EDIT****

I meant to explain a couple things and missed it.

First, inside turn? HU? Basically you are looking for structure. Much like driving through the country looking for a place to deer hunt. You look for groups of tree and furthermore certain types of structure IN that woods. Sure, once in a while you will see a group of deer in an open field, but we are not waiting for the fish to come out to the "open field" we are going looking for them. That's where structure comes in. Drop offs, humps, points, sunken islands. Think of an inside turn as one of the 2 sides of a valley that makes a V shape. The "point" would be the outside turn, the other side of the valley where the to sides comes together would be the "inside turn". These are very good spots to search as the make a great funnel for bait fish be pushed to the walleye and its a great ambush spot for items coming over the top of the edges on either side.





Besides inside turns on mid-lake structure I really like to look for channels in the 10-20 foot range between islands. If you can get a wind that pushes you between to islands with a deep channel between them, you may be looking at you next 30 inch walleye soon.

If it were me, and I wanted to try this, take a look at Alpine Lake, just an easy portage off Seagull. PERFECT island channels running between two sets of islands. To make it even better the channel is a wash board of humps all the way down the "shoot". Not ONE trip has happened that didn't produce a 30 Inch fish. This is the MECA of big walleyes. I suppose that is why this same water is where the state record came from (seagull river). Sag and seagull are great fisheries, but where do you think these monsters spawn? Yep...in the seagull and the current areas of Redrock and ALPINE. (they don't all go back to seagull and Sag when they are done)

 
bschotl
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05/20/2014 08:48PM  
Thank you for posting, I hope to try some of your tips.
 
Savage Voyageur
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05/20/2014 08:53PM  
Wow, thanks Chad. At first I said no way I'm going to read this long thing. Then I could not stop reading. Sp much good info for all of us to learn from. Thanks Again and welcome aboard.
 
05/20/2014 08:58PM  
you must be related to James Holst of IDO?

great write up!!!
 
Basspro69
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05/20/2014 09:01PM  
Good information Sirlips, I want to echo something you said and that is the be quiet tip. I have emphasized this point many times and especially for big fish it is extremely important. Welcome to the board, keep coming back :-)
 
bassnut
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05/20/2014 09:16PM  
Interesting article. It was refreshing to read an analytical and mechanical approach to finding Walleye. However, I'm not sure if the Forest Service would appreciative your advice of digging holes(presumeably around camp) to keep your worms cool...might not jive with that pesky "Leave no Trace" thang!!
 
sirlips
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05/20/2014 09:31PM  
quote WhiteWolf: "you must be related to James Holst of IDO?


great write up!!!"


Actually, no. Great guy, and even though I am in the industry a bit with TAKO and the guide thing, I just finally met him this last year. I have been asked many times.

 
sirlips
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05/20/2014 09:32PM  
quote bassnut: " Interesting article. It was refreshing to read an analytical and mechanical approach to finding Walleye. However, I'm not sure if the Forest Service would appreciative your advice of digging holes(presumeably around camp) to keep your worms cool...might not jive with that pesky "Leave no Trace" thang!!"


Nothing to worry about here. You can dig a shallow hole to place/bury a cooler for temporary use to hold/keep bait cool. obviously you need to take it with you when you leave. Just like the "live well" we always destroy it, even though I think that's a waste, as not to leave any trace of us being there. We do leave behind a good stack of wood for the next group though. (which I would suggest) nothing like having some wood ready if you get to camp late on the first nigh or its been bad weather when you arrive.

EDIT*** Also, be sure to put a small piece of tarp or plastic over the top of the dirt and hold it down with a few rocks. We had a good hard rain one night and the water made it through the couple inches of dirt covering the crawler tub and leaked into the vent holes on the top. We had 1/4 to a 1/2 of water in the tub and wet crawler bedding is a mess. Plus it doesn't do the crawlers good. Damp is fine, WET is bad. we actually pulled out all the crawlers and spread the bedding on a tarp to dry for a few hours. pain in the butt. The other option that works is to lay the box its side, this way the rain wont get in the vents...however its very hard to find a spot that you can dig deep enough to fit the flat box, let alone the depth to fit the box on its tall sides. 8 inches isn't to bad...2 feet is tough.

The only questionable thing is the jug/float/bouyee we leave out that holds our bait bucket rope for keeping minnows leech cool. We take it out with us, but I don't think technically we are supposed to leave it out with out being attended. This is why we make sure to put it in a none well travelled spot and also a place we can see from camp, as not to have our bait stolen.
(having 5 lbs of leeches stolen the first night would make for a poor start to the trip...a COSTLY start)

Depending on the camp we get, we usually try to put it off shore from the camp site, as we put a flag up at the shore so people don't have to canoe close to see if its available. This also means most people don't come to close. A warden stopped once and asked about the water jug floating. He said it was a great idea and that we need to make sure we take the jug with us. These guys usually are great as long as your not knuckle heads and have a messy camp with other issues like glass bottles or cans laying out where they see them.
 
05/20/2014 09:32PM  
I gotta say, that is one hell of a first post.

Nicely done!
 
myleslong
member (17)member
  
05/20/2014 11:04PM  
As good of an example of paying it forward as you would find. Thank you.
 
05/20/2014 11:31PM  
that may qualify as the best first post ever, welcome aboard. great information, most of which I've read, tried, or seen before, however consolidating it into one long post is awesome. nicely done.
 
linkster
distinguished member (266)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/21/2014 06:12AM  
Thanks for the info. I will be practicing in the 13 days.
 
eOar
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05/21/2014 07:17AM  
Good stuff. Thanks for posting.

Your combo of a soft, high-stretch line like 6lb Stren combined with a stiff rod is perfectly fine. I would just like to caution folks that read this to remember that using a "stiff" rod with a low stretch line can lead to disappointment. You need some give (shock absorber) somewhere in your setup. Also, I like to pitch jigs to the shallows sometimes and that's harder to do with a "stiff" rod.

I personally like to use a low stretch line like Sensation or even 6lb Fireline for jigging. I like a medium or medium-light power, fast action rod for that.

Rods are like arrows in your quiver. You need more than one. :)
 
05/21/2014 10:02AM  
Sirlips or anyone else out there, when you were talking about pulling larger blades, you said you use 2 or maybe 3 barrel swivels, how do you rig up your line, I've never heard of this nor have I tried so I'd be interested in hearing how you set up that rig.
 
sirlips
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05/21/2014 11:31AM  
here is a crude paint drawing of the set-up.



The swivels go where the lure line attaches to the bottom bouncer. I will draw up the example with the "slide weight"/"Egg sinker" style and post it in a bit.

To be clear, i use 2-3 barrel swivles especially with florocarbon line and large blades as the more swivles the less twist you will get in the line. the goal is for the blade to spin, but not the bait.
 
05/21/2014 12:40PM  
Ahhhhhh that makes total sense. I'll try that this weekend. Gotta get ready for the departure on the 4th of June! It's coming up fast!!
 
Saberboys
distinguished member(897)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/21/2014 12:51PM  
Great read! Thanks for the tips!
 
sirlips
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05/21/2014 01:24PM  
Your welcome.



Here is the other style and system for pulling rigs. Instead of a bottom bouncer an "egg" or other similar weight, that has a hole in the middle, is used to keep the rig at the bottom. As you can see, this may result in the lure dragging across the bottom, as you can see, when you check for bottom with this style, the lure is then all the way to the bottom also. With a bouncer, you can feel the bottom, yet the lures line is several inches off bottom. I tend to use floats instead of beads on the rig when i use this meathod. This will keep the business end from dragging along the bottom each time i drop down to check the bottom.

 
Bdubguy
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05/21/2014 02:09PM  
Wow, maybe a world record first post. Welcome to the site. Great info - thanks...
 
BearRaid
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05/21/2014 05:55PM  
Thanks for the great tips!We are going into Basswood on May 31st and have often struggled catching walleyes.We usually have done the best from our campsite with nitebrite slip bobbers and leeches at dusk or when the wind blows in.We will try some of your techniques and I will report when we return.Will the late spring affect the location of the walleyes and where do you think we should start?
 
sirlips
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05/21/2014 09:10PM  
Just remember to look for what they want. Cool water, low light and food. Obviously water temp won't be any concern. For this time of the year that will mean shallow in most cases. I wouldn't worry about setting up near deep water. They only do that when they want cool water close. Shore lines in 4-6 feet of water early and late in the day and then move out deeper when the sun is up. I would guess you will find them in the 8-12 range during the day.

If you have a fish finder look for left over weed lines, even small ones. They are looking for food all day right now and anything that can hold a diviner will be occupied by them. And northerns...

Use techniques that cover a lot of water... To locate them. Pulling rigs or cranks. Then set up on that spot and bobber or jig fish.

The tail end of rivers and creaks or IN the rivers can be great if you get there early enough.

Have fun.
 
BearRaid
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05/22/2014 06:07AM  
Thank-you!
 
fishslayer
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05/22/2014 02:15PM  
I like the "different color lighted bobber for each person." It never even crossed my mind.
 
Hillbilly
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05/22/2014 05:27PM  
Hey Sirlips thanks for all the great info... very cool! We are headed to Quetico how would you fish differently with the bait ban? More lures/cranks or do you like the artificial baits out there and your same techniques? I have never fished much with slip bobbers and while it sounds like a hoot I just dont see the fish getting too excited with the artifical baits... thoughts? Thanks again!
 
bassnut
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05/22/2014 05:46PM  


Go to a pond or even a dock or pier. Watch the minnows...erratic movement...fast, then slow movement, direction changing by the second.

You are trying to take an inaminate object, and making it alive enough to fool a fish. Hmmmm.....not tuff, their brain is hardly bigger than an Okra seed. RIGHT?? In my home state(Okla.), the Wildlife dept. estimates EVERY LMB/SMB over 12in. has been caught AT LEAST once. They learn!!...they learn "mechanical movement"...."unnatural SOUND"..."SMELL"(some fish like Salmon and Carp have REAL good sense),...wash your hands after playing with gas!

How do I catch fish without bait? I make long casts...I am quiet in the canoe(paqddles down, glide to casting position)...I try to make the lure(Rapala minnow, spook, grub) look and act like it is alive...EVERY CAST!!! The BW is full of fish that have never seen a lure....and full of HOGS, that have seen a lure...maybe they have that little hitch of hesitation. The difference between a 10-12-14 in. SMB, and a 20-21-even 22.5(!!), is the way you "work" the lure.

As Bill Murray says, "Be the Lure!"......yea, kinda dumb, but it fits! By the way....Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
QueticoMike
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05/22/2014 07:15PM  
quote bassnut: "
As Bill Murray says, "Be the Lure!"......yea, kinda dumb, but it fits! By the way....Ralph Waldo Emerson"


I couldn't agree more with that statement. The whole time you are retrieving a lure you need to think how does that lure look while it is working the water. When I'm twitching a Zulu I am thinking about making sure it looks like a dying, fluttering baitfish.
 
QueticoMike
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05/22/2014 07:38PM  
Sirlips - welcome to the messageboard! I am sure your contributions will very helpful to the forum. Thanks for joining in. I'm sure if you ever have any questions there are plenty of knowledgeable people here to help you out.
 
sirlips
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05/22/2014 09:57PM  
quote QueticoMike: "
quote bassnut: "
As Bill Murray says, "Be the Lure!"......yea, kinda dumb, but it fits! By the way....Ralph Waldo Emerson"



I couldn't agree more with that statement. The whole time you are retrieving a lure you need to think how does that lure look while it is working the water. When I'm twitching a Zulu I am thinking about making sure it looks like a dying, fluttering baitfish."


I couldn't agree more.
Often the difference between fishing and catching, in my opinion. Ice fisherman learn this quick, and they always are careful about what they do on the top end, as it effects what happens on the business end. You need to think the same way. Your goal is to be in control of the lure and make it do what you want. The dock or the shallows is a great place to practice this. Watch that lure. how does it swim? You still wont catch fish every time out, but you will know you did everything you could to try. There is a whole new level to this sport, if you care to take the time and think about it. Some of my most fun days are just messing around and not "working" at it...but some of my best days have also been "working hard" to find em and figure them out. there is a great feeling of accomplishment when you hear no one is catching fish and you have 50 pictures to add to the album.


When not using live bait, I skip the bobber fishing. there are things that can still produce some fish. But I would stick with jigging, rapalas and especially pulling rigs. (like I said, im a rig puller...so that's what I feel the most comfortable with)

 
schweady
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05/23/2014 02:03PM  
Wow.
We're all privileged that you chose to join us. Welcome.

Also, maybe now folks can quit ribbing me for my wordy posts. :)
 
yogi59weedr
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05/24/2014 11:21AM  
Great post. Im looking forward to walleye 102. Fread something on here l time. Knowledge. Aquire it and use it wisely.
 
Bog
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05/24/2014 12:15PM  
Great post! Taking my daughter for the first time in a few days and while she is looking forward to lots of the trip, more than a few times she has said she just wants to catch fish. Reading this post has calmed my fears a bit :)
 
pastorjsackett
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05/24/2014 10:30PM  
I just like the name "sirlips"......
 
Frenchy
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05/25/2014 04:23AM  
Thanks for all the good info. I feel like an expert now. Can't wait for trip to try.
 
canoetripper
senior member (64)senior membersenior member
  
05/25/2014 02:31PM  
how would you fish a slow river like the kawishiwi, other than current areas with rapids/moving water?
 
sirlips
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05/29/2014 08:15AM  
It all depends on the current and the depth. I am not familiar with that river.

Rivers are the only time I usually start with jigging. pitching up river about 2 oclock and starting to jig back when it hits 3 oclock.

Like i said it all depends on the river and the speed/depth.

For walleyes im a big fan, when i can, to set up upstream, anchor, and use a simple slip weight above a swivel with 16" of line going back to a hook or floating jig head. Pitch it straight down steam and let her sit. If the current is to fast to hold you in place this obviously wont work, but we have even tied onto branches sticking out or rocks that break the surface mid stream.

In faster water a slip bobber set just deep enough to get the bait down a bit can be good. We call it pitch and pulling, i think some of the steal head guys call it pitch and duck..or some such thing.

Sorry i couldnt give more advice, but all rivers are not created the same...


 
stuporglue
member (15)member
  
05/29/2014 10:18AM  
Thanks for the detailed writeup. It couldn't have come at a better time! I'm not a complete novice fisherman, but I haven't done any Walleye fishing yet.

I'm headed to the BW in a couple weeks and I'm excited to try your techniques!
 
05/29/2014 01:13PM  
I'm up in Portland Oregon right now and leaving in a couple hours to Walleye fish the Columbia River. Sure enjoyed reading your post. Will be putting some of your suggestions to use!
 
northwoodspaddler
Guest Paddler
  
05/29/2014 03:18PM  
Thank you so much! I will be printing this out and bringing it with me up north...on my upcoming trip to...Red Rock and Alpine! (guess I picked the right lake)
 
northwoodspaddler
Guest Paddler
  
05/29/2014 03:19PM  
quote MHS67: "I'm up in Portland Oregon right now and leaving in a couple hours to Walleye fish the Columbia River. Sure enjoyed reading your post. Will be putting some of your suggestions to use!"


There's walleye in the Columbia? Where?

I'm up in the South Sound region of WA.
 
05/29/2014 03:30PM  
quote northwoodspaddler: "
quote MHS67: "I'm up in Portland Oregon right now and leaving in a couple hours to Walleye fish the Columbia River. Sure enjoyed reading your post. Will be putting some of your suggestions to use!"



There's walleye in the Columbia? Where?


I'm up in the South Sound region of WA."


Yes, there are Walleyes in the Columbia. If you Google it there's people that think the next record will come from the Columbia River. Both our kids live here so when we come up to visit (really work!) I usually take the boat and fish for a few days. I usually fish below the John Day Dam but there are Walleye through out the river.
 
williamevanl
member (16)member
  
05/29/2014 11:12PM  
Good write up but honestly my experience up there has been that catching walleyes in the BWCA is like shooting fish in a barrel. :) I fish 3-5 days a week here in Iowa on the rivers and man made lakes for walleye and I can literally go weeks without catching a walleye (sure the record is over ~ 2 months)

In the BWCA it seems walleyes will hit anything and everything I have at any time of day in any conditions. It's absolutely silly! I feel like you could realistically catch 100 in a day (so more than I catch in a year here) if you covered a lot of area. (also I've only fished late summer when they say the walleye fishing is at an all time low, if that's true I can't even imagine ice out!)

Same for northerns and smallies, locally I almost never catch smallies and northerns are even pretty rare except at times. In the BWCA smallies are almost a nuisance fish and I was able to throw spinner baits at downed trees knowing I would hit a northern on nearly every cast.
 
sirlips
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06/02/2014 08:15AM  
Northwoodspaddler,

You will have a blast, especially this time of the year. Add to that that the area was hit with fires several years ago, so there has been very very little fishing on those lakes.

I would start in the "shoots" between the islands. If you get a wind blowing straight up or down them...it can be lights out.


williamevanl- "In the BWCA it seems walleyes will hit anything and everything I have at any time of day in any conditions"
When you do the right things and understand the walleyes, it can be very fast and productive fishing. However, i wouldnt go so far as to say they are easy to catch, even in the BWCA. I for SURE wouldnt suggest they are always easy to catch in any condition on any lure at any time of the day.

Even on a very productive set of lakes like Alpine and Redrock, we have went the 1st day or 2 searching for them. We have always found them, but it takes work and understanding. Sure, you will pick up a fish here and there, just like on many walleye waters, but i think the way you make it sound is not very realistic. With that said, you may be "just that good" (3-5 days every week is alot of fishing) and not realize that you are able to catch alot of fish others can not due to your understanding and experience. This was the reason for Walleye 101.

I consider myself a pretty knowledgable fisherman, and above average on walleyes, yet I had a family trip a few years ago that we did a "cirlce" through several lakes, and i caught exactly 1 Walleye on the entire trip. I didnt pack in my normal "fishing trip" gear, but at the same time, we had enough gear to do some damage...No damage was done. Normally to get a 100+ fish/day trip, you have to know what your doing and you have to have the right equipment to do it....Normally. Keep in mind, 100 walleyes is ALOT. Many times i have heard fishermen say they "must have caught 100 fish" when in reality the bite was very good, but the real number was closer to 30 or 40. 40 Walleyes in a day/per person is a once in a life time day for many avid anglers.

I agree with the comment about the smallies in the BWCA. Although they are fun to catch and can be "fast and furious" at times, i tend to give them the same respect as a carp, especially in the BWCA. Bass fishing in the BWCA for me is like a food critic eating at McDonalds when on a trip to Italy. I can not say my camp partners are always in agreance however. If i have a bass guy with on a trip, i usually bring my fly rod/flys and alot of top water cranks. This makes for a pretty fun time, especially on the fly rod. Infact, my goal this fall is to catch a walleye, northern, Small mouth and 1 species of trout all on a fly rod in one day in the BWCA.(The other dad going is an avid bass guy) ---we will see how that goes.
 
mapsguy1955
distinguished member(583)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/02/2014 01:21PM  
I normally use PowerPro line and 4 -6 ft fluorocarbon leader for all of my fishing. Typically that reduces the twist and is significantly more sensitive. But I have NOT used it up north. Do you think that would be good or bad for the Walleye?
 
sirlips
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06/02/2014 04:19PM  
Mapsguy... it very good timing that you ask.

I did a trip up to the brule last year for some silverbacks and such... Anyway, i lined my reels with stuff i normally wouldnt have set up for walleyes. This last weekend, for some reason, i grabbed one of those rods with my other gear. Without realizing what i was tying onto, i had set up river rig on that pole. I think i have a whole new walleye line set up.

My reel was lined with 20lb bright orange stren (cheap), just as a filler/backing. Next was 10lb braid, as i wanted to reduce some of the stretch, before finishing it with 6 fluorocarbon that was filled to the maximum that i would ever cast plus a bit for re-tying, etc. (maybe 50-75 yards)

Holy cow! This stuff made me a believer this weekend. I have not used much fluorocarbon as i have always worried about not having enough stretch, since i use a very stiff pole...or maybe it was the first couple years the line would get stiff very quickly...line memory...i dont know why really. Cost? I guess i always used braid when strength was needed and didnt worry about stiff/no stretch line, and then a good extra limp mono line for when i was casting.

I had the bride with me, and we wanted to just do some sit and catch and talk on a sand bar of the local river. Turned out the suckers and cats were interested. I could not believe the strength of this 6lb fluorocarbon. It sinks, it was uber strong. its thickness to strength rating is closer to braid than mono and it casts like a dream (which is why we had it on our steal head poles)

I'm not going to like the cost of re-lining my rods, but they are all getting rigged up with 8lb braid and then 75 yards of fluorocarbon.

Note: many feel that fluorocarbon twists easily, so make sure to use 1-2-3 swivels if you are running rigs, spinners or bottom bait rig fishing. This line is actually perfect for these applications, as the fluorocarbon line sinks as it is denser than water.

So yes, maps guy, what you plan on running should be perfect. Line 1 real up with powerpro and use that to tie on bottom bouncers, weight rigs, lindy rigs, etc. and then the other with the powerPro/fluorocarbon combo.


The only application im not going to use this line on this year is if im using top water baits, top water cranks...since the line sinks, it is not the best for this application.


I like stren for my mono, but i will be sticking with Seagar for my fluoro. (some bass guys run a full 8lb braid with just a leader of fluoro, but i think they loose some casting length.) I just need to find a pink or orange tinted flouro from seagar. I really like the tinted line.


 
TallMatt
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06/02/2014 07:45PM  
I haven't finished reading the thread yet. I just got to your advice on how to remove the fishy smell from your hands -- try scrubbing your hands with lemon juice or vinegar. The fish smell comes from the slime on their skin, which is a protein they extrude to prevent infection and reduce friction. It gets stuck in the crevasses and cracks in your skin, and denaturing it with an acidic solution makes it much easier to clean out of your skin. If we're fishing at a cabin, vinegar is the go-to, otherwise in the BWCA we'll squirt some fake lemon juice on our hands.

I'm going to keep reading now... but I want to thank you for your in-depth description of walleye fishing. I only got into camping, fishing, hunting about 4 years ago with some mutual friends who were also inexperienced. I occasionally fish with my uncles, but they just do small non-BWCA lake panfishing (west of Cook, near BWCA). Most of our fishing technique has arisen from a combination of our own discoveries, random tidbits picked up from strangers or small posts online, or intensive research and interviews with more experienced fishermen. I caught my first lake trout last August with a friend of mine due to user mcsweem's pictures of lake trout lures, posts online, and actually describing to me on the phone how to do it. What a nice guy!

Anyways, I appreciate your comprehensive overview. If you would ever want to do a similar post for crappie fishing, you'll find open eyes from this guy.

I think sharing technique is one of the best things we can do to keep the sport alive and protect our rights as sportsmen. Plus... it's a wonderful feeling to bring someone who's never experienced fishing (or camping in the BWCA) and have a great time. I love converting people to these passtimes which help us enjoy nature, and having a communal experience with more depth than playing video games or watching tv. I was sort-of baptised into the outdoor scene after signing up for a biology research class that had a week-long field trip to the BWCA, and now I love bringing new people along. I've slowly been building up fishing gear since then; my most recent acquisition is a portable fishfinder. I remember a year ago we were fishing on Fraser Lake ... 70 feet deep and seeing fish hugging the bottom and thinking we could lure them up by trolling our Rapala 17' divers. Just seeing fish on there and calling them out was just as exciting as catching them (except we almost only had luck when fishing outside of the sonar range, LOL).
 
sirlips
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06/02/2014 10:26PM  
Very kind words. Thank you.

Crappies? Through the ice I'm all about em but I have not had a lot of experience open water crappie fishing. I'll leave crappie 101 for a much wiser sole than I.
(And hopefully one that can spell soul better than me also)

We all have that dream of what we would do if some rich millionaire ever decided to pick us as their goodwill venture. I would, hands down, be running a take a kid to the BWCA non-profit. A modest home cabin on the gun flint. A set of canoes and gear, a few good souls to help guide and then just sit back and watch these kids expand before our eyes. Yep, if there is a paradise for each of us...that would surely be mine. Life lessons through sports was our moto coaching youth for my sons school as he went through grade school, it was a pretty good medium to use as a tool...football, baseball, wrestling, but I have always known the real sport for this learning is about 7 hours due north.

Wow, ok, I'm getting all soft now... But can you imagine the influence we could have on that part of the next generation?
 
williamevanl
member (16)member
  
06/03/2014 12:24AM  
Sirlips:
To clarify I wasn't saying you could catch 100+ walleye a day. I was saying 100+ fish a day, so including small mouth, northerns etc...

I actually worked fairly hard at first for walleyes throwing 1/8 jigs in water way to deep and had little success. (but still caught fish) I also bought 80$ worth of leaches and couldn't catch much with those either. BUT, I realized after throwing cranks for fun that if you just hit lots of shoreline with crankbaits you will catch a lot of walleyes on just about any type of crank. (and if you use jigs 1/4 definitely gets you closer to the action)

So while I agree that it's not 'super easy' it is still 100X times easier than fishing in central Iowa. Btw, I'll be out there in a few weeks. I've got some Northern vids here in Iowa ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcDXy4gGmrE + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZYmirzdTJk)

but up there, it's just soooo much easier to catch fish! I can expect to go weeks here without a decent fish but up there I don't think 10 minutes goes by without something. I should try to get some video, maybe 10 walleyes in 30 minutes or something similar. :)

You have to understand around here we have walleye tournaments won with 12 hours of fishing and ~3 lb's worth of walleye. What would a 100 man tournament winning weight be up there? :) It's just wild in the BWCA, I'd grab a husky jerk walk 20 feet cast, walk another 20 feet cast for a couple of miles and just pick off one walleye after another (For hours). I do that same thing here and expect maybe one fish each outing.
 
Johnkr
  
06/04/2014 08:55AM  
Sirlips,

I am going up to the BWCA next week. I haven't tried pulling rigs up there and I would like to give it a try. Is it possible use a rod holder and paddle without the bottom bouncer getting hung up on rocks? I have never used these without a trolling motor, so just curious how your system works in a canoe. Thanks for all of the great information in your previous posts.
 
sirlips
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06/04/2014 09:03AM  
Johnkr,

I really like bottom bouncing in the BWCA, but it doesnt always work out. I have found only 2 ways to use them on the open lakes. A) have one guy fish, while the other paddles for a while, switching every so often. (this can get old fast) B)Use the wind to drift you. (90% of the time if we are using bottom bouncers in the bwca its with the help of wind/current)

Over the years i have tried all sorts of set-ups. Rod holders are nice when your wrist starts to ache. I will put the rod down or in a holder and then hand line for a while...just remember, your not bottom dragging...your bottom BOUNCING...so you will want to be actively checking for bottom while you drift or paddle with a bouncer on.

Rod holders are still very usefull when using some other methods, especially if you throw out cranks whenever you are moving/paddling. I often joke that the lure is the first thing to start the trip and the last thing to end the trip. It has actually became our ritual. We each throw our crank bait out (largest we have/floating shallow runner), then we get in the canoe and start our trip. When we return, everyone has a lure being pulled behind and they each get out of the canoe, then reel in the lure...to end the trip. (we have yet to catch a fish on the final retrive at the exit, but we had a great laugh one year when the last guy retrieved his crank and got snagged after complaining the entire trip on how he lost so many lures) We have caught alot of fish while simply traveling. Rod holders really help with keeping the 2 lines in each canoe spread out.

I use a swivle type, so that depending on the room we have we can have the rods going straight back for tight areas or straight to the side for a larger spread out.
 
Blacknblue
  
06/04/2014 09:36AM  
Sirlips,

My son and I thank you for your time and effort put into this post. I have a little more confidence in our attack arsenal. Been stuck on jig and a leech for too long. Will be taking a nap in middle of day so we are able to try the night bite with our new lighted bobbers.

Thanks,
Dave and Flynn Peterson

 
RackWrangler
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06/08/2014 08:08PM  
Just wanted to pass along my appreciation to Sirlips for this thread. I saw it just a day before I left on my week long trip to Brule Lake. I printed it out and read while in the BW.

Thanks to some of the info in this post (and other info gleaned from this site) I was able to land this 30" 9 lb monster on our third night in. Up until that night we hadn't had much luck, so during that afternoon I reread the thread and rethought our approach.

FYI- We didn't use live bait. It was caught on a 4 inch twister tail on a 1/4 oz jig, attached to a large jig spinner. It was caught in North Bay at dusk.

-RW


 
walleye_hunter
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06/08/2014 09:11PM  
quote RackWrangler: "Just wanted to pass along my appreciation to Sirlips for this thread. I saw it just a day before I left on my week long trip to Brule Lake. I printed it out and read while in the BW.


Thanks to some of the info in this post (and other info gleaned from this site) I was able to land this 30" 9 lb monster on our third night in. Up until that night we hadn't had much luck, so during that afternoon I reread the thread and rethought our approach.


FYI- We didn't use live bait. It was caught on a 4 inch twister tail on a 1/4 oz jig, attached to a large jig spinner. It was caught in North Bay at dusk.


-RW



"


Nice catch. That makes me happy to see that there are a few of those in Brule. It has always puzzled me why Brule lake is not a consistent producer of big walleyes.
 
sirlips
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06/09/2014 08:28AM  
Rack Wrangler.
Well Done! Great looking fish. The Brule has been very...tough....on me over the years. It can produce great numbers and it can produce big fish, but i have had a harder time figuring that lake out than any other I have been to several times. Glad to see you were able to stick with it, it sure paid off!

How deep was she?

-Chad
 
RackWrangler
senior member (82)senior membersenior member
  
06/09/2014 08:49AM  
I caught her on the 25th of May. The ice had only been off for about 4 days according to the DNR station in Tofte. Water was COLD, but the bay was about 5 degrees warmer then the majority of the lake.

She was in about 2-3 feet of water, about 5 feet from the shoreline. We had been catching 17-20 inch ones in the 5-6 foot deep area, then I remembered what you said about them being in the shallowest water that they can handle based on lighting, it was after sunset so I started throwing toward the shoreline. Got her on the 2nd cast towards the shore. I thought I had snagged another rock until it started moving sideways.

I had to apologize to the guy and his son that were camping near by. I was so excited when I saw her that I said a few naughty words. I didn't know anyone was nearby until they came down to the water to see what all the excitement was about. They were impressed by the fish, so I hope that helped ease the negative of my foul language.

-RW
 
QueticoMike
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06/10/2014 07:30AM  
Just got back from Quetico. Caught more walleye on this trip than any other. 90 % were caught using a Zulu in moving water. Caught over 50 one day and we weren't even fishing for them. Biggest walleye came out of Basswood. It was 5 or 6 pounds. Caught it on a magnum bullfrog torpedo (topwater). Crushing hit! Threw her back to reproduce.
 
sirlips
distinguished member (222)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/10/2014 08:41AM  
Ok, thats enough about all these walleye you guys are catching! I dont have a trip planned until last August...so i would expect no more "look what i caughts", i just dont think i can take any more...lol.

Awesome job everyone, keep it up. Anyone have kids with them? If so, how did they do?

PS, QueticoMike, This is the time of year you can do something not many people get a chance to do and have solid success...fly rod'in a walleye! Especially if they are in tight and hitting some top water stuff. I usually throw dubmbell head shrips at them, and try and use it like a jig, but top water....oh my...not many can say they have caught a walleye on a top water fly. That my friend would be a very good day.
 
sirlips
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06/24/2014 10:37PM  
Ah, the net...


There are a few views on nets. is it better to net, not to net, worth the hassle to bring one...? I'll give you my view on this, but take it for what its worth as the next guy will have a totally different opinion.

I ALWAYS bring a net, and almost always use it on every fish. Unless its a dink that I can fly into my arms, give a quick flick and have em back in the drink in a few seconds, I will try and use the net.


I use a collapsing and extending net. goes from the size of a rolled up news paper to big enough for a nice sized northern. Weighs very little and has a rubber net.

I think the fish do better in the water and never being caught. So, if I choose to fish I have full knowledge that I am putting some stress on them. I also tend to not mess around when im bringing in my fish. I let them take drag if they need it...but never over play the fish. This alone will help the fish more than anything you do to get them in the boat..hand, lipping, netting, etc.. Its also important to have the camera ready to go BEFORE you need it, not while the fish is flopping on the floor of the canoe (which it NEVER should be doing anyway) Take a couple quick shots and let them in the water slowly. It is not a rock skipping contest.

So. Netting/not netting? I think I can get them in safer/faster and not drop, flop, jaw rip them when I net. I also leave them in the water, in the net, until I am ready to de-hook and release. I have seen a lot of walleye break off mono/floro line just as they are being pulled out of the water. They don't have the teeth like a northern, but they do have sharp teeth and it will cut your line if you put to much pressure on the line when rubbing a tooth. Fish can survive a lure in the mouth, as it will dissolve, but it is not ideal and should be avoided. (plus lures are not cheap) The down side is that the net can rub off some of the protection on the fishes scales that helps prevent funk. A good rubber net will help with this, and also stop hooks from getting tangled in the net.


For $40 you should be able to get a really good working net, and for $60 you can get a great net for the B-Dub. FYI...1 net for 2-3-4 canoes is NOT ok. 1 net per canoe. IMO.

 
Nozzelnut
distinguished member (151)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/28/2014 10:03PM  
Great info. I'm guessing the tips will work just about anywhere.
 
bwca_blues
senior member (66)senior membersenior member
  
08/03/2014 10:23AM  
quote QueticoMike: "
quote bassnut: "
As Bill Murray says, "Be the Lure!"......yea, kinda dumb, but it fits! By the way....Ralph Waldo Emerson"



I couldn't agree more with that statement. The whole time you are retrieving a lure you need to think how does that lure look while it is working the water. When I'm twitching a Zulu I am thinking about making sure it looks like a dying, fluttering baitfish."


Mike, my I please get a copy of your journal article on Zulu fishing?
 
QueticoMike
distinguished member(5280)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
08/03/2014 02:31PM  
quote bwca_blues: "
quote QueticoMike: "
quote bassnut: "
As Bill Murray says, "Be the Lure!"......yea, kinda dumb, but it fits! By the way....Ralph Waldo Emerson"




I couldn't agree more with that statement. The whole time you are retrieving a lure you need to think how does that lure look while it is working the water. When I'm twitching a Zulu I am thinking about making sure it looks like a dying, fluttering baitfish."



Mike, my I please get a copy of your journal article on Zulu fishing?
"


Send an email to - queticomike@yahoo.com and title the email Zulu article and request a copy.
 
TCKoala
member (6)member
  
08/07/2014 01:12PM  
Sirlips,

Great insight! I'm heading to Vista/Gaskin/Caribou next week. Any experience and/or advice for these lakes and time of year?

Any feedback appreciated.
 
canupadlr
member (5)member
  
08/07/2014 10:56PM  
Great article lots of detail and good tips. This forum needs more of this kind of knowledge passed on. Will be taking grand kids in the coming years to BWCA and looking forward to passing on the tradition
 
sirlips
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08/08/2014 09:39AM  
Thanks Canupadler.

TC, I have done the area, but it was 5 years ago... Didnt do a real fishing trip...i usually stick to my honey hole at the end of Gunflint trail for those.

That area is good though. (it all is) Stick to the basics above and you will get alot of fish. This time of year you still have alot of leeches available, so i would say thats the biggest thing to do for walleyes. Carabou holds alot of good fishing. but all three lakes listed are great. Id think about bringing in a couple packages of ciscos and hang them under a big bobber for some monster northerns.

have a great trip.
 
ostruck
  
09/06/2014 10:36AM  
quote sirlips: "If it were me, and I wanted to try this, take a look at Alpine Lake, just an easy portage off Seagull. PERFECT island channels running between two sets of islands. To make it even better the channel is a wash board of humps all the way down the "shoot". Not ONE trip has happened that didn't produce a 30 Inch fish. This is the MECA of big walleyes. I suppose that is why this same water is where the state record came from (seagull river). Sag and seagull are great fisheries, but where do you think these monsters spawn? Yep...in the seagull and the current areas of Redrock and ALPINE. (they don't all go back to seagull and Sag when they are done)

"



Sirlips,

First, thank you for your detailed article on walleye fishing. Second, thank you for everything you are doing and have done for the Take a Kid Fishing organization- I, too, had lofty fishing dreams until an adult took me. My life hasn't been the same since.

In regard to Alpine Lake- I am headed there on a solo trip at the end of September. I have never been to the lake, but I decided to make it my destination after looking over the lake map. In your post, are you referring to the islands in the southern portion of the lake?

Thanks again for all of your info!
 
MNRider008
member (14)member
  
09/09/2014 05:30PM  
My wife and I are also going to Alpine at the end of the month! Playing the weather by ear but will be either the third or fourth weekend. Hopefully see you there!
 
sirlips
distinguished member (222)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/10/2014 08:39AM  
If either of you would like a map with some of our fishing spots and suggestions for alpine, feel free to PNM me your email addresses and i will send out an email with some tips.


Hope you have a cool (snicker)trip. Its a great time of the year in the BWCA.

(PS, in return for the tips and info i send, i will be expecting LOTS of pictures of your fish to be posted on BWCA.com!)
 
MNRider008
member (14)member
  
09/10/2014 09:36AM  
quote sirlips: "If either of you would like a map with some of our fishing spots and suggestions for alpine, feel free to PNM me your email addresses and i will send out an email with some tips.



Hope you have a cool (snicker)trip. Its a great time of the year in the BWCA.


(PS, in return for the tips and info i send, i will be expecting LOTS of pictures of your fish to be posted on BWCA.com!)"


That would be fantastic! Not sure how to contact you through BWCA but my email is nickclmls@gmail.com.

Thanks for all of the information on this thread! I am still dissecting your information versus my prior knowledge of walleye fishing and honestly cannot wait to hit the lake!
 
ostruck
  
09/10/2014 10:10AM  
quote sirlips: "If either of you would like a map with some of our fishing spots and suggestions for alpine, feel free to PNM me your email addresses and i will send out an email with some tips.



Hope you have a cool (snicker)trip. Its a great time of the year in the BWCA.


(PS, in return for the tips and info i send, i will be expecting LOTS of pictures of your fish to be posted on BWCA.com!)"



Sirlips,

I'm not sure how to PNM you either, but my email address is: oren.struck@gmail.com

Again, I appreciate all that you are doing for promoting involvement in fishing. I don't have a whole lot of experience walleye fishing during this time of the year, but I am eager to hit the water. Thanks again!
 
Me2012
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03/22/2015 10:39AM  
A lot of great info. Wanted to bump this back to the top as the fishing season is right around the corner again.
 
05/15/2015 03:28PM  
I don't come into the Fishing forum too often. Wow, what a trove of information in this thread alone! I'm going to have to re-read it several times and hope I remember any of it come August.
 
jrcrrr
member (22)member
  
05/15/2015 05:03PM  
Sirlips,

Great Post, I am sure you have caught your share of 30+ inch
Walleye's. May you catch the State Record Walldo.
 
mastertangler
distinguished member(4432)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
05/16/2015 05:42AM  
quote jrcrrr: " Sirlips,


Great Post, I am sure you have caught your share of 30+ inch
Walleye's


Perhaps........my gut tells me that not many 30" walleye fall for florescent orange stren line........just saying.
 
05/17/2015 09:36AM  
Definitely a good read here.

If I were advising a walleye novice, though, I'd start them off with chartreuse 1/8 oz jigs and live bait. I'm kind of surprised Sirlips is not a jig man. I will take a 1/8 oz jig and live bait over any other option - which is not to say I haven't had to resort to said options. :)
 
SummerSkin
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05/30/2015 12:16PM  
First of all, a huge thank you to sirlips for this valuable information. This is what makes this site (and the internet in general) great.

We're heading up to Lac La Croix on June 12. We are counting on catching our dinner every day.

Originally we were not thinking we'd bring in live bait, but after reading around here, I'm thinking we will.

Question for the experienced users of bottom bouncers -- is this something that's relatively easy for a beginner to get "right" without any practice/experience, as long as directions are followed? I'm thinking I'll give it a shot, but none of us have ever used any technique more complicated than lure tied directly to line.
 
pastorjsackett
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05/30/2015 10:24PM  
I shared this with my trip partner and son before our trip last week.....we caught over 150 walleye using these tips and insights. By far our best walleye trip! Thanks Sirlips!!
 
Fried Fish
senior member (87)senior membersenior member
  
08/07/2015 11:08PM  
Bump, good read.
 
drrick
distinguished member(551)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
08/13/2015 03:28PM  
Just got back from a trip up thru Agnes and over to Iron then back out Nina Moose. Thanks to Sirlips for all the great advise. it was a great help. Rick
 
TCKoala
member (6)member
  
08/13/2015 07:36PM  
Good stuff! This thread keeps evolving with great insight. Heading to Omega the 2nd week in September this year. Any advice as to what to they will be biting on this time of year? and at what depth?
Assuming too late for minnows...planning on bringing a lot of leeches & crawlers.
Any and all advice appreciated!
 
mc2mens
distinguished member(3311)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
08/13/2015 09:27PM  
quote Fried Fish: "Bump, good read."


+1
 
RackWrangler
senior member (82)senior membersenior member
  
04/15/2016 06:13PM  
quote sirlips: "Rack Wrangler.
Well Done! Great looking fish. The Brule has been very...tough....on me over the years. It can produce great numbers and it can produce big fish, but i have had a harder time figuring that lake out than any other I have been to several times. Glad to see you were able to stick with it, it sure paid off!

How deep was she?

-Chad"



I was just re-reading this post for an upcoming trip and realized that I never replied to your question.

She was in about 1 to 2 feet of water. It was about 30 minutes from sunset.

-RW
 
Laketrout58
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04/16/2016 07:03AM  
Chad are you still around here? Marc from RW
 
Brugler67
member (18)member
  
04/19/2016 03:47PM  
CHAD- that was a great read. I learned a ton. I am taking my wife on a trip on the 6th of June. Her 1st trip ever. We are going to basecamp and FISH. I am looking forward to putting some of the things I learned from this thread to the test. We will be base campong on either Fourtown or Boot Lake. I have never fished the area, only paddled through. Any hot spots you might know of for the lakes in this area?

Thanks in advance.
John
 
Mad_Angler
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06/13/2017 11:30PM  
Bump... great read...
 
Johtyll
member (15)member
  
06/14/2017 08:38AM  
Wish I had re-read this article last week. We struggled to find any Walleye. I will have to look this over before my next trip (If I remember that is)
 
Mad_Angler
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04/30/2018 08:47AM  
Bump again...
 
Mad_Angler
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04/30/2018 08:48AM  
sirlips: "...
Besides inside turns on mid-lake structure I really like to look for channels in the 10-20 foot range between islands. If you can get a wind that pushes you between to islands with a deep channel between them, you may be looking at you next 30 inch walleye soon.

..."


How exactly do you fish this structure?

Let's say I find two islands. The wind is pushing current between them. The water on both sides of the saddle is 30 feet deep. The top of the saddle rises to 8 foot deep. Do I set my slip bobber to 8 foot deep and let the wind push me through the saddle?
 
04/30/2018 09:08AM  
Mad_Angler: "
sirlips: "...
Besides inside turns on mid-lake structure I really like to look for channels in the 10-20 foot range between islands. If you can get a wind that pushes you between to islands with a deep channel between them, you may be looking at you next 30 inch walleye soon.


..."



How exactly do you fish this structure?


Let's say I find two islands. The wind is pushing current between them. The water on both sides of the saddle is 30 feet deep. The top of the saddle rises to 8 foot deep. Do I set my slip bobber to 8 foot deep and let the wind push me through the saddle?"


How long is the saddle? Don't know if a slip bobber would be my first choice. If I used one I would want to be anchored or on shore. Active fish or the big ones may not be at the apex of the saddle. They might be a little deeper off the break. Lots of variables possible. Just need to be able to recognize the potential pattern for the time of year and tailor your presentation.
 
sirlips
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05/02/2018 10:51AM  
I just wanted to stop in to say hello and hope everyone has a safe and happy BWCA open water season.

I have made a couple trips over the past 2 years, but have not been able to go on our annual fishing trip to Alpine. Which brings me here...I have a new trip with 5 other guys set up for the end of the month.

BTW, its great to look back and see the kind replies from folks that were able to use some of the info that the forum and its posters have given.

I'll make an effort to be a bit more active here, answering questions and updating info.


Tight lines!
 
Teeravis
  
01/24/2019 01:53PM  
Thanks for all the great info!!!! I'm not sure how all you guys do it but I spent a week up there last July and landed one walleye the whole trip. I tried leeched and worms, slip bobbers, twister tails, bottom bouncing, rapalas, deep, shallow, night, day, all day every day, and couldn't catch a walleye to save my life... and I'm a pretty experienced angler. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was doing wrong. Never in my life have I ever fished so hard with such terrible results.
 
BigDadE
member (30)member
  
01/29/2021 07:44PM  
Question on shooting the transducer through the hull.

This might seem like a silly question but would it s shot through an aluminum canoe it’s just Kevlar?

 
01/30/2021 08:38AM  
I'm not an expert on transducers so bear with me. If you post this on the gear forum you will probably get a better answer(s) than mine! However, I've had signal interruptions shooting through a kevlar hull (Northwoods Solo) as well as my SRQ17. Others have not had that experience. The information that I've read from various sources suggest that you could get your transducer to shoot through the aluminum hull if it's mounted correctly but it will work much better if mounted on the side of the boat and in contact with water. Just my two cents.
 
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