Discovering walleyes in huge techniques is likely to be simpler than you assume.
Could 16, 2023
Walleyes are broadly recognized for his or her potential to be lower than cooperative, no matter the kind of water you’re chasing them in. Bigger our bodies of water just like the Nice Lakes or Lake of The Woods have enormous populations of fish in comparison with different in style walleye fisheries, however there’s additionally much more water to pressure to find these ghost-like fish. Listed here are three elements to think about and higher perceive to find and catch extra walleyes this season.
Present
You don’t should be in a river with a view to have present. My house physique of water, Lake Erie, has a relentless west-to-east circulate that by definition may truly classify it as a river and inland sea. Present helps maintain the meals chain in movement and is essential to understanding how the walleyes transfer. Buildings that may act as a present break corresponding to islands, shoals and even shorelines are essential for serving to find the place baitfish, and finally, the walleyes will likely be. Discover the meals and the goal fish usually aren’t far behind.
The caveat with present in giant lakes is that it may be arduous to see and perceive. One minute the present is coming from the west and an hour later its roaring from the east.
A seiche is mainly a wave oscillating in a physique of water. This causes the highest and backside layers of the water to be going in numerous instructions. With out turning this into an enormous science lesson, it’s noteworthy that present actually results the meals chain, nevertheless it additionally actually results how our lures run.
A Fish Hawk pace and temp probe may be your finest good friend when trolling or drifting on giant lakes. The probe is positioned down within the water close to the place your lures are within the water column and can present you what your precise lure pace is as in comparison with the pace over floor in your GPS. It’s not unusual for this quantity to range by greater than a half mile per hour. That is vital info to have as a result of at these totally different speeds, crankbaits may not be wobbling or weighted lures seemingly will likely be considerably increased or deeper within the water column that you simply imagine them to be.
Readability
While you fish the Mississippi River, it isn’t unusual to have just some inches of visibility and walleyes or saugers in these waters have tailored to restricted visibiliity. If you end up on giant our bodies of water like Nice Lakes, a big change in water readability could make for a troublesome day. Other than making it tougher for walleye to see your lure, there are a number of elements to think about with water readability.
When water is gin clear throughout the cooler water durations of the spring and fall, baitfish usually hunt down off-colored water for each shelter from predators, but additionally as a result of it may be a level or two hotter. In flip, walleyes may also discover these water readability transitions on the lookout for a bit of further heat and meals. Many hardcore guides and event anglers will let you know to keep away from the dirtiest water and search for chalky water the place you possibly can simply make out your prop as you have a look at it out of your boat whereas fishing.
This isn’t to say that walleyes can’t be situated or caught in clear water, however it may be tougher to each discover and catch them from clear water this time of yr. Actual discuss: In case you have off-colored to soiled water resulting from wind and sediment, walleyes probably will likely be in that coloured water and solely use the clear water emigrate. When trying to find walleyes in clear water high-speed marking at speeds in extra of 30 mph with 2D sonar may be the very best and best option to find clear-water walleyes. When you could mark fish like loopy operating at excessive speeds, when you decelerate the 2D sonar normally turns into clean and you’ll have to depend on both Aspect Imaging for extra bottom-focused walleyes or forward-facing sonar corresponding to Mega Stay for suspended fish.
Depth
If I’m being trustworthy, present and water readability are a very powerful elements to grasp as a result of they play a every day position that we have to perceive, however depth is a giant deal that appears to vary not solely from day after day, however hourly. Massive lake walleyes may be pelagic as they migrate with altering water circumstances or to seek out meals. When it comes right down to it, it’s nearly all the time in regards to the grocery retailer.
Video That Could Curiosity You
For example, throughout cool-water durations with off coloured water and sunny skies the fish are typically increased within the water column. Whereas walleyes will usually be deeper when the water is obvious and heat. Every system could have nuances that change resulting from particular person elements corresponding to general water depth and sort of forage, however by listening to these eventualities it is possible for you to to sample walleyes rapidly.
The depth that the walleyes are at additionally makes it simpler to determine which techniques to fish. If walleyes are situated on or close to backside in chilly water, sluggish jigging techniques may be the best choice as a result of you possibly can keep on prime of the fish and simply find one other pod as soon as the group you’re fishing breaks up. Inversely when walleyes are suspended in very particular ranges of the water column trolling with crankbaits, spoons or spinners may be the simplest option to fish them.
There actually are greater than three elements to think about when focusing on huge water walleyes, however in the event you take the time to grasp these three particularly, you’re very more likely to catch extra walleyes every journey out.
Capt. Ross Robertson
Bigwater Fishing
