It’s cold, wiridy, and the big lake is rough. So what do you do? Why, you go fishin’ ! The walleyes are turning on, and early spring often means superb action at many larger waters. The real secret to early season big-water success is simply finding a pattern that works and covering as much area as possible. This may mean anything from thoroughly fishing a productive section of shallow water to trolling vast areas of deep, open water. As a rule, the smaller and more aggressive walleyes can be found in the shallow water areas. Concentrations of two to four pound fish often congregate near shallow water reefs, like those found at Lake Erie’s western basin midway between the Bass Islands and the Camp Perry Piring Range near Toledo.
Shallow-Water Strategies
In most deep-water lakes, these shallow areas are always among the first to warm. This warmer water Iures baitfish and the soon-to-follow predators like walleyes. And, once shallow-water walleyes put on the feed bag, it’s merely a matter of presenting the proper bait or lure. While you can use most any jig-and-minnow combo, I’ve found Northland’s Fireball jig ideally suited for this type of shallow water action. Other excellent lure choices might include a Hopkins jigging spoon or even the Northland Fire-Eye Minnow. I prefer to anchor upwind and fish some 20-30 feet behind and to the side of the boat. A fan-casting system allows you to cover as much water as possible. If this fails, try using shallow-running crankbaits offering a more erratic action, such as a Storm Thinfin or even a Jr. Thunderstick. Pitch the lure into shallow water - as shallow as a foot or less - and, using a hopping action, retrieve the selected bait back into a depth of 1O feet. Pay close attention to the retrieve. At times a different hopping action may be more effective than another, like a pop-pop-pop, a jerk-and-reel, or a ripping action. As a rule I alternate between the different actions until the fish are triggered by one.
Open-water trolling
If the shallow water pattern fails to produce fish, haul out the Off Shore in-line planer boards and gear up for some open water trolling. It’s time to go after the big walleyes. This technique often yields fish weighing anywhere from four to over 10 pounds. Open-water trolling typically works best in areas that are deeper than 22 feet and have a softer mud, clay or silt bottom. The techniques employed here are either slow-trolling spinner-and-crawler combinations or one of a variety of Storm crankbaits. When you make your initial trolling pass, pick out a two to four mile stretch of water and set up your lines. By using in-line planer boards, you can greatly increase the horizontal spread of the lines, covering more water.
Throughout the course of your trolling pattern, pay close attention to your electronics for any sign of fish concentration. Once you begin marking a steady amount of fish or even catch a few, place icons or a waypoint near the area of concentration.
These markings will help when returning to the same location to try different presentations. When open-water trolling, always keep a close eye on your sonar. Depending upon many variables, the vertical positioning of the fish usually changes throughout the day. For example, the baitfish might move shallower or deeper due to light penetration - and you can be sure the walleyes are soon to follow.
Water clarity, too, plays a major role in how fish respond to the speed and depth of certain baits. Lures containing rattles might help some, but always closely monitor your trolling speed and lure depth.
I’ve found the key to open-,Aateir trolling success is keeping an open mind- Never say never and always expect the wallcyes to do the unexpected.