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5/16/2001
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Article/Press
Release
Pick
Pocket Walleyes
Norb
Wallock
Walleyes
and weeds, weeds and walleyes. There’s something about that
combination that just doesn’t sound right, or even natural.
Walleyes and rocks on the other hand, makes more sense and sounds a
lot better. Or does it? In many cases weeds and walleyes are a
natural, and can make perfect sense, especially when you consider
the options.
 Finding
walleyes in the weeds is a phenomenon often associated with lakes
that are supported through stocking efforts, and don’t really fit
into the classification of “classic walleye water”. Many of
those lakes are more likely to produce good bass fishing, and lack
the natural rock spawning shoals and reefs needed to support a
natural population of walleyes. While the weeds are probably the
first place to look for walleyes in the aforementioned waters,
it’s a pattern that’s often overlooked when it comes to
“classic” waters. The fact is, the pattern that is always a
possibility, and should be checked out anytime you find the
existence of green healthy weeds.
Weeds
have been attracting and holding walleyes for as long as there has
been weeds and walleyes, and for good reason. For one (which happens
to be the most important), is the fact that weeds offer plenty of
feeding opportunities, which comes in the form of perch,
crustaceans, minnows, baitfish, and insects. Weeds also act as a
nursery for many different kinds of immature species of fish, all of
which adds to the overall food supply.
Being
the opportunists that walleyes are, they’re drawn to all of that
food like flies to honey, and will stick around as long as they can
satisfy their need to feed. Weeds start pulling in bait fish and
predators shortly after ice-out, and can keep them hanging around
for most of the open water season.
Finding
weed walleyes is as easy as finding the weeds, sort of. The problem
is the fact that you probably won’t find active walleyes
everywhere. Instead, you’ll be more likely to find smaller areas
and pockets holding most of the biters. It’s difficult to take a
look at a weed bed and know just exactly where the biters will be
located, but there are some rules of thumb that can get you started
in the right direction.
Early
in the season, before the weeds have had a chance to get too thick,
or too high, walleyes can be found and caught right in the middle of
the flat. They nestle down into weeds that are just sprouting up and
wait for something tasty to happen by. As the season progresses. and
the weeds become much more developed, angers get pushed to the edge,
like the deep edge and inside weed line.
The
deep edge usually holds the key to catching walleyes during the day.
By concentrating your efforts on the deepest part of the deep edge,
you can increase your chances of finding active fish. A productive
method for finding fish on the deep edge, is to slowly troll a live
bait rig tipped with a leech, minnow, or crawler. The top all around
weed line bait has to be a big lively leech, which can standup to
the onslaught of aggressive perch and panfish, and yet still manage
to get the attention of hungry ‘eyes. It’s not a fast way to
find fish, but there aren’t many short cuts, and it takes a little
elbow grease to get the job done.
Another
option to finding weed line walleyes, is to pull a bottom bouncer
and spinner and live bait combination at the base of the weeds, and
get going. This method will give you the advantage of some extra
speed, and allow you to cover more ground. It might not be the most
effective way to put fish in the boat on any given day, but it can
at least help you find them. If you pull a fish on a spinner, you
might try running the bait through the same area again, or you may
decide to switch tactics and slow down with a live bait rig, or cast
a jig.
If
you’ve worked the deep edge thoroughly with little or no success,
you may have to go in after them. Depending on weed type and
density, you may be able to get by with trolling a live bait rig as
far into the weeds as you can. If the weeds are too dense to work a
bait through, try looking for holes or pockets in the weeds.
Walleyes
will stack up along the edge of a pocket, and are definitely
catchable, but require a different approach to be successful.
Instead of a rig, or bouncer and spinner, you’re probably better
off using a slip bobber technique. A slip bobber can suspend a bait
and keep it in front of wandering ‘eyes long enough to get a
reaction. Try tying on a small 1/16 oz jig head, tipped with a leech
or crawler, and suspended it below a slip bobber, and then cast it
into the pockets, giving the bait some time to work it’s stuff. If
you’ve given a spot enough time without success, head for the next
pocket, and so on, and so on.
Another
method for picking walleye pockets clean, is to cast a jig head and
a plastic trailer, like a Mister Twister Tail, and let it settle
down into the weeds, followed by a hard snap that rips the jig
through the underwater jungle. That snap will often trigger walleyes
that may be turning their noses up at other offerings.
Last
but not least, is the inside weed line, which can offer the best
opportunity for finding walleyes after dark. When the sun goes down,
a walleye’s activity level gets turned up a notch or two, and
become much more apt to chase down and inhale a bait. Crankbaits
cast from extremely shallow water to the inside edge, can be one of
the most effective methods for nailing thin water walleyes.
The
thing to remember is the fact that shallow water walleyes can be
extremely spooky, and one wrong move can completely shut things
down. You may be better off wading and casting, and leave the boat
on the trailer.
Norb
Wallock
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