learning to fish Walleye

[Sneaky Duck]

I made a fairly major life choice this past saturday while fishing on the river in the rain (I'm being somewhat sarcastic).  I decided that after a year and a half of my fishing "career" casting random lures, hoping something/ANYTHING would bite but not really caring what it is, I want to start targeting 1 species.  I think it's going to make me a better fisherman because it'll force me to learn instead of puttsing around.  I'm hoping that when i look at a body of water, I'll start thinking... where would this fish be, what bait/lure/technique would be best instead of... ok from this dock what can i put out there that'll get something to put the hook in its mouth.

 

All that being said, I'd like to be a walleye fisherman.  I think the fish look AWESOME, taste great, and it's really cool to me how they can get to be 35+inches long but you really only eat them under 3lbs so I can be hoping for that big fish because it's fun, but when i catch little ones... GREAT!  I'm also interested in Walleye because bass and pan fish really aren't doing it for me and I'm not interested in Catfish.  I have a good friend who's a troller going after Salmon and Trout and he's happy for me to go out with him whenever our schedules mesh so i see little need to double up and equip for that.

 

What I'd like to know from the group is what's the best way for me to learn?  None of my buddies are walleye fisherman.  In fact only 1 of them has ever even caught a walleye and that was by accident.  I live on the Genesee River and I'm a member of a sailing club on Irondequoit Bay.  I've done searches online and it seams like both of those bodies of water have the fish in them.  For now, I'm going to have to fish either on the ice or from the shore because another boat isn't in the budget yet (and I'd like to know if I'm going to stick with this before i drop the coin).  I have a small sail boat which I could drift around on windless days but it's really not conducive for anchoring and fishing from and there's no way to add electronics.

 

With regards to equipment, I have 2 regular rods and 2 ice rods (and I'm expecting to need to get all new lures and likely new line).  my regular rods are a 6'6" medium action spinning rod and a 6'6" medium heavy casting rod.  My ice rods are a 26 inch long light action and a 27 inch inch medium action.  Will these fit the bill for a time before I can justify getting good jigging and bottom bouncing walleye rods?

 

Sorry for all the background.  If I'm thinking about this wrong i'd like someone to stop me  Thanks for the info!

[BSmaster]

I am thinking it would be easiest to make a friend who fishes them in those waters you are intending to fish.  One thing I have learned since devoting my time to catching them is that I catch a lot of other fish while trying.  I suspect that you will be catching a lot of Bronze, browns, lakers, and pike, while trolling for them in the big O.  I use large sticks and jigs in the southern tier and I absolutely hammer the smallies.  Few if any walleyes to bass.  But when I do get into them it feels rewarding.

 

This makes my point.  If it was easy then it would be bass fishing.  Stick with it.  People don't fish for them because they fight hard.  No tail dancing or big runs - just shoulder shakes.  They slow bite at times and don't feed at others.  Challenging (and good eating)

 

Another idea I have is that you get your buddies to go in on a charter (probably Erie) to learn how it is done in the lake.  As far as Genny goes, I don't know if I would want to catch and/or eat them from there.  Good Luck.  Hopefully some of your neighbors will shoot you a PM and give you some solid pointers. 

 

Joe

[ontherise]

I went through the same feelings a couple years ago. I chose the adipose, because they rock!!!

[bailey]

Lake o is tough for eyes those who catch them regularly are tight lipped. There are key place they haunt. I'll agree with bsmaster ERIE is it do a charter on her. You'll learn more in a few hrs than you will on your own. Shore fishing eyes is tough do to window of opportunity that good numbers are there. Best times are dawn and dusk thru may. As for charter find jim he goes by Fishkiller16 on here as a few other sites. He will give you a day to remember. Google how is fishing in buffalo, you'll find a good thread and people who will share info and help.

[Fish Hunter]

Many methods to use on the Walleyes.

Bottom bouncers with crawlers or minnows, lead core, and off the riggers too. 

Oneida Lake is a good place to catch 'em.

Ton's of bass in there also.

[Sneaky Duck]

Hmm, so they're not very common?  I'm not turned off by a fish that's hard to catch, but if they're aren't many in here that's a bit of a bummer.  The NY DEC site says that they're around in all the major watersheds as well as 140 other waterbodies around the state.  That was one reason I was interested in learning to fish them.

 

With regards to a charter... I've actually thought about that.  Never done one before.  Thanks for the tip of who to look up.  I wouldn't know the first place to find a good charter captain and I'm sure that who you go with really can be the difference between a good experience and a waste of money.

[stripinline]

I heard there are a lot of big walleye in the genny but have never fished it. I fish lake o for kings and trout and have always wanted to catch walleye so I went on a charter with Shane from theriverguide.com out of Oswego. I have fished with him a few times and actually fishing with him Friday. I learned a lot and he has no problem teaching you, we got a 14# and bunch of others mixed with Brown's. I believe he also does trips out of sandy pond, but Oswego might be more like the genny.

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[devoknevo]

The river holds good populations of 'eyes. I. bay can be good in the summer and fall. Unfortunately shore access to both is limited, but Since you live on the river, you 're already ahead of the game!

Read up on the subject, concentrate on one or two methods to start with, put your time in and you will be rewarded, it's not easy or everyone would be doing it!

Here's a few eaters from the river this fall. Caught on 3/8 oz. jig with 3" twister tail, MH spinning gear and 15lb power-pro braided line.

Good luck!

[Sneaky Duck]

Speaking of reading up... if I was to grab a few books on the topic has anyone come across any that are worth while?  Are the Critical Concepts books any good?   Looks like they have 5 of them in the series and sell them on Amazon and Bass Pro.

[Xxx]

I don't know how far away Dunkirk is away from you, if it is doable get a hold of Jeff Whipple 716 -517-5990 he is a charter captain out of Dunkirk new York. I'm going out with him the weekend after the 4th of July, one day with Jeff and the other 4 days on our own. Look up fishing out of Dunkirk NY and his web site is on there about 5/6 charters down, he came highly recommended by Mostly Muskies charter captain Larry Jones, who also belongs to this site. Hope this helps. PAP

 

[devoknevo]

Seems like booking a charter on Erie won't help much with river or bay fishing.

The In-fisherman have good books and Walleyecentral.com has LOADS of articles

[bailey]

Pap around the 4th in Dunkirk seems pick on eyes would be slow last couple yrs more eyes were east of sturgeon pt. Lots of peeps made run by water back east to catch high numbers. I am just curious as to how productive it is on that date that far west. I know my run from SBH was only 5 miles and i couldn't get all rods in without having a fish hooked. The genny holds eyes but a boat is almost a necessity plus its tight lipped fishing. Also one thing I've noticed is lake o is a tight lipped fisherie where Erie is more open on shared info among fishermen. Maybe it's just the network of friends i have gotten in with there.

[flybuster]

Not to bomb your thread but last July 4 was hot on that end. I remember the day like it was yesterday we had 2 boats and 7 guys out there I had my brother in law and his 7 year old with me the lake turned a day before and it was pouring like crazy all morning and the fog was so thick you could only see 50yds. But rods were popping like crazy outa Dunkirk heading to barcalona. I remember that day so well in part to the 9 eyes my nephew dropped at the back of the boat before he finally landed 1 on a 8 color core and it was on like donkey kong after that!

[flybuster]

Ps, anyone interested in getting out and willing to chip in some gas and bait feel free to message me I fish every weather permitting weekend from the opener till almost October.

[BSmaster]

There isn't a charter or guide out there that can help with small river fishing on one trip.  It is hit and miss and in a big way.  I think it was the 20th trip out with a guy who did it for decades and told of great catches that I finally caught a walleye. 

 

Some things I have learned...

• Walleye that are well fed will usually only feed at night.  This means some of the areas that hold walleye are part of nurseries for other fish and when these species peak in numbers and optimum size, good luck catching a walleye during the daytime (or at all).
• Match the bait fish when possible.
• Morning bite versus night bite.  This switches and I find it irritating.  When it is night 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after sunset - if they are not biting it won't be til after midnight.  When it is morning get there well before sunrise.  If they are not biting, wait til the fog presses down and then starts to rise.  If there is nothing biting at this time, try something else or go home.
• Live bait is my favorite.  I like to use suckers, stone rollers, chubs and sometimes stone cats.  All of these will catch walleye but will catch a lot more bass and catfish.  Spring time people use leeches and night crawlers.  I don't.
• Stick baits - specifically crank style like rapalas in perch, fire tiger or shad.  This is a reaction bite.  Helps when they are fed well.
• Somebody is always going to fish the same spot as you and get better results - get use to it.
• Avoid the sun, bridges, trees, weed lines, and large riff raff under the water.
• If you find an area with a lot of snags, you found an area that holds walleyes.
• Your name is not Lindner - no pressure.  Don't ever give up.

[BSmaster]

Avoid the sun, bridges, trees, weed lines, and large riff raff under the water.  I meant this to say Avoid the sun, fish the bridges, trees, weed lines, and large riff raff under the water.

[bailey]

Definitely i didn't mean to take this off topic either it's ADD lol. I would love to learn more about the genny myself being centrally located to many good fisheries. Flybuster glad to hear that it answered a question i was curious about. Actually we should all be glad that so many opportunities for great fishing are doable in a day trip. I am a troller and my shore eye fishing is limited to smaller streams for eyes but they are productive. I am sure as yrs go by lake o walleye fishing will only get better. I bet a good drop weight or deep diver program on inline boards could really work on the genny even from shore if deep enough and if flow is adequate to pull boards out. I think finding a conture map of river would greatly help in fishing the river eyes. If available

[Sneaky Duck]

Flybuster, great fish.  Love seeing a kid holding it.  I fish with my 5 year old daughter all the time.  I'll likely reach out to you in the spring to head out.

 

BSmaster, thanks for the advice!  That's one of my big fears.  Paying the $300 for a guided charter and getting skunked.  Like my buddy would say though... that's why they call it fishing and not catching.  I guess my struggle now is that there is a difference between street smarts and book smarts.  I'm more then willing to read everything i can, watch videos, read forums... but that doesn't mean much if I go out and can't apply it properly.  I don't really want to pay someone though to give me the basic knowledge I'd prefer them help me perfect my technique and impart some real world wisdom.  That being said... I'm in sales, I'd rather hire someone who's got no preconceived notions and work with a clean slate.  So I guess I'm not sure which is best.

[Xxx]

I don't think that Larry and Jeff would steer me wrong about the timing for Dunkirk? Time will tell!! I'll let you know how we did, Merry Christmas everybody and a fishy New Year!!!

[Sneaky Duck]

for future reference, if I have a question about Ice fishing tackle set-up for walleye do I put that in this forum, the tackle forum or the ice fishing forum?  

 

My mother-in-law gave me a green/yellow beaver dam tip-up with the cheese head hole cover (GO PACK GO!) and I want to rig it for walleye.  My google and youtube searches lead me to believe that a good way to set this thing up is with 20lb braid with a small ball bearing swivel and an 8-10lb floro leader running to a small treble hook.  The consensus seams to be using a 2.5-3 inch shiner set 18 inches off the bottom.  Does this sound about right?

 

I'm also curious about rigging the tip-up with a couple 2-3 hooks spread a foot or so apart on the leader as if I were drop-shotting.  Then tip them with some small minnows and set the bottom one 6 inches or so from the bottom.  That'd give me more bait at different heights in the water column.

 

I only have the 1 tip-up for now so I can't really experiment as much as I'd like to see if 1 thing is a better technique then the other.

 

Thanks guys!

[King Slammin]

First u are going to want to get some navy blue and orange paint to cover up that awful green and yellow (go Bears!!!). Now it should be more than ice worthy and pretty snazzy looking. Make sure u use ice braid as it doesn't absorb as much water as reg braid. I would use a bit stronger of a floro leader as those eyes and the pike u will catch as well have some pretty sharp teeth. U can use a couple hooks spread out if u want too but it's tough to land fish caught on the bottom hook when u have to be careful not to catch the top hook on the ice. Be sure to set up on a structure break (weed edge, sharp drop off, rocky bottom, etc) and early morning and dusk are the best.

[Sneaky Duck]

Hmm, advise from a bears fan.  Not sure I trust your judgement  Thanks for the tip on going with an ice braid.  Honestly... I thought it was just marketing.  I've always been a spiderwire guy and they don't have an ice braid.  I have a partial spool of 20lb p-line floroclear.  Would that make a good tip-up leader?  Are there ice specific floro lines?

[King Slammin]

Your p line will work fine.

[justtracytrolling]

Flybuster, great fish. Love seeing a kid holding it. I fish with my 5 year old daughter all the time. I'll likely reach out to you in the spring to head out.

BSmaster, thanks for the advice! That's one of my big fears. Paying the $300 for a guided charter and getting skunked. Like my buddy would say though... that's why they call it fishing and not catching. I guess my struggle now is that there is a difference between street smarts and book smarts. I'm more then willing to read everything i can, watch videos, read forums... but that doesn't mean much if I go out and can't apply it properly. I don't really want to pay someone though to give me the basic knowledge I'd prefer them help me perfect my technique and impart some real world wisdom. That being said... I'm in sales, I'd rather hire someone who's got no preconceived notions and work with a clean slate. So I guess I'm not sure which is best.

I can guarantee i can put you on fish all summer on otisco, and ill be doing conesus this year also! Check out my posts.

As for learning yourself...its easy...fish everyday all season 12 hours a day, and you should have it within a year or two! Lol. Spend the 300 itll be cheaper...

Justin

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[justtracytrolling]

Otisco is as good as anywhere for big fish on small water!<br />

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