Walleye Express

That was one of the other times this happened to me. During a tournament on the Tittabawassee. Fish after fish for 20 minutes. And I knew we'd be safer near shore yesterday in my smaller boat versus out 6 or more miles in the open expanses, as the dopler radar showed the storms courses as moving through north of us all day, and they did. Remember me? I'm the sissy who won't go out or comes in when theres 3 footers or bigger. We might have gotten a little wet, but I could duck in anywhere close to shore in a flash in my jet boat to be safe.

After re-scheduling yesterdays (8-08-09) charter trip for next Wednesday because of the severe tunderstorms yesterday, the guy and his wife that I was supposed to take out today called for an up-date on todays trip. I suggested we take my Jet Boat out instead of the big one and see if we could hide from the high winds and possible tunderstorms predicted for today. We launched at 7:15 am and had 5 fish in the boat by 9:30. Then we went for over an hour without a touch. But then the wind went down to almost nothing and it got 20 degrees colder right now. It got dark as midnight and you could both see and smell the rain out on the Bay. And just then 3 boards went back with fish on each one. Netted those and the 4th and final one goes back. Turn around and hit another double and it's over. This had happened to me a few times before. The calm before the storm can sometimes mean walleyes before the storm.

Sorry for the belated GJ. I just figured out where all the recent posts were moved to.

Good run this season Adam. I got trips booked right up until the last of August and starting to discourage a few that wanted to fish in September. Historically, to many (on again-off again) bites during that time. But I plan on making an effort this year to get out a few times in November on the Bay and see if I can establish both a reliable technique and location pattern for those bigger walleyes. I know my cousin Mike hits them on occassion, but I think he's only scratched the surface of this late fall fishery.

We caught fish today on everything I threw out. 3 Dandys on my Meat freaks behind keels 40 back. That rootbeer Prizm was the hot one. Caught 3 nice keepers on spoon slider (Blue shiner was hot) above rattlte Tots. I know, I said only small ones hit after mid summer on spoons. And we caught 3 or 4 on Rattle tots themselves with meat. Also drug some TH blades near the end of the trips and caught fish on them. Started 2 miles West of the Cigar and trolled to 2 miles East of the Cigar. Pulled lines and did it again. We boated 13 or 15 not really sure, as one client had an emergency phone call and had to get home fast. So he threw 8 or 9 fish in their cooler without being cleaned. Sorry no pictures because of those cicumstances.

I'm including myself in that "Some" category. Of course the huricane West winds didnt help again today. We took 9 walleyes 1 perch, 2 sheeps and a cat. But I seen guys with a nice 20 fish limit in the cleaning station that took them in 21/22 FOW East of the Bolack Hole. But them boys earned them for sure today in that surf.

Not really Dick. The waters/area we were fishing in first can go from 6 feet to 2 feet in a flash. It would take the utmost attention to just steer the bigger boat, let alone be distracted with setting lines and netting fish. And with how high the Grady sets in the water, along with the canopy, steering would have been impossible. The other spot we fished second is better/safer for my bigger boat, but the waypoints are so close together a man would have to be continually turning around. All these things are accomplished both better and faster in a small boat like the brothers 19 footer using 4 rods versus the Grady running 8 to 10. And Frank. We used my Rattle Tot's with the dab of crawler on the front hook again, but no keels. 30 foot leads on In-line boards in waters from 5 to 12 feet deep.

After canceling my charter last night, after seeing the weather forcast for today, the brother calls me up and cries about his 2 buddies stiffing him for their scheduled fishing trip this morning. I tell him about my recent success in close and shallow, but remind him of the predicted wind forecast for today, with SSW 22 sustaind and 30 mph gusts. But I know we might be able to fish in close to shore for a while until things get out of hand. So we start at about 7:30 and we're back at his house at 12:00 with our limit. But the location wasn't quit the same place as the other day. We did start out in the Hot Pond/Finn road area and took 2 nice fish there right away. But that wind was unbelievable and it would blow us sideways during a gusts and make running the boards and steering the boat a nightmare. It would actually lift and fly the In-Lines boards out of the water. And when we had a fish on, and had to leave the steering wheel for a split second. Well.......it wasn't pretty. So we packed up and moved to my old ICE BURG waypoins, very near shore and close to the Kawkawlin River. Out of the wind and into the fish. :grin:

Greetings, I have a question for folks that pull plugs for walleye in deep water. I've had some really good luck on the Columbia River over the last few years pulling deep running plugs like hot-n-tots, tail dancers, and reef runners. I use line-counter reels so I have a pretty good idea on how deep I'm running and when I need to get a bunch of line up or let more out. My question is, do you think it matters how deep you are as long as you are "close" to the bottom. Let's say a big bench is 30 feet deep and you know there are walleye there. Like most big rivers these fish rarely suspend especially in the summer. Do I want the bill of my plug to be digging into the bottom? Much of the bottom I fish over is clean enough I can do that with minimum snags. Maybe I should be running my plugs at 25 or 28 feet? Reason I ask, is I'm pretty careful to take in 10 feet of line or let out 10 feet every time the depth changes a foot. My bride tends to set her line counter at a depth that allows her plug to clear the shallowest point on a bench and just leave it there. At least some times she catches as many fish with her plug running at 24 feet as I do running at 30 feet. So what's your preference when you are flat lining: tweak the depth every time the depth goes up or down, or just hold in constant? And do you want your plugs lip to be banging on the bottom? Thanks all, John Esler (Mr Fish From Oregon) John. I've recently have had to adjust my own feelings on this subject. My own successful decision to run cranks close and behind keels this summer pretty much proves that. In shallow to moderately deep rivers where there is a constant current, walleyes (for the most part) when not drawn to baitfish near the surface or traveling up or downstream, will lay or tread water almost dead on bottom. This inherent trait gives them the best protection and overview of the water column and any forage they might want to eat in the river system. I've only noticed them suspended at times in the few very deep rivers that I've fished. And most times only even with or at the tops of the shallowest bench (as you call it) to hide behind or expend less energy behind or in front of these current breaks. This makes sense to me as I'm sure they are less spooked and more at ease in deeper rivers versus shallow ones when swimming over shallow areas and obstacles, where they would be more exposed. For many years (when fishing in open waters) anything dead on the bottom usually meant neutral or negative fish. But now for many reasons this seems to have changed. Back then, the suspended fish was what we were looking for and when you found them it was Game-On. With walleyes (like so many other prey species) having their eyes on top of their heads they cannot see anything below eye level unless they pivot tail up. But active/feeding walleyes in any system will move a long way up in the water column to grab a bait. So I'm thinking your mates idea of setting lines to clear the most shallow bench (as you call it) while trolling is a sound idea. But constantly adjusting and gouging bottom now and then can also trigger strikes from bigger and less aggressive walleyes IMV. My personal preference when trolling in rivers is to hit bottom with the crank and reel in a couple of feet. I then pump the rod as I troll. If I hit bottom then, most often I simply hold and pump the rod at a higher angle off the water without having to reel in any line. Capt. Dan.

Ya....I figure if the Karn Weadock smoke stacks don't give it away, you might as well get the numbers off my lowrance.

Fishing by myself this morning, I knew that the weeds from yesterday when me and the niece fished, would be blowing out into the Bay and the water cloumn would be much cleaner in close to shore. I also knew that any hot water from the hot ponds stays pretty much tight and in it's usual canal and flow pattern along the shoreline in a south wind. This is return creates a temperature seam that (this morning) was 74 on the cooler edge side and 78 to 80 in the mainstream of the ponds. It was easy to find and I trolled along this edge on the cooler side and in anywhere from 5 to 8 FOW. Made 2 passes and boated 7 walleyes and kept my one man limit. The conditions were right and I was there fishing in them. I'm also positive that this small area would not take to much pressure and continue to give up fish.

Ya... How does that charter captain saying go? One day your a GOD the next a Day a Di+( Head. It is nice when your gut feelings pay off though.

My niece is visiting us from Iowa for 2 weeks and she has been begging me to take her fishing. Used Gary's lead core technique on the river to catch her her first walleye today. We also farmed one out of about 6 or 8 pounds out on the Bay behind the boat using In-Line boards. She just could not rastle in the board fast enough. But she had fun. Notice the napkin around the fish?

Or it might be the side cutters I'm using to crimp them. :eek:

Started this morning about 1 mile SW of the northern end of the Dumping Grounds. The plan was to troll it's northern edge East and West. The strong winds changed those plans as it was impossible to turn around and troll any way but with the waves that just pushed us from corner to corner on the grid I wanted to fish. It was one of those days when the wind is stronger then even the waves they are creating. To much duty for my HT 8 horse Yamaha pushing the Grady today. So even though we started off with a fish on the very first rod I was letting out, it soon dried up as we got pushed out into that dead zone just north of the dumping grounds. I quickly changed over to Rattle Tots and keels thinking that might change things. But by 10:30 we were still trolling IMV off into the dead zone and only had that one fish in the box. So with only 2 hours of fishing time left, I made the decision to pull all lines and break waves way in towards the State Park. Right around 14 FOW I stoped the boat and shortened the leads on the Keels and cranks to 30 feet. Got all the lines out without a touch and when we hit 16.8 feet all hell broke loose. Made 2 passes and boated 25 walleyes. 17 were keepers but we lost 3 nice walleyes behind the boat along with 2 very rare Rattle Tot's from broken wire leaders. Seems Ol'Capt Dan crimps them a bit to hard.

Gary Kieth or any walleye experts im kinda new to walleye fishing the great lakes could someone please tell me an optimal temparture to start looking for walleyes in big water i fish salmon alot so i have a temp probe for my downriggers so finding the temp would not be a problem i would apprecite any help guys thanks. ginob. Ginob. Put my name down in with the (It doesn't matter) crowd for walleyes. They are more baitfish then temperature oriented. So, what may matter more is where you look and fish for them during these temp changes. With that said, I do believe all species of fish do have a water temperature preference, will bite better, longer and more aggressively in them. But only a few fish species seem locked into that temperature range comfort zone when foraging for food. Small scaled or salmo species of fish seem to be the ones to suffer the most when out of their own temperature range preferences. And these same species also get locked into specific forage prey that also prefer those same comfort zones. Walleyes and other rough scaled species do not suffer these same restrictions IMV, may initially be effected by extreme fronts, but will eventually and quickly (in most cases) adjust to both the temps and the change in forage when and if need be. Capt. Dan.

Huge population of crawfish(s) spread everywhere in the reservoir, as far as I know they are also feeding on walleye's eggs and fries so this will cause reduction in walleye's population, I wanna know if walleye's feed on crawfish(s) or they will disapear from this reservoir soon! __________________ Never Give Up! Vahab Behnam Vahab. Crawfish go through a "Soft Shell" faze sometime twice a year where they (like snakes) have to shed their skins/shells to grow. My dad used to send me and my brother down to the local ditch during these times to net or "can fish" for them. We caught many bass and giant perch with these baits. Many game fish Key on crayfish during this faze and take advantage of it when the time is right. And crayfish might eat a few fish eggs when they can find them, but a crawfishes catching skills of live fish isn't good enough IMV to desimate a fry or fingerling population during that cycle of their lives.. __________________ Captain Dan Manyen

Beat waves out to the high 47's this morning in a sustained 15 mph ENE 2/3 foot chop. Turned the boat with the waves and set the port side of the boat first. Let the first Killer "Pink Flamingo" Rattle Tot and keel out 40 feet on the Starboard side. When she hit bottom at around 36 feet, the rod just got heavy. I instinctively set the hook and handed the rod off to my first client and the results are posted. We ended the day catching 7 and keeping 6 very nice fish. Things have really slowed down both fish and traffic wise out there.

Thank's for the kudos guys. And I'm starting to think about river kings myself the last few days. Going to plan a late August "Jet Boat" trip with me and 2 buds, and get back to my guiding roots for a day on the PM. Few things rival an 18 pounder hitting a T-stick Jr 5 foot off the rod tip on a narrow/log choked river.

Yupper. Guys in the LBM cleaning station with 3 or 4 walleyes per man lately. And yesterday when I was dropping off heads and guts, about 6 rigs just drove by after pulling out. Usually, theres a line out the door waiting to clean fish. I know I loved being able to troll in any direction for the last few trips.

9 for 15 on the 47's today. Still lots of short hit attacks. Rattle tot's 40 back with keels best cranks. Lot's of boats East of 2 and 3 but no fish seen or caught by me. Got West of the channel and things got better. Back there tomorrow.

Boated 15 boxed 11 for the 1/2 day trip today. And ya know, I'm starting to get used to 3 footers to start the day off, after so many days this summer doing so. But my Keel/Crank and Meat program is still workling, and I'm not seeing many nets flying from the guys slow trolling out there the last few trips. Here's a picture of the 2 fine young lads that caught some nice fish today and 2 pictures of my hotest rigs today. The Walleye runner had some real action today. 3 times today after I had let it out and was about to clip it into the release clip, the rubber band was ripped from my teeth. Once breaking off the line itself and snapping me right in the lip, and it hurt. And the Pink/Gold and white Rattle tot caught the bigger fish Friday and today.

Caught 12 very nice walleyes today with two 23 incher's in the catch along with loosing 4 real nice fish behind the boat. One was about 6 pounds or so I guesstimate. Went back to the meat/crank program with a twist. The walleyes this year have been belly to the bottom 90% of the time. And any offering this summer has to be near that bottom or the action is not as steady it seems. Decided to tie up some short (2 foot long) wire #15 test plastic coated leaders, attach them to the same Tommy Harris Keels I've been using with the harnesses, but added the cranks with a piece of crawler on the front belly hook in my usual way instead of the harnesses. Ran Rattle Tots one side and Walleye Runners on the other. Didn't know how far back to run them so I let out line until they started to gouge bottom. Reeled in 10 feet and set 4 per side on the mast boards. It worked out to 60 back on the runners and 50 back on the Tots. Started at 1.8 mph and the action was steady until the wind switched and that NW cold front arrived.

As I sat trolling last weekend with three rods out on each side I had the bright idea of going with more lines on each side. Michigan just went to the three rods per man (was always two) and was wondering if any of you guys have ever run four or five rods with the mast and planer board rigging per side. I usually run Flickers or Hot N Tot's or just spinner rig live bait. I do have my boards weighted so they do pull pretty even with the boat going 1.7 - 2.2 mph. I contemplated dipsy divers but then you always have the mess with letting out the lure in the back of the boat. Any suggestions would be awesome.. Thanks a bunch, Dan Houdek Dan. I've ran as many as 5 lines per side with the big boards successfully. I run double ski rivieras and let them out rougly 110 feet per side. You can get away with 5 on each side and keeping them 15 to 20 feet apart as long as your running at faster crankbait speeds. But if your running rigs and have to slow down below 2 mph it's not a very pleasant experience. Reason being the released lines out towards the end of the boards takes to long to clear the others before you can safely start reeling in the fish. Especially since the closer to the boat your lines are using the mast type boards, the shallower they are running in the water cloumn. So you have to wait that much longer (because of the clearing speed of the boat) for the line with the fish on it to clear well away from the other lines and not get dragged across the inside ones. With the keels and harnesses being the most productive technique this summer on the bay for me, and the slower speeds 1.4 to 1.6 I have to run them at, I think I have lost most of the fish I have this summer because of this wait and hold time for the lines to clear. But when the fish want it slow you have to conform or go fishless. Capt. Dan.

Got some real decent walleyes today for the 1/2 day trip in the Saginaw Bay "Wind Tunnel". Had only one throw back today and he was a catfish. Same place as yesterday, the Dumping grounds run.