Ecover 3D Fishing | Walleye, Trout and Perch

Walleye tend to like cooler waters, and this is why they usually move to deeper waters during warmer weather. Slow trolling is one method that works great on these deep lakes, and anglers with electric trolling motors have an advantage here. There are many different types of rigs and setups that can be utilized in lakes that never freeze and are deep and clear. It reminds me of Lake Erie fishing charters we used to take in the summer.

Fishing for Walleye in deep clear lakes means adjusting to the patterns of the Walleye in these lakes. The fish may be found in water closer to the shores because the water in these lakes stays cooler. The waters never freeze though, making these lakes the perfect habitat for Walleye.

You can gain a big advantage in this type of water when you use bottom bouncers. Bottom bouncers, when used properly and with the right weight amount, can make a big difference on this type of deep water lake. Long lining with very small jigs, once again used with the right amount of weight to reach the proper depth level, can also help you have great success with Walleye. Live bait tends to be most effective in deep, clear lakes like these.

Look for underwater structures in deep lakes. Many times these structures attract baitfish, and where these fish are the Walleye will usually follow. In normal lakes the Walleye spend most of their days in the deeper waters staying cold, but with deep clear lakes that never freeze the water temperature through the entire lake normally stays cool.

This means that the Walleye can be anywhere in the lake. Using electronic devices can really help in locating the fish under the water, so that you have a head start before you even drop your line.

With these lakes a lot of the conventional Walleye wisdom should be discarded. If you are fishing one of these lakes and what normally will work just is not working, don’t be shy to try something different. Most of the tournament and pro anglers know that this is the secret to being a great Walleye fisherman. Be different and try using rigs and lures that may be a bit unconventional in the circumstances.

One tactic that may work and get a response is to vary your trolling speed. Stop and put the motor in neutral once in a while for a couple of minutes, and see what kind of response you get. Just like with other locations, what works on one day may not be as effective on another.

Set up tip ups located at different depths, to determine exactly where the fish are at depth wise. This can help you determine whether to raise or lower the depth, depending on where the fish are suspended in the water.

A jigging spoon or a jigging Rapala can have very successful results in ice fishing. Rapala lures are commonly effective when ice fishing.

Remember that the metabolism of the fish is slower during the cold winter months, and this means being a little more patient.

You can try different types of bait and lures to see what works best in the area. Sometimes brighter colors work better in this situation because of the low light and the thick ice. The bright colors and slower movement are more likely to catch the attention of the Walleye. If you have a fish finder or sonar equipment, you can locate the fish before you start fishing.

This is half the battle, because you can not catch them until you can find them and present the bait. The top layer of fish in the water are generally the most willing to bite, but the big ones are usually located close to the bottom.

Using a tip up that completely covers the ice hole can give you an advantage when ice fishing for Walleye. Some circular tip ups completely cover the hole drilled in the ice. This prevents freezing, and higher amounts of light hitting the water from scaring the Walleye away.

Another method is to use different baits on each tip up, so that you can easily pinpoint what baits and lures will work best on the specific day and situation. Morning and evening are the best times to catch Walleye, and taking advantage of these times will make it more successful. Heavily fished waters may contain fish that are thinned and spread out. All Walleyes eat and migrate around the same time of the day and year, and this is normally at dawn and dusk.

A variety of bait offered will ensure that you find exactly what the fish want. This will greatly increase your chances of catching your limit, regardless of how well fished the waters are.

Ice fishing for Walleye can be challenging, but that is half the fun.

Another tip is to head off away from the crowds and popular fishing spots, and look in some of the most unlikely of spots.

You may just come away with your limit.

Bait fish hang out in the weed beds, and this attracts predator fish including Walleye.

Step 1: The Early Morning

Start by trolling the edge of the weed bed, and look for any drop offs or flat spots where the fish may dart in and out of the weeds.

In the early morning the Walleye can be very active and aggressive when it comes to feeding, and they will generally patrol along the edge of the weed bed trying to catch the smaller fish that congregate in these areas.

Step 2: Success-Minded Persistence

If you do not see any results in twenty or thirty minutes then move on to the next weed bed. Don’t give up, but move on to the next area with your eyes on the prize, confident that you will pull some really nice walleye out of this body of water today.

Crankbaits are normally super-effective in these locations early in the day.

By the middle of the morning, once the sun is rising in the sky, switching to a worm harness and putting the bait right on the bottom can help, because the higher levels of light and water temperatures will cause the Walleye to sit on the bottom of the weed beds.

Putting the worm harness right on the bottom will offer it within easy reach, at a time when the Walleye may not be as active.

During these periods the fish may not chase a meal but may take it if offered for almost no effort.

Step 3: The Mid-Day Walleye Rush

Once the sun is high in the sky, the thick weed beds located in shallower waters may offer great Walleye fishing opportunities.

Extremely thick weed bed located in shallower waters. Many anglers avoid these areas because of the thickness of the weeds, which can make fishing seem troublesome, but this does not have to be the case.

Oftentimes, when you just go for it, and avoid conventional wisdom, you’ll astonish yourself, even if you’re used to doing things different from all the “other” anglers.

Step 4: Afternoon Sun = More Walleyes

When the sun is high and hot, Walleye will normally suspend in thick weeds and wait for bait to come by above them.

Look for weed beds that have high weeds, those that grow all the way up to the surface of the water.

If you have planer boards, run them with crawler harnesses attached at this time, and troll slowly over the weed beds.

The ideal trolling speed for this technique is around one mile per hour.

You can still do this if you don’t have planer boards by using both harnesses and crankbaits.

After trolling over the bed for several passes, if you do not have results then move on to the next thick weed bed and start over.

Step 5: Work Underwater Structure

Weed beds that are close to underwater structure provide excellent opportunities for Walleye anglers, because the close proximity makes it easier for the Walleye to go back and forth between the two. In these situations, or where the weed beds are located very close to much deeper water, trolling with spoons may be the best option to catch Walleye.