Sight Fishing Walleyes in Shallow Water 2/07/15'

[Meilertson]

Got set up on a shallow rock to sand transition yesterday afternoon around 1pm. We were sitting in 12 feet looking for that one bite. I've fished this area before and kicked out some BIG fish throughout the years. This has never been a numbers kind of spot but you do have a chance at a 10 pounder, which is why we're there. At 12 feet we could see bottom easily while in the house. At about 3pm we could see a nice mid 20's size walleye down there looking over his options. He hung around for about a minute then swam away. 10 minutes later another one about 20 inches long come through and didn't bite either. Little after that we could see another nice walleye down there that finally bit Ashley's bobber rod, which consisted of a small glow red Eye Dropper jig by Northland and a small 3" fathead. She fought the fish for about 2-3 minutes and iced her first walleye ever! She measured 26" and was very chunky. About 30 minutes later my pal David had a pair of walleyes come through, one being the biggest we'd seen yet, and got the smaller of the two to bite his perch colored 1/8oz Buckshot spoon tipped with a minnow head. His fish measured 24" and again was just a tank. These fish were very healthy looking. We stayed until 8pm and never saw or graphed another fish to my surprise but thats how it goes sometimes, especially when you're fishing for a 10 pounder. They don't come easy. We had a great time though and what a cool way to catch fish when you can watch them down your hole. I was happy for Ashley, she was very excited to have caught her first walleye. Mille Lacs has been hit and miss for me lately but always a good time when your on the ice. Until next time.

[Boar]

WoW nice Job and congrates to her onher fist eyeball. Love doing the quality dance every once in awhile over the quantity mombo. Nice job!

[Stick in Mud]

Nice report. You sure kicked my butt that weekend....I was doing the same exact thing as you--sight-fishing in shallow--and we got zilch.

Heck, sight fishing in shallow water is pretty much all I do these days. Nothing better.

[Meilertson]

Hey thanks Stick it was a good time and again being able to see your fish down there is amazing. Like I said earlier I don't get them every time either, in fact yesterday I was out there again for 7 hours and only saw 1 walleye. He was about 20". Never got him to bite. On the flip side my buddy got this

The pike measured 39" long with 18" girth.

[walleye29us]

Outstanding!!!

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, that shallow bite sure can be hit or miss. Sunrise and sunset I'm spending 100% of my time fishing shallow water, though it's obviously better early in the year. We've been fishing shallow for quite a few years now, so we've got a bunch of nice spots that hold fish all year.

Just last week, a buddy of mine spent the evening in our house and caught 14 eyes. Insane night. 11 were less than 14'', one was a keeper, two were slobs. My dad was up there last weekend and caught three all weekend. Why they are swimming through thick one night and then completely absent the next night, I dunno. Always makes it interesting, though. Plus, there's always the bonus smallie.

[eyeguy 54]

I think you dads neighbor wants to cpr a nice eye.

[Tom Sawyer]

Why they are swimming through thick one night and then completely absent the next night, I dunno.

Excellent report and photos Matt. Fantastic fish! Congrats to Ashley on a great first eyeball.

I feel the same way about quality vs. quantity most of the time I wet a line.

Stickinmud:

Perch are always on the move. Once the perch pack eats everything available, or hatching, they move on, the walleye follow. That's what the eyes are feeding on Carl. Last year our lakes had a tremendous perch hatch.

If your fishing shallow and your not seeing perch packs roaming around during the day, there is no reason for walleyes to stick around. They are on the hunt for perch. The main reason the bite is better during low light or dark periods is simple. Perch can't see well during low light conditions and hunker down on bottom at night. Walleye, which can see best during these periods, come through like wolf packs kicking perch up off bottom. The perch are disadvantaged and are tracked down with ease. Classic predator vs. prey relationship. Your minnow is an easy target during a feeding spree.

[Stick in Mud]

I think you dads neighbor wants to cpr a nice eye.

You're always welcome, sir. Unfortunately, the season's about over and the house is off the ice now, so it'll have to wait until either soft water or next winter.

Opener IS only 80 days away.

[Stick in Mud]

Stickinmud:

Perch are always on the move. Once the perch pack eats everything available, or hatching, they move on, the walleye follow. That's what the eyes are feeding on Carl. Last year our lakes had a tremendous perch hatch.

If your fishing shallow and your not seeing perch packs roaming around during the day, there is no reason for walleyes to stick around. They are on the hunt for perch. The main reason the bite is better during low light or dark periods is simple. Perch can't see well during low light conditions and hunker down on bottom at night. Walleye, which can see best during these periods, come through like wolf packs kicking perch up off bottom. The perch are disadvantaged and are tracked down with ease. Classic predator vs. prey relationship. Your minnow is an easy target during a feeding spree.

Yes, I know the walleyes are eating perch.

[chris63]

Tom,to say if your in shallow and dont see perch you wont see eyes is not true.I have seen large eyes swim by while sitting in the spear shack this year with no perch seen.c63

[chris63]

Their eating each other too!!c63

[Ole #1]

Tom,to say if your in shallow and dont see perch you wont see eyes is not true.I have seen large eyes swim by while sitting in the spear shack this year with no perch seen.c63

Tom's post is accurate, he didn't say you'll never see a walleye if you don't see perch.

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, but it's not quite as simple--or as obvious--as Tom made it sound. He's generally right, of course, because walleyes do eat perch, and the presence of small perch seems to imply that the predators will swim through sooner or later.

I've spent hundreds of days and nights out on the lake the last ten years, I've journaled every one of them, and some years the bite is good and some years it isn't. We have two shacks, one goes deep and the other stays shallow. I fish the shallow one 100% of the low-light hours because it outproduces the deep one, hands down, at least on average (Stick in Mud the Elder usually mans the other house). But the shape of the distribution matters, too.

Sometimes there are perch below our house and we don't see a fish swim through. Sometimes there are are perch and the fish swim through and we catch them. Sometimes there are no perch and we slay the 'eyes. Sometimes there perch below the shack, the 'eyes swim through, but they don't bite.

Sometimes they bite, sometimes they don't. And if you're lucky and they're under your house, it's a gold mine. But you might get skunked, too.

The best fishermen I know catch their 'eyes shallow all year-round--May through February. Even in August they're catching them in shallow, wind allowing, over shallow rocks and weeds. How they do it in the winter, I don't know, but they do.

[Ole #1]

Yeah, but it's not quite as simple--or as obvious--as Tom made it sound. He's generally right, of course, because walleyes do eat perch, and the presence of small perch seems to imply that the predators will swim through sooner or later.

I've spent hundreds of days and nights out on the lake the last ten years, I've journaled every one of them, and some years the bite is good and some years it isn't. We have two shacks, one goes deep and the other stays shallow. I fish the shallow one 100% of the low-light hours because it outproduces the deep one, hands down, at least on average (Stick in Mud the Elder usually mans the other house). But the shape of the distribution matters, too.

Sometimes there are perch below our house and we don't see a fish swim through. Sometimes there are are perch and the fish swim through and we catch them. Sometimes there are no perch and we slay the 'eyes. Sometimes there perch below the shack, the 'eyes swim through, but they don't bite.

Sometimes they bite, sometimes they don't. And if you're lucky and they're under your house, it's a gold mine. But you might get skunked, too.

The best fishermen I know catch their 'eyes shallow all year-round--May through February. Even in August they're catching them in shallow, wind allowing, over shallow rocks and weeds. How they do it in the winter, I don't know, but they do.

Why ask the question if you're just going to argue? You're the one who asked why. Tom told you why, and then you disagree. I think the majority of us have fished the lake 10 years plus, which is why we give advice when people ask questions. No need for such a long post, I didn't ask for advice on Walleye behavior or Mille Lacs.

[Stick in Mud]

I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, dear Ole, by forcing thee to read my five-paragraph long post. You have my contrite, sincerest apology, and I'll make sure in the future to limit my posts to your exacting specifications.

[walleye29us]

LMAO!!!!

[Ole #1]

Not offended at all, just making a point.