Shore fishing for walleyes

[witter1631]

Hi i just recently moved to la crosse i was wondering if anyone knew of any good spots for shore fishing walleyes in the area. thanks

Matt

[Tyler Holm]

Sometimes we talk about the La Crosse / Winona area fishing in the Rochester forum. Take a look there, or maybe ask a similar question in that forum. Also check the Wisconsin forum for more info. I know there is a float that you can pay a few buck to go out on and It’s suppose to be good fishing in the fall. Good Luck.

[CNY Tim]

I know places in New York like Oneida Lake 20 min.s from my house

[CNY Tim]

Another good night...

[Andrew Erickson]

nice fish!

[CNY Tim]

Thanks RincRat78, here's a couple of beauties from last nights shore fishing.

[Wookiee]

The walleyes were out in force last night in the west metro. I caught about 20 in 2 1/2 hours after work ranging 14" to 20" on a local lake. They were all caught on power grubs and power minnows 2" and 3" varieties. The minnows worked better than the grubs but not by much.

[CNY Tim]

Well done toomuchfun? It won't be long before the water and air temps are super cold and I'll be dragging 5" K Grubs really slow along the bottom. Those are some great eater sizes there, nice report..

[CNY Tim]

It's a slaughter from shoreand dock now, icredible here's some keepers my son and I caught on #9 Shap Raps, we caught 26 total, enjoy...

[friendlyfisher]

Hey Tim, Just goes to show that fish dont have to be huge to be just FAT. Those things have some bellies on them. Way to go. friendly

[CNY Tim]

Thanks Friendly.. It's pretty easy fishing and like I say, Every fall it's a haul!! Some of the shad this year are like 6.5" long no wonder there bellies are about to bust. Gotta love it...

[CNY Tim]

Here's some more belly busters. Been doing well on 5" K Grubs in firecracker and Challenger junior minnows. Here's Big Johnny Ice and my take from last night.

[image]img299.imageshack.us/img299/7017/1004791rn9.jpg[/image]

[Andrew Erickson]

awesome fish

[superhawk16]

CNY Tim

I am just getting into the river shore fishing thing out here at college since I cant have my boat out here (chippewa river, eau claire, WI in case anybody is wondering). I have caught a few eyes below the dam in a deeper pool of water but once it starts getting nice it seems like everybody fishes there. I am just curious what you look for when choosing a new spot from shore. The river I fish is around 150-200 yards wide at the widest, and I think around 15ft deep below the dam. You seemed like the guy to ask but anybody elses input is greatly appreciated!

thanks,

superhawk

[joe_stack20]

Look for small eddies. Sometimes fish like to hang out just on the edge of the current bounce a 1/8 oz jig with a fathead and hold on. At Least this is what i di around here and really get into some nice fish. Also check with local DNR..see if they have ever done any construction on or below the (Contact Us Please)...Many years back a local (Contact Us Please) here was slowed down so they could do some work below the (Contact Us Please)...well they ended up diggin a 18'-20' hole in the middle of the river. Talk about a Honey Hole!

[superhawk16]

joe stack,

thanks for the reply, I was beginning to think that nobody was going to. One think i have noticed while scouting the river is that there is pillars sticking out of river that start at the shoreline and extend out into the river at an angle. I am assuming these are a sort of wingdam. Would it pay to pitch some jigs where these run into shore?

[joe_stack20]

I would think that would be a good spot...i guess what i think is whereever the current is interupted....its worth trying

[EBass]

Quote:

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there is pillars sticking out of river that start at the shoreline and extend out into the river at an angle

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That's probably an old bridge.

Wing dams for the most part are created by the army corp and made up of rock and rubble to push the main current away from whatever they are trying to protect. Wing dams are great structures for fishing, but not every wingie will have fish on them.

[superhawk16]

no they definitely aren't old bridges because they are all over, maybe like 1 every quater mile. it seems like they are mean't to direct the current back towards the middle of the river. I have never seen anything like this in any other river system so thats why I was curious as to what they were. They look like telephone poles that are cut off right above the water. They go out in a line like 1 ever 5 feet and they are about 5 rows deep.

Anyways maybe I will try fishing out by those one of these days.

[slipperybob]

There's a submerged storm drain or underwater tunnel there. Those normally have two angled set's of poles on both sides of the underwater tunnel down there. It's a good spot to nail some bass. It's a warning for boater's to beware of shallow rocks in the immediate area and deep water adjacent to it, as well as undertow.

[CNY Tim]

Most of the fish I caught were on cranks but when it's to rough on the main lake water to wade I find areas off the main river coming in like a feeder creek to a marina that come off the main river look for steep drop off's from 8' to 15' of water, these are saddle areas just off the main stem. Depending on the wind positioning these areas can be loaded with hungry eyes especially feeding hard the magic hour at sunset. These areas when the wind is whipping at your back you don't even need a twister tail you can throw a thunderstick, challenger, rogue, shad rap, it really doesn't matter, there gonna smash it. But if there isn't much wind these saddle holding area's are a nice resting area off the main stem where they can catch there breath and digest. These intersections that hold deep water I have noticed that the walleye will lay right on the bottom and are easy pickings for Black/silver 4" K grubs, Cabela's clear/black core 3" twisters attached to 6 lb. Fireline crystal with a 2.5' of 6lb. Vanish or P-Line clear leader. I throw 1/8 oz. most of the time for lead. 9 times out of 10 I throw out to that 15' of water and let it sink to the bottom use a slow steady retrieve and most will flow and hit the twister as soon as it get's to that 8' lip coming up. The other 1 out of 10 sometimes when I pick up the jig off the bottom and get the first crank in the reel they whack it. Another good mister twister color back in the day was the one that was a bluegill color, whacked alot of walldogs with that but they discontinued it... Good luck...

[new2trout]

Where are these being caught?

[CNY Tim]

Oneida Lake in Central New York

[uwleagle]

witter1631- I know you posted this along time ago but if you still have any questions about where to shore fish let me know. I graduated from LaCrosse last August and fished the area pretty hard. I could give you tons of spots to go very close.

[LaXCarp]

Uwleagle...I wouldnt mind chatting with you about some LaX walleyes. I'm in my senior year here and know of a few areas but I know theres a lot more...I have a lot of free time this spring so I'll be hitting it hard.

[uwleagle]

LaXCrap- I'll help ya out. First of all what spots do you know about already and do you have access to a boat at all? I fished from shore my first few years I went to school there and we caught some walleyes but I wouldnt even say we ever hammered them. My senior year me and my roomates had access to a boat and we did awsome. If you are looking for walleyes you pretty much should be heading to the Genoa dam or the Dresbach dam. Several other areas where I have got lucky and caught one but dont think their are enough there to target them. Also if you are interested in bass fishing at all I know several spots from shore where we did very good. I'm more of a walleye fisherman but I will fish for whatever biting. Send me an email at [email protected] and I will write you back with a bunch of spots to fish.

[mrcrowley138]

I grew up in La Crosse (now going to school at St. Cloud Sate)and I will be back there April 18-20 then it's back for good in May because I start at UW-L next fall. I would love to know some good walleye spots from shore since I don't always have access to a boat. Do you think the good action at the dam will be done when I come home in late April?

[uwleagle]

I think the best walleye fishing will be over, but you'll still be able to catch some. The fishing should be great for bass. My favorite walleye spot from shore was at the Dresbach dam. Their are two boat landings, go to the one further south and you should be able to see a long rock wall sticking out straight south. Walk out to the very end of it and cast on the current break. This is where I had the best luck for walleyes from shore while I went to LaCrosse. Mornings and evenings were always the best. If the water is high the rock wall could be underwater though. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[mrcrowley138]

 Originally Posted By: uwleagle

I think the best walleye fishing will be over, but you'll still be able to catch some. The fishing should be great for bass. My favorite walleye spot from shore was at the Dresbach dam. Their are two boat landings, go to the one further south and you should be able to see a long rock wall sticking out straight south. Walk out to the very end of it and cast on the current break. This is where I had the best luck for walleyes from shore while I went to LaCrosse. Mornings and evenings were always the best. If the water is high the rock wall could be underwater though. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Do you (or anyone else) have any input on the pike situation this time of year?

[uwleagle]

I could tell you where to catch them by the Dresbach dam but it sounds like you wont be there for awhile. We usd to catch them in the bay next to the lock. We would put waders on and walk the weedy shorline. caught lots of them but mostly smaller ones. Biggest one I saw was a 36 incher, but i know people get them way bigger in there.