Tricking the walleyes into biting

[BradB]

I've been seeing good numbers of walleyes on the camera, but can't seem to get them to bite. They'll swim right up to any of my presentations and look at it, but I can't seem to figure out how to keep them from looking and swimming away without a nibble. I've tried big spoons, little spoons, all colors, jigging raps, rattling spoons, minnow heads, whole minnows (big and small), waxies, and have jigged both aggressively and in subtle ways.

Certainly it has a lot to do with them being full, as I can see big schools of bait fish swimming around. And maybe it is just impossible to get a full walleye to bite. But I'm wondering if any of you have figured out how to get them to chomp.

[late night]

GILL NET!!!!!!!!!!

[fishgutz77]

The lake your fishing can have a lot to do with color so let's leave that out for now. when fish get negative to neutral I always down size to the smallest buckshot I have and go with the crappie minnow head, then my best success has been very aggressive jigging but not big sweeping actions just in their face hard and steady. all of a sudden the line will go slack and wham their on. If your fishing with the camera play a slow game of keep away no quick moves as soon as you see the fish come in start the slow pull up with little to no jigging do not let him size the bait up. this has been what's worked for me in mostly clear water. at least your seeing them, good luck.

[gopher_nation]

Thats the million dollar question on Mille Lacs this year.

[ddp]

I was up there last weekend and we used the biggest shinners we had, that is if you can find them these days but that is a whole different subject. I caught my 28 incher on a 6 inch shinner on a plane hook. I missed 2 more on saturday with the same setup. They were biting really lite... just mouthing it. We did try smaller shinners but they would just nudge it. Maybe it was just timing. Who knows. It was fun to watch on the camera. At times we had 6-8 walleyes swimming around. They seemed to come in around 4:30 or so.

[BradB]

I'll try big shiners on a plain hook, and tiny spoons with crappie heads this weekend. I may have jigged too aggressively and that might have spooked them. But I saw the same response with my deadlines.

Last year I started using the smallest Swedish pimple (in different colors) with the hooks changed out to Gamikatsu red treble hooks on my rattle reels and that worked very well. I watched a few fish come up to that presentation on my deadlines and they would quickly dart away. I thought it might be that I switched my leaders from 4# Seaguar fluorocarbon to 8# Fireline MicroIce and maybe they could see it.

I'll be experimenting more all weekend and will report anything that might help you guys.

[MidCoast]

I think the walleyes are too full.. Perhaps they have too much food already to eat, and isnt very hungry. It is a tough bite out there.

[BradB]

 Originally Posted By: MidCoast

I think the walleyes are too full.. Perhaps they have too much food already to eat, and isnt very hungry. It is a tough bite out there.

I agree that they are too full to be aggressive, but they still zoom in on my baits. I put that down to instinct, and I want to figure out what triggers that instinct to get them to bite. They've already made the effort to swim over to see what I'm offering. Since they've detoured off their merry way to see my shiny thing, I'm just asking for that last little open mouth inhalation.

[gopher_nation]

 Originally Posted By: BradB

I thought it might be that I switched my leaders from 4# Seaguar fluorocarbon to 8# Fireline MicroIce and maybe they could see it.

I have switched all my leaders from 6# Crystal to 6# Vanish and have gotten more bites. I think it's critical in that clear water to hide your line. My Aqua-Vu sealed the deal, Crystal is seen clearly, where flouro is almost invisible.

[ec30_06]

Try small suckers about 2 feet off the bottom. They are full of perch but they might take a meal that is that easy. We got a few on shiners too. Might want to check some shallow water. Seems like the ones that come up shallow are looking for an easy meal.