lake tetonka walleye

[RockinHerda]

was out braving the wind last night trying for walleye. trolled with a bottom bouncer and worm on the big rock bar in the bay by the landing. in 2 hours we caught 20 something 11-12 inch walleyes.

so my question is this. is there any walleye with size to be had? it was a fun night, but we didn't keep any for supper. any suggestions. thanks!

[TruthWalleyes]

Tons of numbers and all small!!

Had this happen to me two years ago on washington. By start of June i had landed 150 walleyes, and not 1 over 15"...They've grown up over the last two years

There are certainly walleyes of size in tetonka. Fishing at night is a great time to target them. You'll find them on weedlines and pockets within the weeds.

Daytime, I'd head deeper. 20'+, but with this wind, i'd expect good bites in shallow today yet.

In your case, don't go back to fishing the same spot. I kept going back and back to the same haunts waiting for a bigger fish...but it did not happen. Time to find new areas that hold bigger fish. In South Central MN - I am one of the few who takes advantage of thermocline walleyes. Lots of big girls hiding in wide open basins. Shouldn't be more than a few short weeks until that magical line shows up on my graph!

[MattL]

There are plenty of decent size walleyes in Tetonka, the hard part is finding them . For the most part, as mentioned above, you have to fish the weeds hard and try to keep the sheephead away long enough for the walleyes to bite. I had several good days out there this past winter. Here are a couple of my better pics...

[Matt C]

Tetonka has no walleye over 13 inches....I swear!

But as stated above and I agree, work the weed line, and you will be rewarded. In my experience out there, if your not catching weeds in every pass, you will NOT catch a walleye.

[Comit 2]

I think I would look for a new bait. One that the big fish like! It sounds like you have the small fish bait pretty much nailed down.

You have found the Walleyes comfort zone as in water temp, light and cover. Where can you find areas like that on other parts of the lake?

If you found small Walleyes big Walleyes can't be far off. Try a 3 way rig with a floating Rapla at the same speed as your bottom bouncers. Don't try to force them to eat worms. It won't work. If the big Walleyes want something bigger, give them something bigger!

Take the next step!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you found Walleyes great, big or small. Go through you tackle box and see what all you can get them to hit on. Improve your fishing skills.

[hawkeye43]

try leaches. I used worms and a buddy used leaches. I got out fished 5 to 1, didn't take long for me to switch. we fished very shallow water.

[thore]

Im a firm believer this time of year walleyes travel together in the same year class. If you pick a couple of dinks of the same structure move not to the opposite end of the lake or anything but somewhere else. Sometimes those ultra aggressive dinks are I hate to say it a neusance when all else fails throw on a 5" hollowbody swimbait and see what happens. Doug Stange would be proud.

[Comit 2]

Quote:

when all else fails throw on a 5" hollowbody swimbait and see what happens. Doug Stange would be proud.

Or a #5 or #7 Shad Rap at the weed line Or troll #4 Hornets. The list gos on and on and on. The point is don't get stuck doing the same thing over and over. There is a saying about people who keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.

Walleyes do stick together in age class but another age class can be 20yds down the weed line. They do mix. I have been catching fingerlings and 19" Walleyes in the same area. I've been catching the 19" Walleyes on baits the size of the Fingerlings.

[Yooperguy]

The muskies must of ate all the big ones.

[smeese]

Yup thats the logic everyone has when they can't catch em

[Yooperguy]

Umm.. so your saying thier not size selective like the walleyes top preditor, humans?

[smeese]

No I am just sayin that they did not eat all of the big ones. There is only a few Muskie in this lake anyways so I really think it is not a factor.......along with an easy excuse if you can't catch any Eye's...Nor do I think that many humans keep the bigger ones for eating, but maybe an occasional trophy.

[luckycrank]

oh please!!! spare me.. the Dnr didn't cater to the minority group or those with special interests and instead did what was right.

Now every tetonka thread will get high jacked by haters.. too typical!

be patient you'll get your way. mean while go to french. theres one every hundred sqaure feet of water you can't fish walleyes with out catching one

...weird... huh ???????????????

[luckycrank]

Umm.. so your saying thier not size selective like the walleyes top preditor, humans?

muskies must be on the bottom because im not sure any body keeps them.

[Yooperguy]

oh please!!! spare me.. the Dnr didn't cater to the minority group or those with special interests and instead did what was right.

Now every tetonka thread will get high jacked by haters.. too typical!

be patient you'll get your way. mean while go to french. theres one every hundred sqaure feet of water you can't fish walleyes with out catching one

...weird... huh ???????????????

Ok my first post was oozing with sarcazm, note the smirk. Second I do think most of the reason you can't get big eyes in Southern MN is becouse of anglers. I was on Tetonka on opener and saw numerous boats keeping the 12 inch walleye fingers. These are next years eaters not todays. Last but certainly not least is if you name all of the best walleye lakes in the state they all have one thing in common, muskies! Heck French is one of the best walleye lakes in Southern MN and guess what? I don't have to sort through 8 sheepshead for every one walleye and I catch better walleyes on average. Weird. I haven't been to Fox but I do hear similar reports. And Yes I think the DNR and (others) did cater to spetial interests, in fact I know they did.

I wish that we had a few lakes in Southern MN that had walleye slots so a guy could catch quality eyes like you do in some of the northern lakes.

[luckycrank]

Agreed! on the slots . I wasn't implying that they target specifically walleyes , but in fact but they will eat them if giving the opportunity. the'll eat about anything.(including my leeches) I really would like to know how the heck you catch walleye in french without spending time cranking in 5+ lb sheephead.

matter of fact fished it yesterday evening after the storms nearly landed two muskies and was clipped of by both while fishing for walleyes.

Hence why I get a little apprehensive when the term managed muskies comes along there is no management plan.. only a stocking of muskies. which IMO french is over populated with muskies.

I spent my child hood there. fished muskies almost exclusivley till I was about 25. and no longer due.

I understand that it gets boring fishing the same old lake for muskies, And a fresh peice of water would be nice.

geographicly muskie fisherman chose a bad hobby ,for example if I want to fish for sturgeon I guess I better plan on traveling.

[Yooperguy]

So what are you exactly a spetialist of, misinformation? Here's look at this.http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_wildlife/fisheries/species/muskie/MUE_Tetonka.pdf

You will find that Tetonka was slated for about half of the muskies stocked than french and is about twice the size. Also your traveling arguement is bogus being most if not all the lakes down here never had walleye populations, but were bass and pan fish lakes.

But enough about muskies, I just want you to get your facts straight. I still think at least 3 lakes in this area should have slots for walleyes. I think it would be interesting to see what we could grow down here.

[luckycrank]

exactly enough about muskies! I feel like im argueing over asian carp same principle anyway. there both a nuisance and both considered trash in my opinion. and neither belong in lake tetonka

[Comit 2]

Quote:

there both a nuisance and both considered trash in my opinion. and neither belong in lake tetonka

So we know why you don't like talking about it.

Quote:

Second I do think most of the reason you can't get big eyes in Southern MN is becouse of anglers.

You have that right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few years back, (T,O. was posting then), The bar on the east side of the lake (Tetonka) was full of 19"+ Walleyes. I mean FULL! I work that bar for two years CPRing fish. Then one winter the word got out and fisherman camped out on the south side of the bar all winter long. I heard one fisherman say the fishing was better then in Manitoba! Well the next open water season there were no Walleyes to be had on that bar.

I have found that people who don't like other fish because they "are egg eaters", "eat all the Walleyes", "Eat all the bait fish" and so on are 99% of the time the ones who would be hoarding, given the chance.

So if fisherman would try to protect the area fishing as hard as they try to take as much as they can (harvest). We would have a lake in this area as good as any lake in "Manitoba"!!!!

And it has Muskies in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me add that I am no longer posting as Muddog because some fishermen didn't like what I had to say about Muskie hatters. Come on, how can you hate a fish?

[james_walleye]

The musky arguement that they due any damage to a walleye population is a complete farce. Name the top musky lakes in this state, they all have one thing in common. They are all great, if not right up there as the best walleye lakes as well. The same thing goes for the crappies in French. Every couple years the crappie population doesn't seem to be there and you hear people harp that the muskys are crashing the population. Then miraculously 2 years later the muskys stop eating them and the crappie fishing is outstanding. Every lake in that area is cyclical regarding crappies but people either don't know that our more than likely they just ignore it. I'm not a musky guy either. I caught one by accident 2 years ago on green bay and thats the extent of my musky encounters.

[fishhunter197]

I caught and released a 16" and a 26" walleye at our last tourny of the year last year on tatonka. We didnt catch any prefishing so it was a suprise.

[smeese]

Sure they did, the DNR catered to the spear chuckers.....your right though we will get what we want in time. But why go to French when I can fish the ones that are already in there.

oh please!!! spare me.. the Dnr didn't cater to the minority group or those with special interests and instead did what was right.

Now every tetonka thread will get high jacked by haters.. too typical!

be patient you'll get your way. mean while go to french. theres one every hundred sqaure feet of water you can't fish walleyes with out catching one

...weird... huh ???????????????

[pikerliker]

I've only fished Tetonka a couple of times (with no success). It is a beautiful lake though in my opinion. I hope the eye's make a comeback as I could see myself really enjoying this lake if I could figure out how to find the eyes.

[smeese]

Tetonka is my favorite lake. The clarity in the winter is amazing.

[luckycrank]

Tetonka is by far my favorite lake also , it does get a fair amount of pressure.

Musky stocking and Designation will only add pressure. which is great for waterville bussiness but not sure of a benefit to the fisheriy .

I realize it does have muskies in it as does Roderds,Cannon and Im sure others ,heck I've caught a couple out of the straight river.

However these lakes are not recognized by the general public as being a muskie fishery. and the population is minimal

how long has tetonka had them anyway ? I caught one out of the king mill dam in faribault 15 yrs ago that was 42" how'd did it get there? use your imagination.

please explain to me how they catered to spearchuckers ?

[smeese]

I am done going off topic for something that does not really matter. If you want to chat PM me or meet me at the lake someday. I would rather fish for them then argue about them anyways. As far as catering goes, I am sure you know what I mean, I spear too so don't think I am hating on a group in particular. Back to the walleye's

[hawkeye43]

Smeese, Please tell me how the DNR catar to spearfisherman??

[smeese]

No point in getting a worthy walleye thread locked. I am sure you know the story better then me being a local. PM me if you care to chat. Heading to the lake we all care so much about for now. Tight lines!

[Comit 2]

Quote:

However these lakes are not recognized by the general public as being a muskie fishery. and the population is minimal

how long has tetonka had them anyway ? I caught one out of the king mill dam in faribault 15 yrs ago that was 42" how'd did it get there? use your imagination.

please explain to me how they catered to spearchuckers ?

A lot of people are under the impression that if it was recognized as a Musky lake they couldn't spear Northern Pike (or have to remain sober and not spear Muskies). I wonder who would spread that kind of misinformation around???????????

I can do this until I get kicked off this site again!

[luckycrank]

wasn't it just a few years back that the lifted the spearing ban on french? Anyway its as good as done anyway if they havent gave up on it yet.