deer lake frusteration

[largemouth_ss]

I just moved up on Deer lake 2 wks ago. After getting moved in last week I have began trying to get some fishing done. I have been out 3 times for Walleyes trying different structures and presentations. I have not caught anything to speak of. I don't expect anyone to catch them for me but I need some help. Will someone tell me what I should be trying for bait maybe a good spot to try. thanks

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If your daughter was a fish I would mount her.

[yoppdk]

Well, since you now live on Deer, you should have plenty of time ahead of you to find the fish. Deer would be my #1 choice of lakes to live on, so I count you as pretty fortunate. But Deer CAN be a bugger to fish during the day. I've had some success with walleyes during daylight hours early or late in the season, but this time of year can be frustrating. On the other hand, I was getting off Deer last Sunday after fishing 5:30 am till 1:00 pm, I loaded up ahead of a guy who said he got five walleyes. I got none, though only tried for a couple hours before switching to muskies. (0 on those, too). All I could catch while walleye fishing were bass ... they ate all my leeches by 7:00 am.

Ken's reef and a sunken islands due north (middle of the lake) of the access are good places to fish low-light hours. 15-25' deep until dark, then go shallower. A good lake map that you can pick up at L&M or bait stores will help, too.

good luck.

[bmc]

If I were you and the 'eyes weren't biting or you're looking for some mid-day action out there. Get yourself some berkley 3 or 5 inch jerk shads and some #2 hooks and hit the rock piles out there. I was out last monday and caught some nice smallies in the 1 1/2 to 3 lb range. When I've caught walleyes out there it's been from 10 pm till about 2 am. I trolled shallow running crankbaits in 5-10 feet of water.

Brian

[largemouth_ss]

I trolled cranks on weds night for eyes then thurs we bobber fished with leeches. There was all kinds of fish on the graph but none were biting. We have been fishing that western bay that goes into the river. I think 2nite I am going to try the sunken islands by the bouyes(sp?) at th e northern end of the lake by bear island.

[bmc]

If you're slip bobber fishing and marking alot of fish under the boat, odds are they're rock bass, at least that's what I've experienced out there. I was fishing the shoreline then, so maybe slip bobbing on the sunken islands might be different. I think a shiner would work better than a leech, especially after dark, but it never hurts to have both.

Brian

[leegs1]

Try the east end of Bear island by the closest buoy in 12 to 14 ft. of water. Jig a leech or use a slipbobber an hour before and after dark. If you find the crawdads on the bottom, the walleye will be there. Just north of that buoy is a hump with vegetation. Might try that also. Deer is a very tough lake to fish for walleye. Good luck.

[gkl]

I have had very good success for 'eyes on Deer by using slip bobbers after dark on the many sunken islands. There are many rock (like Center Bar off the north end of Battleship, and the many west of Bear) and some soft bottom humps that top out at 16'-25' of water. Starting at twighlight and sometimes going all night, put a jumbo leech 2-4' off the bottom with a plain red hook. I have had better luck being slightly off the top of hump (if the hump tops off at 24', look for 25-27 feet). Nightcrawlers will work, too. Befores dark, you can catch smallies doing this as well. If you put in some time doing this, you will catch walleyes. Good luck and let those big ones go!

[Wildlineman]

largemouth_ss,

Drop me an e-mail. I'll get you going!

[email protected]

Shayne