Interesting the Uninterested Walleyes

[BradB]

My fish house is in a spot where there are a lot of walleyes, most of them large. The first 24 hours it was on the spot I caught two 27's, a 22, and a 19.5" fish. They fell prey to jigging spoons, one maybe a shiner on a rattle wheel.

Since the first 24 hours the fishing has slowed dramatically. The fish still move through, come and look at the bait, but move off. Last night I rented a camera to see what was going on and I observed these fish. Lots of walleyes. Always a big walleye on the screen. No perch whatsoever.

They seemed to come in groups, suspended maybe 2-3 feet off the bottom. They did a lot of suspending and little swimming. As night drew closer vast clouds of zooplankton came drifting through, first from the south, and then from the north. I believe the fish were somehow associating with the edges of this zooplankton cloud. I did not see minnows or perch relating to the cloud, but the walleyes were in the area. No rattles went off, no presentations looked attractive.

WTF? I have to believe it is good to have your house where the fish are. But there must be something I can do? Does anyone have experience with this zooplankton and walleyes relating to it?

[fishfearme]

I'm seeing the same thing in my house. Walleyes all day long coming through 4 - 7 feet off bottom. I can't makem hit either. Have caught all my fish from 12 midnight till 8:30am, nothing the rest of the day. The perch are down there by the thousands also. They don't even scatter when the walleyes come through.

------------------
Shut up and fish!

[BradB]

That is quite interesting. 4-7 feet off bottom, and schools of perch. I'm at the top of a 20' gravel bar and I see them just a few feet off the bottom. There are zero perch where I am. Walleyes and sculpins during the day, some pout at night.

Have you seen these walleyes eating? Are they eating the perch you see? I'm not sure what they are doing under me, as they are not feeding. Just checking out the view, I guess.

I'm going to take the portable this weekend and try some adjacent spots to see what I can learn. I sure wish I had my new camera, but I've been waiting the "1-2 weeks" for Marcum to ship the OVS-560 since the second day of the Saint Paul show.

[Mongro02]

BradB,

you mentioned renting a camera...where'd you rent one from? Just interested in renting one too.

[BradB]

I rented from Mac's Twin Bay. I've also rented before from Vados in Spring Lake Park.

[Scott Steil]

It depends where you are set up. The walleye seem to be cruising the same depth not matter how deep of water you are sitting in. Last week I caught several BIG fish 16 ft off the bottom. Big fish act much differently than little fish. If you start thinking like big walleye do, you will get a few biters. With all the big fish in the lake they are kind of starting to remind me of Great Lakes walleye.

------------------
Mille Lacs Guide Service
(320)293-3287
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Crossin' Eyes]

Hey Scott.
Can you be more specific about "thinking like a big walleye" to get them to bite?
Sounds like a lot of guys are seeing fish and having trouble getting a bite.

------------------
Good Fishin!
Crossin

[Scott Steil]

Crossin, I can't give away all my secrets, it is not good for guide business.LOL

But, big walleye don't act like your typical small walleye. Often times these fish suspend looking for forage. They can be found very shallow as well as very deep. I know this isn't telling you much but sitting on a piece of structure where you are seeing a lot of small fish isn't the key to getting fish to go on Mille Lacs this year. Well, at least the big ones.

When I look for big fish on Mille Lacs I go to one of two places. One, the area they feed or two the areas they use when they are not feeding. These areas are much different they typical small fish areas.

------------------
Mille Lacs Guide Service
(320)293-3287
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[BradB]

I tried 7" sucker minnows this weekend in my quest to figure out what a big walleye thinks like. I was able to hook a 19 incher with such a minnow. I also caught a 24 on a 3 inch fathead, so I don't know if there is any relation.

I'm not sure how big walleyes think, and I suspect there is much to learn.