A week left--where the $&#$ are the walleyes?!

[YooperTroll]

...cuz I'm about ready to put a pic of them on milk cartons. If anyone has had a recent close encounter with this legendary creature, the walleye (or even the Loch Ness monster for that matter), pm me with any pertinent details

[The Bait Shop Guy]

I'm still getting them off the Gladstone harbor. Caught two in the 18-19 inch range last night, and missed 4 other bites. Buddy of mine was limited out by 5:30. Sunday and Monday I zeroed, and Diane got one undersized fish. Some nights they bite, some nights they don't.

[duckiller2]

Yooper Last night we put 17 eyes in the shack had our limit by 5:55 started at 4:30 and caught the first keeper within 2 mins of set up. 12 were over 15 5 small ones to go for seed next year. #9 parrot and #9 fire tiger Naked were all we used did not try anything else.

[muskie54]

Duckkiller- U fishing south of Gladstone too? Just wondering because we have been having similar success on the upper bay. This year is really odd for us...catching all the 15-20" eater size fish. Normally we catch very few, but they are big. This year it seems like we are into one heck of a year class. Haven't managed a 10lber yet.

[duckiller2]

With out alerting 5,000 people I will say North of Kippling
Lots of 13-20 in fish this year 127 in the shack to be exact. Down from 209 last year

Sorry for being so vague, but when people come sit right next to me then no one gets any fish Pressure seems to matter lots of times we catch more with 1 rod in the shack then if we fish 2. Last night was the exception I caught 13 friends got 4. fished mulitple poles last night. Did not matter as long as you had technique

Never have fished south hard to try a new spot when I am catching fish north time is short and I want to catch them not move around to try to find them some where else. If it is not broke don't try to fix it right?

[YooperTroll]

Okay, this is what I was afraid of: It's me

Maybe next year I'd like to go out with you one time, duckkiller (or Chris), just to watch what you're doing. I have no interest in crowding someone's spot (I pretty much know where you're at, anyway, duck, from running into you the other night...don't have any interest in sitting up next to you or putting out a sign for others). I'm convinced it's me and my technique and I need to improve that. Once I do get the technique down, the rest will take care of itself without me having to crowd anyone.

Besides, I'm too proud to crowd!

This is my first serious year fishing the bay for winter walleye, so I understand there is a learning curve. I'm cool with that. Been putting in my time, paying my dues, learning something new each time out. But I've always had a spotty commitment to the walleye this winter...keep gravitating back to the perch in there.

Appreciate the tips, fellas.

[CrankYanker]

I like to jig 2-3 ft off bottom sometimes higher. When an active fish comes up they usually bite right away. I have found that when they don't bite right away you need to keep the bait moving. It either interest them to chase or they leave... the fish that leave I think were not going to bite anyway so the hell with them! much easier to target the active fish than neutral or negative ones. There are the times when nothing works as every fisherman knows... raps have been my go to lure this year. I usually use spoons this time of year but this year the raps are still doing the trick...

[YooperTroll]

I like to jig 2-3 ft off bottom sometimes higher. When an active fish comes up they usually bite right away. I have found that when they don't bite right away you need to keep the bait moving. It either interest them to chase or they leave... the fish that leave I think were not going to bite anyway so the hell with them! much easier to target the active fish than neutral or negative ones. There are the times when nothing works as every fisherman knows... raps have been my go to lure this year. I usually use spoons this time of year but this year the raps are still doing the trick...

Good stuff--thanks, Crank.

I actually have a lot of fun learning this stuff. I know it's coming.

[Jess]

I'm no pro but I do learn things every year so here goes. Electronics are invaluable to see how the fish react to your presentation. If you don't have some I'd recommend getting some. Jigging rap has been my go to bait almost always, but even more this year. Last year this time I was hammering them on spoons. This year they won't even look. The last few times I was out I would mark quite a few fish, but couldn't get them to bite jigging like I normally do, kinda aggressive but not crazy. Last time out I switched it up and tried jigging like a crazy man and it worked. I mean jigging so hard and fast that my wrist got sore with #9 rap. That's what would get them to bite. Finally buy a good map or get a good chart on your GPS and just study it. Look for good structure and give it a try, especially if there's not many other people there, get away from the crowds seems to be very important especially this year. Good luck!

[YooperTroll]

I'm no pro but I do learn things every year so here goes. Electronics are invaluable to see how the fish react to your presentation. If you don't have some I'd recommend getting some. Jigging rap has been my go to bait almost always, but even more this year. Last year this time I was hammering them on spoons. This year they won't even look. The last few times I was out I would mark quite a few fish, but couldn't get them to bite jigging like I normally do, kinda aggressive but not crazy. Last time out I switched it up and tried jigging like a crazy man and it worked. I mean jigging so hard and fast that my wrist got sore with #9 rap. That's what would get them to bite. Finally buy a good map or get a good chart on your GPS and just study it. Look for good structure and give it a try, especially if there's not many other people there, get away from the crowds seems to be very important especially this year. Good luck!

Thanks, Jess. I did get an HB 385ci halfway through the season--and that has been really educational. I haven't gotten a map card for it yet, but that's coming when I do soft water fishing this spring. I have a hand-held gps and a hard-copy map of the bay...overall I'm getting to know the upper bay (Gladstone-north) pretty well. I have been pulling some followers on the graph...no consistency yet in closing the deal. But it's coming.

[muskie54]

Thanks Duck- Just an observation about the eater size fish...seems crazy this year. Yooper- just keep at it. My dad has been fishing up there with me now for 17 years. Some years he doesn't do well, but every now and then he sticks a 10-12 pounder and that makes it all worth it-for him and me. It will happen.

[Jighead]

ask perch "n" eyes, he kept 167 walleye and 300+ perch this year, plus pike and whatever else. I suppose with a 5 a day limit on walleye, that's only 32+ days worth of keepers and 344 walleye fillets and 700+ perch fillets. Over a 4 month period you would have to eat a little under 3 walleye and 6 perch fillets a day to keep up.