Artificial baits for walleyes/panfish

Hello, I am a longtime reader, and first time visitor to the Turtle. I will be up next week. I fish primarily out of the Port of Kenosha for salmon and trout on lake michigan, but i try to make at least a couple trips each year for inland lake fish. If anyone has questions or wants to fish on lake michigan with me, just let me know and i am happy to help!

My question is about artificial baits...i will be travelling the turtle with my girlfriend, and we will be canoeing to the various island campsites on the flowage. As such, we will have a small cooler but i would not expect the ice to last more than a day, so crawlers or live bait will be pretty tough to keep alive.

Does anyone have any good advice for catching 'eyes on artificials in this area? If not, i plan to bring my normal crank baits, and some jigs with gulp bait, but i will not be able to access much live bait, and we are aiming to eat fish while camping, so hopefully there is a chance to get some 'eyes or panfish on lures or jigs.

IF anyone has any insight into this, i would love to talk more or hear what you have to say. Thank you in advance, and i appreciate any advice! I know it is a huge lake and we will have to do some hunting to find active fish, but hopefully you can lend some advice about artificial baits...

Paul

sinking rapalas are good as any to use.

I've heard good things about gulp! up there. How in the world are you going to keep your beer cold!

All our group does on the TFF is cast artificials. With up to 10 guys on a trip and all of us casting, we have narrowed the lure buying process. For instance, there are about 10 to 12 lures that we all make sure we have several of before leaving home.

My favirorites are -

2' to 6' of water -- Bomber Long A's (jointed if you can them), #5 Shad Raps, or # 7 Shallow Shad Raps (Perch, Firetiger, Gold), or #5 Flicker Shads

6' to 9' of water -- #7 Perch Shad Rap (same colors), 1/8 oz. long shank jigs with 4" twister tails (white and silver fleck are my favorite colors) or 4" Gulp Minnows, small Silver or Gold Hot n' Tots, # 7 Flicker Shad

9' to 14' of water -- Clown or Gold Spoonbill Rebels, 1/4 oz. jigs with the same trailers, Walleye Divers (Perch or Chartreuse), #9 or #11 Countdown Rapalas, #9 Shad Raps, larger Hot n' Tots, Tail Dancers, and 4" Thumper baits (I like the new Storm bait with the treble hook on the bottom)

We use other baits as wsell, but since you'll be in a canoe, this is a short list.

Enjoy the trip and I hope you have fairly calm weather.

Good Luck.

thanks a lot for the pointers. That is extremely helpful, and i agree the warm beer will have to make us think creatively about the situation. I really appreciate the advice. I will hope to find some good shoreline and will keep safety as the #1 priority.

Is there any specific approach that you use in the hot july months? I have 4 and 6 lb test on those rods...should be ok unless anyone suggests something better?

thanks fellas!

If I was you, I would change to 8 lb line on all my reels. The water is stained and 4 lb is too light (6 lb is marginal), unless you're just made of money and don't mind losing lures like crazy. You will encounter snags while casting and as you drift over the snagged lure, you will need to apply pressure to free it. Using 8 lb line allows you to do that and get almost every lure back to cast another day.

As the wind pushes you along, try to cast with the wind as much as possible. Then if you do snag, keep the line tight and the wind will push you over the snag without your line getting wrapped around something else. Then wait until you've passed the snag, give it a tug and usually you're free.

Or you could bring scuba gear.

A $5 lure retriever??? Pays for itself on the the first lure and then makes you money right along after that. George is right though in terms of casting with the wind and working the snag out as you drift over it. Also heavier line would be a plus.

Mark

Tie a rope (I use 80lb. courtland musky line).....to a six pack, keep the beer about 10 feet or so below the water. Wait about an hour..... yummy... cold beer!
best of luck
Chris

I was out there many years ago and saw a red bobber just floating along. Went over to pick it up and it was actually a red ball attached to the end of a long handled net. In the net was a cold 6-pack of PBR.

Might be one of my more memorable catches on the TFF. Not sure which was better though, the beer or the nice walleye I scooped up after chasing down a bobber on a different day.

You can also use superline. Great for crankbaits and great for popping small lures from snags. Go with a 20lb for a spinning reel and 30 or 40 for baitcasting.

You've pretty much got it covered with crankbaits and jig/gulp. Perch colored cranks have always treated us well up there. good luck