Any tips for catching fish when forage is abundant?

I had my eye on a walleye and perch lake for awhile and today I got out to fish it. I walked on with my sled and setup on a 8ft point that had 20ft water around it hoping I could get the best of the walleye and perch bite. After drilling some holes I noticed that there were freshwater shrimp everywhere in all my holes.

As I fished I noticed that the marks on the vex would approach my bait, follow it 2ft up the water column and head back to the bottom only to come back after I lowered it back towards the bottom. I tried a number of different baits and lures to entice a bite but nothing really produced. I caught 1 6in perch off a buck shot rattle spoon, tip’d with minnow head.

I was hoping the evening bite for walleyes on the shallow point would produce but nothing moved onto the point. I had 13 holes scattered across this point and couldn’t get a fish on the vex in any of the holes. Even the perch had left. I had 3 tip-ups with minnows, and was using a glow buckshot rattle spoon for the walleyes.

Does anyone have any advice so I can re-approach it? Or just say f-it and move onto the next lake?

If you caught one on a rattle, I would try some more options that make noise. Maybe try going into it and present it a little differently, i.e. maybe not raise it up and make them chase it but rather leave it at one level when they are approaching. And possibly take the bait and let it fall into the bottom to stir it up in order to draw them in for a closer look. Lastly red spikes may also work well if you haven’t tried them. Different presentations may be the key.

Fishing in a food rich environment is challenging, particularly in the winter. In this situation I’ve always done best by going with X Large baits with gaudy paint jobs, rattles… lots of vibration. Any time I’ve tried to slow down and tempt the fish with livebait I’ve fallen flat on my face. So I’d recommend large flutter-style spoons like the 3/16th Tingler, Rippin Rap, bladebait, etc. over a small spoon and minnow head or livebait under a bobber. Fish fast and aggressive and try to pick off any aggressive fish that might be coming in to snack at the buffet.