Early Season Walleye Fishing on Lake Pepin and Mille Lacs | S14 E21

  • Jakob
    Keymaster
    Rogers
    Posts: 1282
    #1931183

    Season 14 Episode 21 is available on YouTube!

    A two part show from last May where James Holst and Pat McSharry get on a great Shad Rap walleye bite on Lake Pepin. Calvin Svihel joins Pat for an awesome multi species pitching bite on Mille Lacs during the same timeframe.

    Walleyestudent Andy Cox
    Garrison MN-Mille Lacs
    Posts: 4484
    #1931184

    Thanks again for posting this up so quick again Jakob.

    Just like last Sunday, I sleeping in late again this morning so I missed the FSN broadcast.

    I’ll be watching this shortly. peace

    Jakob
    Keymaster
    Rogers
    Posts: 1282
    #1931189

    No problem Andy!

    mojogunter
    Posts: 3299
    #1931424

    I have a question about the Pepin part. It was said that you were trolling 3-3.5 MPH. Were you heading with the current that fast? I have never trolled that fast other than muskie fishing. I have maybe trolled at 2.5mph, but anything over that the baits I was pulling wouldn’t run that fast. I wasn’t running a shad rap though.

    buckybadger
    Upper Midwest
    Posts: 8127
    #1931446

    I have a question about the Pepin part. It was said that you were trolling 3-3.5 MPH. Were you heading with the current that fast? I have never trolled that fast other than muskie fishing. I have maybe trolled at 2.5mph, but anything over that the baits I was pulling wouldn’t run that fast. I wasn’t running a shad rap though.

    2.5mph is a starting point for me with most of my running being right at 3mph on Pool 4.

    With regards to current, the area he was fishing in the video isn’t an area that has much current (unless my eyes were failing me on where he was). When pulling in areas with current, I adjust accordingly. 1.0-1.5 mph into a current has always seemed to be about right for me. We are primarily running shad raps and flicker shads. Be sure to tune your baits as any issues are just amplified at 3.0+mph

    mojogunter
    Posts: 3299
    #1931554

    I never fish down there in the summer. Only fall, winter, and early spring. Cold water into the current I am normally .5-.8. On the lake is different. Then I normally start at 1.8 mph. I never pull that fast, and I should mention I do a fair amount of pulling cranks. Something to think about to troll faster.

    Tom P.
    Whitehall Wi.
    Posts: 3518
    #1931660

    Mid summer on Pepin not unusual to be trolling 3.5mph varying to almost 5mph doing this your Crankbait`s have be tuned almost to perfection it is my go to when the Shad are thicker then thieves looking for a reaction bite.

    Ross Gunderson
    Posts: 112
    #1931697

    Is he says add 3-3.5mph plus current going with the current or 3-3.5 including the current? Thanks guys.

    steveo
    W Central Sconnie
    Posts: 4102
    #1931969

    boy, this show brings back lots of memories when I fished with James and Dustin back in the day! We used to cast those smaller shad raps right up to the bushes and the fish would just crush them.

    James Holst
    Keymaster
    SE Minnesota
    Posts: 18926
    #1932323

    Is he says add 3-3.5mph plus current going with the current or 3-3.5 including the current? Thanks guys.

    The current on Lake Pepin along the shorelines is inconsequential. I don’t factor current speed into my trolling speed.

    We typically start the speed trolling program mid-May once water temps hit 63 degrees. As the water temps warm we increase the trolling speeds and the size of the crankbaits used. It is not uncommon to hit 4 mph by mid-June and to need to upsize to a #7 shad rap or to switch over to Jointed Shad Raps for a bait that offers a more aggressive action.

    3+ mph trolling speeds are only “fast” to anglers used to sub-2mph trolling speeds. To a walleye, or any fish for that matter, “catching” a bait moving at 4 mph is a walk in the park. Pun intended. waytogo

    James Holst
    Keymaster
    SE Minnesota
    Posts: 18926
    #1932327

    boy, this show brings back lots of memories when I fished with James and Dustin back in the day! We used to cast those smaller shad raps right up to the bushes and the fish would just crush them.

    When you’ve got high water and a wind rolling into that flooded brush it can be pretty epic. I can recall countless times Dustin would have his boat anchored on upwind on one side of the flooded brush, I’d have my boat anchored on the other, with clients casting #5 shad raps out the back of the boat. We’d catch 30 – 50 fish per boat with some big fish mixed in and never have to move an inch. When the conditions come together this post-spawn pattern is one of my favorites.

    steveo
    W Central Sconnie
    Posts: 4102
    #1932415

    waytogo

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