"first ice" walleyes

Was just curious what peoples game plan was for walleyes when we can finally get out on the ice. first ice is a little later than some years this year, and was wondering what type of structure/depth you look for along with favorite lures and baits for this time of year given the conditions.

Personally I look for shoreline structure. So different points or steep breaks. I usually start off bigger with ultra light rippin raps and 1/8 ounce or bigger spoons with minnow heads. I will drill from the top of the structure out to where it ends and even maybe 10-20 ft pasted the end of the break and start hole hopping until I find the walleyes.

thanks for the input Carter!

I agree with Carter on this one. So you know where i come from on this, I typically fish medium sized lakes about 5000 acres for first ice walleyes. We spend most of our time between 11-15 feet of water and punch a lot of holes. (Its easy to punch holes in a few inches of ice) Try to find a natural fish highway (deep weedline, depth funnel, dropoff) that they are known to cruise in the spring but just a bit deeper water. I always start with a gold slender spoon and minnow head. After you have found the fish you can see if they want other baits but id say half the time i end up just keeping the slender spoon on. Cheers.

And just following along with the previous suggestions would be starting shallow as the walleyes were feeding right off the dock before it was pulled a couple weeks ago. I fish a much larger lake than 5000 acres, but strategy is about the same.
I’d also start (and end) with gold/copper spoon with minnow head and a dead stick with jig and shiner under a slip bobber.
Being older and slower however, I wouldn’t drill lots of holes and run ‘n’ gun, but would set up in a prime location like a rock pile in the afternoon and then be waiting when they move in at sundown. If you know and time it right, so much less energy expended and they will just come to you!

thanks for all the tips guys. great info!

I’ll be checking where the wind blew before she froze up to see where that cold water might have piled up, then go opposite end. Start popping holes deep 25′ on clearer lakes with lil snow on ice during the day, and keep drilling up until I find them. On dingier lakes start more mid depth. Pretty new to ice myself but inside turns and saddles worked out pretty good last year, points not so much. Look forward to more experimenting this year.