Walleye in my area

Ok, having lived here two years now, I find myself struggling and feeling a little desperate. I know walleye, and if I can find them I can generally catch my share, but locally I find myself struggling to get on many. Through research and sneaking suspicion, I think a large part of my problem is that I’m fishing water that doesn’t necessarily have a real solid population, making it even harder.
My question is this: In my area, say, within a 45 minute drive, what would you guys say in your opinion would be your top three picks for walleye, both for numbers and quality. I don’t want your waypoints, or your great Grandpappies secret gravel bar-I’m just looking at getting pointed towards some of the better quality water here locally. I’ll do the work from there. Yes, I know, 45 minutes of driving from my area encompasses a HUGE number of lakes and streams…one of the reasons I’m asking this. I can turn myself inside out trying to decide where I’m going to go any given day…
Any tips or suggestions would be great, PM if you like!
Thanks! -Rev

Good Morning Rev!!

Not sure everyone knows “Your Area” in reference.

Good luck in your search man.

Rhinelander-(ish) Wisconsin–sorry! I don’t even want to hear that I should move to your area Chris…already thought of that! (It WOULD be sweet, I miss that area)
If I even mention moving to the wife, I get “the look”.

Hey Rev!
Save yourself a lot of frustration and hire a guide…even for a couple 1/2 days…You’ll go about 20 years up on the learning curve.
You will pick up on patterns and presentations…all walleye waters do not fish the same. I have taken several guided trips on P-4 and P-2 over the years and I do pretty well because of the fabulous info that the guides impart.

Rev – Fish the Wisconsin river. Mohawksin is a Wisconsin river impoundment just a little west of you. I fish that every chance I get when I visit the out laws in Tomahawk and always catch a few walleye. If I were you I would fish that river with reckless abandon. Start below the dams and then work any tributaries and railroad tressels that feed the main river. Talk to the bait shop ownwers. Buy bait ask questions, the guy at Aquatic Arts is very helpfull to me in Tomahawk.

If I were you I would walk into a local bait shop and ask that very question while buying something. Then buy your bait there. The info will keep getting better.

i’m going to X2 Gursky. The minimal cost of a guide will trim YEARS of searching on your own. No sense in re-inventing the wheel here. Sure the bait shop guys will help, but do that too. The guide doesn’t get tipped unless he teaches you something and he knows that…

If you buy a guide, find the best one in the area. Even if it cost a little more. I would do a half day late spring / early summer than another 1/2 day in the fall on a different body of water. Ask him a bunch of questions. I should be at the in-laws 4th of July week if you want to hit Mohawksin one AM. I don’t know the lake real well but I seem to find some nice walleye in the spots I do know. PM if you are interested….

don’t forget the WIDNR web site. You can search the lakes in your area and it will give you the population densities of each species, some lakes have more info than others. I would start there.

Bigpike mentioned Tomahawk area and Lake Alice has been good for Walleye and crappies. Also try the Rainbow and Willow Flowage. I caught some keeper eyes and nice perch on the Rainbow on the opener.

Eagle river chain is good.

Isnt Rhinelander a fairly small town? Just talk to people.

rev:

I wouldn’t feel just too bad at this time, as it sounds like the masses including some of the better guys I know are struggling to find fish. I am not sure why as they should be in one of two places at this time. If you can’t find them on shoreline areas just off the spawning locations, go to the nearest flat looking for weeds in 4′-8′ of water. Cast a crank or even fish a light jig w/ plastic to search and then once you have found some fish, slow down.

I will always second Mr. Gursky’s notion as I have appreciated guides help in every way… Scott Biscobing and Norm Wildes would be my choice for guides in the Rhinelander area.

All of the bodies of water that have been mentioned are great bodies of water featuring decent fish stocks and warmer waters. On the flowages don’t discount any wood you can find either. You can troll on the Rainbow and Willow if that might help you shorten the learning curve.

I talked with Jim Stewart from the Musky Shop yesterday and he told me most are finding their fish on the shallow side of that shallow side of the 4-8…

Mark

Thanks guys, all good suggestions! I’ve thought about a couple of half days with a guide to pick their brain several times–it’s just not going to happen this year. Wife and I went from two to one income recently, and I just can’t justify it. The kids need new shoes-literally.
For now, it’ll come down to word of mouth, time on the water, and listening hard anytime I hear the word “fish”.

Sorry it took so long to respond-it seems that my work took it upon themselves to block this url there! Must not be any fisherman in the IT department.
-Rev

Kentuck