Game Plan

Over the past few years I have been getting more and more serious about my fishing, studying lake maps, trying to refine presentations, honing my skills (or lack there of). One thing that has been my biggest downfall is coming up with a good game plan, and then sticking to that game plan on game day.

I may sit and pour over maps of the lake I plan on fishing for hours and hours but when its all said and done I am still just as clueless as when I started. So I will end up throwing together some half thought out game plan and then get to the lake and be lost on what to do when my half hearted game plan didn’t come together.

Since this weekend is so dang cold I thought I would start thinking about my game plan for next weekend. I know the lake I am going to go to, a lake that has some really nice walleyes in it, the plan is to finally ice a walleye over 20″ and this lake is known for them. I am looking at the map and I am not sure where to start my search, I have a few hair brained ideas but I would love ot hear what you guys think when you look at this map. What areas you would concentrate on, and what areas you would just write off immediately.

I’d start in the east side of the upper part of the lake. There is a 6 foot flat fire low light hours, and a sharp break to the deepest basin. I’d jig spoons up and down that break

Right here.

I’d try the break alittle south of there between the 20 and the point.

Does that bottom lake flow into the top lake by chance? if so, that bottom point could be the ticket. A little current goes a long ways. Gets the micro organisms moving around, which gets the bait fish moving around, which brings the toothy critters in.

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Does that bottom lake flow into the top lake by chance? if so, that bottom point could be the ticket. A little current goes a long ways. Gets the micro organisms moving around, which gets the bait fish moving around, which brings the toothy critters in.

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no idea ive never been there before, i would assume by looking at the map that it does.

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Does that bottom lake flow into the top lake by chance? if so, that bottom point could be the ticket. A little current goes a long ways. Gets the micro organisms moving around, which gets the bait fish moving around, which brings the toothy critters in.

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I recognize the body of water that Scott is planning on fishing, but will not reveal the name. It’s a catch and release lake, allowing you to only keep one walleye over 28″. There have been many large walleyes over 26″ caught there during early ice this year.

There are no major creeks flowing into the lake and for the most part, excess water flows out of the lake in the lower southeast corner. The navigation channel connecting the north and south lakes was constructed in the winter of 2010-2011. It was constructed to allow boats to travel into the north lake. You can’t go around the east end the island due to the bulrush in this area.

The south lake is a relatively soft bottom and is bordered with common cattail and bulrush in the shallow areas.

The north side will have a harder bottom in the 16′ to 18′ range. Beside the areas that everyone has pointed out, one other area I like is the inside turn in 18′ FOW on the north side of the island.

The lake also has a growing population of perch, with a good year class of perch in the 9″ to 10.5″ range.

I’ve been on the lake many times, but always interested in hearing what others think.

Don’t overlook the basins Scott. I’ve caught some good perch over the years through the ice on the north basin.

Here’s a tip, I know of some dandy walleyes and perch caught here in some really shallow water/weeds sight fishing.

Good luck!

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Don’t overlook the basins Scott. I’ve caught some good perch over the years through the ice on the north basin.

Here’s a tip, I know of some dandy walleyes and perch caught here in some really shallow water/weeds sight fishing.

Good luck!

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Andy,

I have heard that same exact thing, on more than a few occasions now. Hopefully I will find a few eyes this weekend, the goal is to finally ice a 20″ or bigger eye, just one and I will be happy.