Fishing a new lake this weekend in WI for walleyes. Ice went out middle of last week. Would like to hear some opinions on what depth I should start looking. Don’t think I have seen the ice come out this late in a long time. Am I still beating the weed edges shallow? Long, skinny, deep lake with quite a bit of structure.
First, be sure you are on a lake that has a fishable population of walleyes worth your time. The WI DNR pages are fairly vague when they say walleye are “common” in a body of water. I’ve also found that many of the stocked walleyes in these lakes that don’t have natural reproduction don’t necessarily follow patterns that are as predictable and can be tough to track down.
I’d look for any type of inlet to the lake and the flat areas near it. If there are not any inlets, I’d try any type of shallow flats with a change in bottom content (gravel most likely). Side imaging would be your friend here. Don’t go bombing up/drifting through 15′ from shore. Stay out and work your way shallow to not spook any fish that could be in the area. If there is a sustained spawning effort on that lake, the fish should be shallow. Try the low light periods if it’s a clear lake.
Fishing a new lake this weekend in WI for walleyes. Ice went out middle of last week. Would like to hear some opinions on what depth I should start looking. Don’t think I have seen the ice come out this late in a long time. Am I still beating the weed edges shallow? Long, skinny, deep lake with quite a bit of structure.
With water temps still in the 40s, look for warmer water. Warmer water will have more bait fish and more walleye.
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