One quick question for James Holst.

When pitching BIG plastics for jumbo walldogs do you prefer(is there a preference) dusk or dawn?

Thanks James! Just trying to imporve my odds!

Keep the rods bendin’!!!

I’ve been out twice since coming back from Mille Lacs. The first time the fishing was best in the early AM, and this last time about an hour before dark.

So the definitive answer would be a boisterous and confident…. “I don’t know…lol”

Sometimes we catch our best fish right in the middle of the day. Dave Koonce had a 7 Lb fish yesterday fishing a ringworm in the early afternoon.

I prefer the afternoons because its warmer this time of year than it is at sunrise.

I wish I could give you a time frame to help you pin it down, but those darn fish rarely work that way.

Thanks for getting back!!! I guess I have another when you get the time.

Is there any specific structure ortype of shoreline that draws your attention
first when pulling up to pitch shallow? Cause a guy could find A LOT of 2 foot water out there!lol

Thanks for all your help and appreciate the reports!

Jim W

I guess I am also intrigued on the type of shore structure you pin-point. I fish alot @ L & D #7. I know there are 100s of yards of shallow water in the 2-5 ft range. But I also know it is hard to ask a guy to by specific w/o feeling like you are pick-pocketing that person. I personally would like to know if you are looking for inside corners of wingdams, back eddys, or any kind of current break. Anything would be helpful and very appreciated.

These are fair questions… just any old stretch of shallow water won’t do.

I look for big fish in the following areas and in this particular order this time of year:

Rock (rip rap, natural rock)
Sand
Fallen Timber
Wingdams

Well that’s even more broad yet you say? Hold on… I’ll narrow it down a chunk.

I look for shallow areas with a very noticeable and defined current break set up on the edge of the shallow water with light current moving across the area to be targetted. Stagnant water is worthless for the most part. Also, you’ll need immediate access to deep water close by. These fish are typically making feeding forays up into these shallow areas from their holding areas in slightly deeper water and aren’t terribly interested in traveling long distances to feed if they don’t have to.

Some areas are completely obvious. Others might be harder to find… a shallow food shelf sticking out from a seemingly barren rip rap shoreline that breaks sharply into deep water(one of my favorites!). A fallen tree that has created a nice current break and over time has caused sand to accumulate and build up behind the downfall, creating a nice resting and feeding area. Some of the smallest spots are my best producers because they are almost completely overlooked and snaggy as all get out.

My list of areas I target would change greatly if I was fishing a different pool. Pool 4 is almost devoid of wingies on the upper end and the ones we do have get pounded mercilessly but if I was fishing pool 5, wingies would be my go-to areas. Pool 3, all the side cuts with fallen timber would get looked at first.

Hope this helps. Any more questions, just ask.

Thank you James!!!! Who knows, maybe you will get some pics of some nice walleyes from me in the near
future, other than smallmouth!lol

Thanks again!!

Jim W

Hey James

I trust all that you have said and I have been changing my stratiges (for give the spelling) this year do to the high water that we have had on pools 9 and 10.What you stated does work!!!!!!!!!

Good Luck to all

Len

Jim – Send me a PM and I will share my secret formula for determining the most productive color, and time of day to use it. See ya on the water big fella!

James, Is this patern of piching big plastics to shallow water limited to just the fall or can this method be productive at other times of the year as well? Thanks, SNAKEYES

Absolutely! The kalins will produce throughout the winter with a VERY noticeable spurt of effectiveness around the pre-spawn period and then again on deep rip rap or wingdams in late May through June.

And then all the natural patterns work very well on big smallies throughout the summer. Definitely a good bait to have on hand.

Would it be a safe to say that the same technique would work during the hot part of the summer if you down sized the offering to three inch Kalins tail and still pitched to rip rap, sand and down falls? Thanks

Honestly, I don’t usually do to well on plastics in July and August. Not on walleye that is. Cranks are my go-to lures at that time. Speed kills ya’ know. I do occassionally catch more than a couple walleye in a day on dams or rip rap throwing plastics for smallies and will occasionally try plastics on dams mid-summer when the crank bite is red hot… and rarely do well on the eyes.

In September we see a return of the plastic bite, more in fits and spurts than anything consistent and by October it is a primary technique.

Those are my findings. Your mileage may vary.