How to Find Walleyes in a Lake?

Whether you’re fishing a lake for the first time or a veteran angler, there are specific ways to locate walleyes. Besides casting and fishing a drop-off, you can also use telemetric tracking and crankbaits to find fish.

Jig-fishing

Using jigs is an excellent way to catch walleyes. These fish are native to the Great Lakes and the northern United States. They feed on a variety of aquatic plants and other condensed structures. They are usually found in shallow water.

Deep-water walleyes feed in reed pockets and emerging weed patches in early spring. They tend to move to warm bays to feed. They remain oriented to the shoreline after spawning.

The best times to fish for walleyes with jigs are dawn and twilight. These are the times when the lure triggers most walleyes. They open their mouths wide and clamp down hard on the lure.

Some popular jigs are Cotton Cordell Wally Divers, Storm Hot-N-Tots, and Rapala Husky Jerks. These lures have many features that make them effective. Some of these include a rattle, chin blades, and extra hardware.

Crankbaits

During the summer, many anglers switch to crankbaits to find walleyes in a lake. These lures are popular because they cover a lot of water and can also be used during active feeding.

Crankbaits come in a variety of colors and sizes. They can also be trolled, an excellent way to quickly cover a lot of water. These are the most commonly used lures for walleye fishing.

These lures are usually minnow-imitating. The bill of the crankbait helps the lure attain depth. When using a crankbait to find walleyes in a lake, make sure you match the colors of the bait to the forage base.

For example, Berkley Flicker Shad Jointed has a unique rolling-snaky action. This lure is excellent in clear water but can also be effective in stained water.

Trolling

Whether looking for a fun day fishing or a trophy fish, trolling for walleye in a lake can be a successful endeavor. Many techniques are involved, but one is particularly effective for post-spawn walleyes in larger waters.

The best way to do this is to troll a spinner. A spinner provides a slight vibrating motion, an excellent lure for walleyes. This combo will give a strong strike trigger when paired with live bait.

The spinner is usually attached to a harness or snelled hook, which will work even better for walleye trolling. The blade on the spinner is a big part of its effectiveness.

In addition to a spinner, consider trolling a crankbait. A crankbait is a deep-water game, so you want to pick a lure as deep as the water you are fishing in.

Fishing the drop-off of a flat

Using the drop-off of a flat to find walleyes is an effective way to target them in a lake. This method is especially effective during low-light hours. However, it’s important to note that the walleyes you target will not be active during the day. During the day, they will be located in deeper water. On the other hand, they will move into shallow areas at night.

In the early morning, you can cast your jigs along the shoreline to locate the spots likely to contain the fish. This will involve casting your jig every few seconds.

Another technique to use is trolling. This can be done in front of your boat or behind it. This will allow you to cover a lot of water quickly. Crankbaits are a great way to do this.

Telemetric tracking

Using acoustic telemetry, researchers can now track the movement of fish throughout the Great Lakes. This research will help scientists understand species’ migration and survival patterns and provide helpful information to fish managers.

The Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observing System (GLATOS) is a binational network of researchers. The system has more than 400 receivers, monitoring thousands of tagged fish movements. The receivers are small data-logging computers that listen for sound pulses from fish transmitters. The transmitters broadcast a specific “ping” to the receivers and decode the fish tag’s beeps.

Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay receivers listen to fish moving to spawn areas. The transmitters send coded “pings” to the receivers every few minutes and can provide detailed information on fish movements.