Wow, did I ever stumble on to a honey hole!
Last couple years I was getting a few walleye here and there at an upground reservoir 20 minutes from my house. Fishing pressure really ticked up in the last 2 years though and pretty much all the fish over 15" or so have disappeared.
On a whim, I tried a different upground reservoir (still only 20 minutes from home, but opposite direction) that I haven't fished for years. Skunked with walleye on first 2 trips but was catching some really nice bass. Came back and switched up my tatics a little and started catching some walleye. After several trips now, I think i have refined my search area and technique! My freezer is full and will just be fun fishing up until ice season I think.
Last night I caught easily 25 walleye fishing from 6:30 to 8:30. All but maybe 2 fish I would have kept any other time. I kept 3 fish to top off the freezer.
Catching some fish on the popular stick bait cranks.... Husky Jerks and X-Raps. But the vast majority of fish are coming on the Keitech 3.8 and 4.8 fat swing impact swim baits. It has been some amazing fishing. I've had 3 separate nights now catching over 20 fish in a night. Took home my limit (6) on 2 nights and a couple others here and there. Some BIG fish too. 28" fish last week and a 27" fish last night.
Technique has been pretty simple. Rigging the big swims on light 1/16 or 1/8 heads with heavy oversized hooks. Casting parallel to shore and counting down a couple seconds then start slow reeling. After 5 or 6 slow cranks, stop reeling but keep the line tight and they will thump it on the drop. Man oh man has this been some fun fishing!!!
Biggest walleye I've ever caught at 28"!
This is why those big 5" baits have been working. This was the stomach contents of the 28" fish. Had some other smaller bluegill in ot as well. Pretty digested but I am guessing it was a perch.
Last couple years I was getting a few walleye here and there at an upground reservoir 20 minutes from my house. Fishing pressure really ticked up in the last 2 years though and pretty much all the fish over 15" or so have disappeared.
On a whim, I tried a different upground reservoir (still only 20 minutes from home, but opposite direction) that I haven't fished for years. Skunked with walleye on first 2 trips but was catching some really nice bass. Came back and switched up my tatics a little and started catching some walleye. After several trips now, I think i have refined my search area and technique! My freezer is full and will just be fun fishing up until ice season I think.
Last night I caught easily 25 walleye fishing from 6:30 to 8:30. All but maybe 2 fish I would have kept any other time. I kept 3 fish to top off the freezer.
Catching some fish on the popular stick bait cranks.... Husky Jerks and X-Raps. But the vast majority of fish are coming on the Keitech 3.8 and 4.8 fat swing impact swim baits. It has been some amazing fishing. I've had 3 separate nights now catching over 20 fish in a night. Took home my limit (6) on 2 nights and a couple others here and there. Some BIG fish too. 28" fish last week and a 27" fish last night.
Technique has been pretty simple. Rigging the big swims on light 1/16 or 1/8 heads with heavy oversized hooks. Casting parallel to shore and counting down a couple seconds then start slow reeling. After 5 or 6 slow cranks, stop reeling but keep the line tight and they will thump it on the drop. Man oh man has this been some fun fishing!!!
Biggest walleye I've ever caught at 28"!
This is why those big 5" baits have been working. This was the stomach contents of the 28" fish. Had some other smaller bluegill in ot as well. Pretty digested but I am guessing it was a perch.