walleye and sauger

[Tim Shovel 0]

I know most questions in the cold water forum are about trout and char but I would like to know when to catch walleye and sauger shallow, probably be fishing from a kayak, if possible some flies for walleye and sauger would also be helpful and the proper fly line as well

[mikechell 0]

If I remember my North Country fishing correctly ... those fish will be some of the first to look for beds. Right after the ice goes out, the walleyes come in.

 

But I could be thinking about Crappie.

 

I left those cold climes almost 40 years ago.

[Fish For Life 0]

-Don't really know much about fishing sauger, im sure there practically the same as fishing for walleye. But for walleye fishing, although im sure certain times of the year are better for fishing them in the shallows, they can be caught shallow throughout the year. I most often fishing for them in the middle of the summer, which im pretty sure is actually about the worst time to fish form them. They are most productive in the spring and fall. But like i said, they can rather easily be caught throughout the yea.

-The main thing for catching walleye shallow, and in most cases deep as well, is to fish for them during the right time of day. Get out early in the morning and late in the evening, this low light time and cooler water temperatures is when walleye will primarily feed. Walleye are primarily night time feeders. During mid day they can be caught but in general they will be deeper, in 20-30ft of water, or hiding in weed cover. During the day bright calm sunny weather is the worst for fishing walleye, it is better to be fishing for them if there is some cloud cover or chop on the water, all to reduce the light entering the water.

-During there night time feeding they push in shallow trying to trap bait fish against the shores. In the morning or evening they can be caught shallow, less than 5 feet deep. Look for shallow water near drop offs, they will lay low deep in the day but as the light goes away they will come onto the shallow edges and feed. I have had much success fly fishing for walleye along a sandy beach in the evening. Im either in a boat in about 10 feet of water, or wadding in shallower about 2-3 feet of water (casting out into 5-7 feet of water).

-For flys my most productive has been a 1"-1.5" clouser, in various colors. Clouser's work great because there jigging action imitates a bait fish very well, and they get to the bottom fasts. Also woolly buggers and deceivers work good to.

-As for the line choice, it isn't that important. If you are fishing less than 7 feet you can use just a simple floating line, the weight of the clouser will be all you need to get to the bottom in mere seconds. Anything deeper than this i like to use either a sink tip or a full sinking line, in the end it doesn't really matter. I often have my full sink set for a day out in the boat fishing for walleye 20ft deep, so i will usually just use that for the shallow fishing as well.

-When fishing for shallow walleye, especially while wadding, it is not to important to move alot. The feeding fish will be working along the shores, so just fan cast back and forth and a fish should eventually cross your fly.

-The main thing for walleye fishing is to get out early, and stay out late. If you were take only a single thing away from this it would be that. It is the most critical thing hat you must do if you want to catch walleye shallow. The rest isn't to hard to figure out on your own, but you need to be out at the right time to have good success catching them shallow.

 

I think i covered most of it, if you need anything clarified just ask.

 

Thanks

[Tim Shovel 0]

Ok, that definitely makes more sense, I was under the notion that their movements are seasonal, thank you for your advice. Definately looking forward for ice out.

[artimus001 0]

Definately looking forward for ice out.

and how. my home river has a huge run of Walleye in the Spring.

[Philly 0]

I'm familiar with fishing for walleyes in a lake in Northern Ontario. Before I took up fly fishing, I did a couple of trips in the fall early-mid September. At that time of the year most of the larger fish were in 30-50 feet of water. We caught smaller ones in 10-12 feet of water. A couple of trips in mid-May, just after ice out, most of the fish were in 10-15 feet of water though we picked a few up in 5 to 8 feet of water on the tops of mid-lake humps and shoals. After those first four trips we switched over to mid to late July. Less bugs, warmer weather. Most of the time we fish in 15-30 feet of water with 20 feet being a good depth. Again, we pick up a few on the tops of shoals and humps. I spend most of the time fly fishing for smallies and pike. I've picked up a few small ones on clousers, all white, pink over white and olive over white. I use a fast sinking line with a 6 foot 20-25 # fluorocarbon leader. If we're anchored up, I'll cast let the line sink to the bottom and retrieve along the bottom. If we're drifting, I just cast let the line sink and keep the fly bouncing on the bottom. Don't do any early morning fishing. The evening seems to be the best between 7:30 and 10:00. This is what "Walleye Time" looks like up there.

 

 

[Fish For Life 0]

Don't do any early morning fishing.

 

 

Why's that??

[Tim Shovel 0]

Thank you all of you for the advice, I did some research myself and found out that like fish for life said they do feed in the morning and at night, they are coming up from the depths to feed on the baitfish. But if the water remains cold enough they will stay there as long as possible. I'm pretty much just recapping what everyone said, thanks again.

[Philly 0]

Fish For Life:

 

I'm on vacation. I get up most days for work between 5 and 6. Did try it a couple of times but didn't have much luck with walleyes. Folks do go out before sunrise, but I haven't heard any really outstanding reports from those who did. Since I normally wake up even on vacation around 6. I'll get up an make a some casts with the fly rod before breakfast. I've caught a couple of small walleyes, 12-14 inches but mostly bass, rock bass and occasional perch and pike. Generally, we fish from 8 to 3, and from 6:30 to 10. That's a long day fishing.

[Tim Shovel 0]

Ok, good to know, probably wouldn't have gotten up early anyway, not really a morning person.