For Quality Walleye Action, Find Quality Structure
by Jerry Carlson
I have heard it said that 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. I would have to admit there is some truth to this comment. However, on some lakes I fish, I believe the 10% factor may be a bit generous, especially when I am pursuing walleye.
No matter what number a person picks, walleye are notorious for being super selective about choosing their haunts. Because of this, anglers must also be super selective about their choices for fishing.
It is important to note that walleye, like other fish, do not do things by accident. They don’t live in a haphazard manor. They are very particular about where they hang out and make sure they are never very far away from their next meal.
Once the spawning period is over, food is a driving force for walleye. In the early season, this desire to be close to food often keeps walleye in the shallows for a short while.
After spawning, there is little incentive for walleye to move very deep. Since baitfish are also up in the shallows to spawn, shallow water areas harbor the most food. In reality, there is very little food in deep water.
Once baitfish finish their spawn, they start the gradual transition to deeper water. Naturally, walleye follow. It is at this time that mid lake structure begins to be productive.
When walleye start moving into deeper water, I love to focus my attention on points that run out from shallow food flats. These deeper points are a natural gathering area for baitfish once they start to disperse from their shallow spawning sites.
After a preferred depth is determined, it is a pretty safe bet that walleye will be at about the same depth on all of the similar pieces of structure in the lake. If the walleye are running between 20 and 23 feet on one point, use that as a focal point at other locations.
As the water warms, plankton and insect larvae become more plentiful in deep water. Once the bottom of the food chain resides in deeper water, baitfish disperse throughout the lake. At this time, mid lake humps are ideal.
Whether I am working a deep point or a mid lake hump, I will typically cruise the edges of the structure in search of fish. If I find lots of baitfish showing up on my electronics, I may fish the area even if I am not marking many bigger fish.
Walleye love areas of their underwater environment that are different from the general surroundings. Although I will motor a long distance to check out a mid lake hump or reef, I still look for points and turns on this isolated structure as a focal point. The hump itself is different from its surroundings, but if fish are located on the hump, it is often on a unique feature of the hump.
Once a potential hotspot is found, there are different ways to work it. A standard live bait rig is often hard to beat, but so is a jig. When fish are scattered over a large area, spinners can be deadly.
No matter what presentation is preferred, anglers can’t catch fish if they can’t find them. I suggest using all methods of collecting data to get information about the body of water being fished. Quality sonar and GPS, along with mapping chips, are absolutely imperative for success on complicated bodies of water.
I have caught many walleye in unusual, nondescript locations. However, when it comes to consistently locating fish, quality structure equates into quality fishing.