Catch-n
09-21-2004, 08:48 AM
Tetonka / Waterville, MN is a funny lake.
Kinda of a big river in a way... having an river inlet and outlet. It is on a chain of lakes.
When we get big rain... as we have lately, the river inlet is a key place for bigger fish. Moving water pulls eyes from lower lakes on the Cannon River chain and gets the fish "moving" up-stream.
First person on the inlet can be in for a treat when the river is flowing well.
The inlet has a 3 foot deep food flat "delta" in front that drops into 27' real sharp. There are suttle variations in the drop edge and this fine-line structure holds feeding fish, especially at times of higher river flow.
I use an "anchor-locking" system which aids in working the drop-off.
I look to find the max water flow fron the outlet and position my boat right next to the main flow... where that flow goes over the drop edge.
You can see where the river water comes into the lake, river water meeting lake water usually has a color/stain difference and creates a "mudline" of some degree.
To anchor-lock that spot is to "secure" that spot and have it remain viable longer in the day.
By anchor locking you "tie it up" so others do not come in to spook the active fish.
Anchor-locking is to sneak into a spot and double anchor. Here is how:
Drop the rear anchor in 25' and do not tie off... use the trolling motor to continue in (or use the wind to drift in) to the 3' to drop the front anchor. Leaving the front anchor slack, pull the rear rope to bring the boat into 8'. Tie off the front and rear ropes to obtain an 8' depth. To re-position, you looken both ropes... move the boat by pylling the front or rear ropes, and then re-tie. This is stealth at its max... you never start a motor and have no boat swing. You can work vertical at any depth.
Others will likely not cut between you and the shallows... having seen your rope extending there.
Once anchor-locked, I work cranks allong and paralell to the drop, in long casts... or swim jigs and tails.
Key here, is that you are right next to the moving water and can vertical jig that current edge. Bigger fish lay in ambush in the drop where the river water meets the lake water. They like the current!
By anchor-locking the spot you may be able to work these fish hours longer into the morning... keeping them from being spooked by someone TROLLING over them with a noisy outboard motor, or some person dropping an anchor right on top of them! Once spooked walleyes (unlike Bass, Sunnies, or Crappies) are gone... done for the day.
Once anchor-locked also, you may want to slip bobber the "zone". This is very effective once you have taken the active chasing fish and are left with only fish that are more negitave... or as the daylight gets brighter.
Same thing happens on the outlet.
Exception is that you face even more boat traffic as boats come out under that bridge and head into Tetonka early in the am... which is "spook city". Gotta be there very early.
Catch-n
Dave Hoggard
Kinda of a big river in a way... having an river inlet and outlet. It is on a chain of lakes.
When we get big rain... as we have lately, the river inlet is a key place for bigger fish. Moving water pulls eyes from lower lakes on the Cannon River chain and gets the fish "moving" up-stream.
First person on the inlet can be in for a treat when the river is flowing well.
The inlet has a 3 foot deep food flat "delta" in front that drops into 27' real sharp. There are suttle variations in the drop edge and this fine-line structure holds feeding fish, especially at times of higher river flow.
I use an "anchor-locking" system which aids in working the drop-off.
I look to find the max water flow fron the outlet and position my boat right next to the main flow... where that flow goes over the drop edge.
You can see where the river water comes into the lake, river water meeting lake water usually has a color/stain difference and creates a "mudline" of some degree.
To anchor-lock that spot is to "secure" that spot and have it remain viable longer in the day.
By anchor locking you "tie it up" so others do not come in to spook the active fish.
Anchor-locking is to sneak into a spot and double anchor. Here is how:
Drop the rear anchor in 25' and do not tie off... use the trolling motor to continue in (or use the wind to drift in) to the 3' to drop the front anchor. Leaving the front anchor slack, pull the rear rope to bring the boat into 8'. Tie off the front and rear ropes to obtain an 8' depth. To re-position, you looken both ropes... move the boat by pylling the front or rear ropes, and then re-tie. This is stealth at its max... you never start a motor and have no boat swing. You can work vertical at any depth.
Others will likely not cut between you and the shallows... having seen your rope extending there.
Once anchor-locked, I work cranks allong and paralell to the drop, in long casts... or swim jigs and tails.
Key here, is that you are right next to the moving water and can vertical jig that current edge. Bigger fish lay in ambush in the drop where the river water meets the lake water. They like the current!
By anchor-locking the spot you may be able to work these fish hours longer into the morning... keeping them from being spooked by someone TROLLING over them with a noisy outboard motor, or some person dropping an anchor right on top of them! Once spooked walleyes (unlike Bass, Sunnies, or Crappies) are gone... done for the day.
Once anchor-locked also, you may want to slip bobber the "zone". This is very effective once you have taken the active chasing fish and are left with only fish that are more negitave... or as the daylight gets brighter.
Same thing happens on the outlet.
Exception is that you face even more boat traffic as boats come out under that bridge and head into Tetonka early in the am... which is "spook city". Gotta be there very early.
Catch-n
Dave Hoggard