A question for you guys that catch big walleyes

[kickback]

My father and I had a lively discussion on catching big walleyes.10 pound fish or better.In all our years of fishing we have never caught a walleye 10 pounds or better.We do great on eaters with a occasional fish to 6 pounds.One time on Ft.Peck we had 10 fish one morning that ran from 9 to 7 1/2 pounds.Just last summer we started to learn crankbait fishing.We fished Lindy's or bouncers and spinners before,livebait.I was just curious about patterns,time of year bodies of water,that have been productive.

[kevinpa]

I`ll betcha 90 to 95 % of the guys that fish for eyes never got a 10, biggest I ever got was 9 lb from a local lake in Pa. lot`s of 6-7 and 8`s but never a 10,caught most of mine on hot n tots(natural brown crayfish) storm thundersticks (rainbow) and of course my own made spinner blade harnesses, even in the middle of may when water temps aren`t that warm I use size 7 or 8 blades, favorite color, almost always red beads and a silver blade with 2 trebles on snap weights behind boards, and believe this or not I`m trolling in the top 15 feet of water in a lake thats over 100 feet deep... an overlooked post spawn hot tip, now use it lol

[jjjj]

come to michigan and fish the menominee river right now or little bay de noc in the fall and you will have a good chance of catching a fish over 10 lbs

[dewyg]

Jig and a minnow for all of mine except the two biggest, they were caught on tiny 1/8th hair jigs they were a 34.5 inch and a 31 inch. back to back. in a bass tourney.

[weakdaze]

Best I have done came from Lake Ontario, in New York. bout 8 miles East of Olcott. And to be honest, that was an accident, while Bass fishing.

9#5oz.

Now I live in Ohio, and a good fish for me is 24" long and Great on the table.

[ShadBuster UL]

That is just what I suspected! Most of the big eyes are caught accidentally while bass fishing... Bass on! The biggest eye that I saw last year was caught by a kid during a bass tournament.

[gatorhunter]

You really need to come to Manitoba and fish the Red River in October or December and January or Lake Winnipeg in March. 10 lb+ walleyes are common.

[Jack G]

The key to catching tropy fish is to pick the right water at the right time of year.

When I retired in 1991 I wanted to catch a walleye and a bass over 10 lbs and a striped bass over 30 pounds.

I caught my first 10# bass in late February, 1992 on Lake Jackson in Florida. Lake Jackson had a phenonimal quantity of 10# bass caught every year. In Late September, 1994 I caught four walleye over 10# on the Red River near Selkirk, Manitoba. In October, 1997 and 1998 I caught Striped bass over 30# on the Cumberland River in Tenn. I can't recall the name of the town I was launching from but it is Al Gore's hometown.

Jack

[Jimmy Jig]

I have three over 10 lbs. One from Lost Island Lake and two from West Okoboji Lake. All caught in the fall just before freeze up. One on a floating rapola, casting from shore. Two from 55 ft. with a jig and minnow. Late fall and or ice fishing is the time to take the biggest walleyes. They are full of eggs for one thing which will add a lb. or more to the weight. By the way these lakes are in Iowa not some giant body of water in a far away place.

[Jim Ordway]

You have to put yourself on the waters that have these fish. You can research all the spots and times of the year (early spring/late fall] that increase your odds. As mentioned before, the Menomonie River is now producing those 10 lbs as they come in to spawn. They are being caught on jigs as well as trolling.
Good luck,

[JJ Scully]

The fishing is starting to heat up on the Menominee River and the big fish are there. I know I will be out there every chance I get. There has been alot of preasure but this weekend should be good. There have been some nice trout catches as well.

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

Please forgive my apparent lack of humility. If you want to catch the biggest eyes some pareticular lakes have to offer, check out page 21 of the March 08' issue of In-Fishermans "Walleye Insider". There, you will find Early Summer tactics that will put you on those fish for about two weeks and you will have little competition for them.

Rich

[KHedquist]

Timing, and time on the water, I caught 2 over 10 on the same day, spring time on the river.


NPAA # 292 All fisherman are liers except for me and you, and I'm not so sure about you?
<'{{^}}< http://www.walleyecentral.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=106750

http://www.walleyecentral.com/wcdirectory/fullpage.php?ckey=250

[ETT]

Big fish fishermen do whatever it takes to get them on big fish. On Erie that means fish in April when weather & dirty water complicates your life, or in Nov. @ night.

We were serious wt forward guys from 1963 to the late 80s. We loved it, worked hard, won several tournaments. When the Zebra Mussles arrived they changed the lake and forced us to learn to troll. We had caught 3 fish over 10 in all those years of wt forward fishing (and 2 of them came jigging @ ice out).

After we started trolling, and learned that the big females can be caught early, and about the night bite, we've caught more than we can keep track of ... well over 100. I can think of 5 over 13#s, including a 13.55 on a certified scale at the hog fest a couple years ago.

Patterns: troliing

Time of year: when the big fish are gathered and vulnerable (early spring or late fall)

Body of water Erie & those mentioned above.

[AllenW]

Not sure where you fish, so I don't have a method to suggest, but I still hold to the old standard of big bait - big fish.
Then it gets to putting the right bait in front of the right fish at the right time.

Al

[exbass]

started fishing walleye 3 yrs ago. exclusively on lake erie. maybe I'm just lucky, but have taken one ten one eleven and one twelve in the last 3 yrs. mostly troll cranks and also night fish maybe 10 trips a year.

[N8ARW]

Nov. on Lake Erie, big cranks (reef runners and 'sticks) behind in-line boards. At the WCGT a few years ago we pulled 4 of our 18 fish for 41.16#. The smallest of the 4 was 9.89#, biggest 10.93# (10.29 avg.)

http://www.walleyecentral.com/2003_wcgt_results.shtml

Gotta love Erie in the fall, but last summer we had an 8#, 9# & 10# out of 6 fish on harnesses behind Dipsies before we got blown off the lake. As soon as the wind started to blow the pigs started to go. It was tough to make that choice not to stay for our other 6 fish but with a 17 mile run in 4-6's you have to leave.

[T Mac]

I have caught quite a few "teeners".
It was "a mission" during certain times of my life.

First you must go where they exist. That can get spendy.

Once you determine where you want to go, it increases your odds to go during Pre-spawn and during the latter part of the fall (water temps in low 40s).
Almost all of my 12# and up walleyes have come from rivers.
But, a couple came from Ft. Peck, MT.
Mine were all daylight fish.
I have been lucky, too.

But.... of course, fishing during nightime in these same places and at these times of year increases your odds, too.
Night is crank time.

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

"Night" or the wee hours near night and dawn is also a different depth or condition(s) during the day.

Shade from clouds, shore fauna, and wind caused chop, also means "night", or close to same - reasonable fact simile to night or twilight.

Triangulate the three as they set up in front of you, and you have a winner.

[T Mac]

Allen...

Don't know if you meant that "not sure where you fish" for ETT or not?
But...I hafta brag on ETT a little bit.
ETT is an Erie guy. Actually.. a pretty famous Erie guy ;)
Ett stands for "Erie Tournament Troller"

He is an old original regular here...and a great source of information. Especially on Erie and on trolling.
He doesn't show up here much anymore because he got sick of getting flamed for no reason..
I'm glad he's still lurking.
When I get the chance ...I'm going to Erie and jump in his boat with him.

[AllenW]

""""""""
Allen...

Don't know if you meant that "not sure where you fish" for ETT or not?
But...I hafta brag on ETT a little bit.
ETT is an Erie guy. Actually.. a pretty famous Erie guy
Ett stands for "Erie Tournament Troller"

He is an old original regular here...and a great source of information. Especially on Erie and on trolling.
He doesn't show up here much anymore because he got sick of getting flamed for no reason..
I'm glad he's still lurking.
When I get the chance ...I'm going to Erie and jump in his boat with him.
""""""""

No, I was replying to the original poster not ETT, and famous or not, I still stand by my big bait- big fish statement.
While not famous, almost 50 years of fishing has taught me that, of course, your experiences may differ..:)

Al

[T Mac]

Ooopps.
Shucks, it looks like you took my post completely wrong.
Allen, I apologize for any misunderstanding.

I hadn't heard much from ETT for quite some time.
I am just glad to see our that old friend is still in here posting.

Allen, your tip is a good tip, too.

Again, I am sorry for the way you took what I posted.

[AllenW]

>Ooopps.
>Shucks, it looks like you took my post completely wrong.
>Allen, I apologize for any misunderstanding.
>
>I hadn't heard much from ETT for quite some time.
>I am just glad to see our that old friend is still in here
>posting.
>
>Allen, your tip is a good tip, too.
>
>Again, I am sorry for the way you took what I posted.
>
>
>
Sorry, wasn't meaning to rile ya up, was just saying I believe in the big bait big fish combo, didn't mean anything towards what you said.

Didn't mean to sound like I was offended, joys of the written word I guess.

Shoulda had a couple more smillies I guess...:)

Al

[Raybob]

-on my home lake you'll increase your odds greatly of a over 9-10 lb Eye for all 4 seasons "w/skill" after dark ~ for the daytime, one of that size is luck IMHO...

da old fart,
Bebob da I-Bobray

[Raybob]

BTW ~ it's daytime eater-bite check time, so I'm headin' out on the lil' pond in a couple of minutes to see if the slam-bite has started :)

-just maybe I'll get lucky n' land a sUMo - probably not :cheers:

da old fart,
Bebob da I-Bobray

[T Mac]

Aw well...
we be cool.

;)

[Alaskan 20]

Take the words of ETT and add the words of Roland Martin "Go early...stay late." It works.

[wall-nut]

I've caught quite a few 10 and overs, my biggest last year at 33 on Little Bay. Yesterday we got one just short of 30, 2 over 27, a 24, 23 and 2 in the 20-22 range. Had a blast, 1/8 ounce jig tipped with a minnow, post spawn females. I've always found that the big ones don't hang with the little guys, finding them in places that don't seem to have any other fish. I have yet to catch a ten pounder trolling, just my luck or maybe skills, I'm a terrible troller.

[T Mac]

wow.
Now that is a good day!!

[RDJ]

Klass, I checked out page 21 of the March/08 Walleye Insider I had sitting around and my page 21 is a boat mfg. advertisment? Maybe I missed something..Are you talking about the "Walleye Insider" mag or the original "In-Fisherman" magazine??

[karpbuster UL]

Big Walleyes ... well that leaves me out.

karpbuster

[Backwater Eddy]

I have put in some long years trying to top 8# and got tons of frustration for my efforts. At every turn I worked way too hard at over complicating walleye fishing.

Than I stepped back and looked at the critter from a whole new angle, what does a big walleye do best? They eat...a lot. I found as they get bigger they eat different preferred forage than they often did in there skinny days of youth. This simple pattern has served me very well since.

I look at the system, available forage, and peek periods of maximum weight gain....and fish it hard during peak periods. Fall for the most part fills this bill. They usually have the most weight of the season and given the opportunity are not shy about adding more. With the exception of the period 60 days or so before pre-spawn movements fall walleyes are as big as it gets. The biggest gains are during Pre-Spawn. Pre-spawn plumping puts the final finishes on an already healthy sumo walleye to achieve there maximum weight of the calendar year. This is the time for the biggest of the big girls no matter where you fish.

Top waters, good timing, know the forage and it's seasonal movements will more often than not spell Sumo eyes and wide smiles.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

"ED on the RED"

><,sUMo,>

[Shadbuster UL]

Some have mentioned fishing the waters that have a bunch of the big fish. However I think that the fisherman that can learn to catch the big fish in the lakes that are sparse in big fish and then moves to the big fish lakes will nail them! If you can improve your big fish catch rate that is the deal.

[Raybob]

I have put in some long years trying to top 8# and got tons of frustration for my efforts. At every turn I worked way too hard at over complicating walleye fishing.

Than I stepped back and looked at the critter from a whole new angle, what does a big walleye do best? They eat...a lot. I found as they get bigger they eat different preferred forage than they often did in there skinny days of youth. This simple pattern has served me very well since.

I look at the system, available forage, and peek periods of maximum weight gain....and fish it hard during peak periods. Fall for the most part fills this bill. They usually have the most weight of the season and given the opportunity are not shy about adding more. With the exception of the period 60 days or so before pre-spawn movements fall walleyes are as big as it gets. The biggest gains are during Pre-Spawn. Pre-spawn plumping puts the final finishes on an already healthy sumo walleye to achieve there maximum weight of the calendar year. This is the time for the biggest of the big girls no matter where you fish.

Top waters, good timing, know the forage and it's seasonal movements will more often than not spell Sumo eyes and wide smiles.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

"ED on the RED"

><,sUMo,>

10-4 Ed!!! :)

sUMo ... Top waters, good timing, know the forage and it's seasonal movements will more often than not spell Sumo eyes and wide smiles.

[Ziert - Klaas]

Klass, I checked out page 21 of the March/08 Walleye Insider I had sitting around and my page 21 is a boat mfg. advertisment? Maybe I missed something..Are you talking about the "Walleye Insider" mag or the original "In-Fisherman" magazine??

You missed it by a shift of an eye.

My bad. . . page 20, Walleye Insider, April 2008 issue. "Toothy Tidbits"

It's terrible to get old. Your skin tags start to out number your freckles, and your freckles are really age spots.

[Ironwood]

A few years back, in the lake I fish in Canada, a guy who was a non-fisherman and there only as a guest of a business associate, had been fishing for three days with no success at all. Totally skunked. One evening, mid-week of the trip, he went out with the outfitter. The idea was to take him to a spot that had good odds of getting some action. Within fifteen minutes he hooked and landed a 16lb and 12lb walleye. You've got to be at the right place at the right time.

[ice boy]

probably new town ND

[I Walleye]

If you want to catch big fish, and I mean big fish, hit the Rainy river as soon as most of the ice is off, March or early April. The Walleyes are in a spawning run and you can catch several over 10 lbs in one day. You can't keep any over 19.5 but the big fat girls are all there for the dance. Sure, the weather is pretty nasty but who said trophies where easy?

[Eye4Eye]

If your fishing Fort Peck your definately fishing in the right place. I've had my best luck in the spring with a Orange jig and a minnow. Later in the year it's Lindy's and leeches. In Canada I've used lindy's, crankbaits, and jigs.

[MT_Cranker]

Kickback,
I would agree that many times catching a nice fish is luck. On the other hand here in Montana I have caught 10 lb fish on many different lakes at different times of the year (probably 12-15 in the last 5 years). Mostly fishing specifically for big fish using big crankbaits. You won't get as many bites and I would compare it to trophy whitetail hunting. Patience and sometimes just "good luck" when you are in the right place at the right time is key.

[Larry Mac]

Hi MT_Cranker, Very impressive, I am hoping responding to your post may make some of that luck rub off on me. Wow great job.

Thank you,
Larry Mac

[eyeballs]

If you fish waters that have few walleyes over 10 pounds all hope is not lost. In smaller reservoirs you'll find the big eyes act like muskie. They suspend in tree tops, open water, or make use of shallow underwater points where the bass guys occasionally get one. Cast BIG cranks in these areas and troll big baits over the basins for the open water fish. Big eyes spend plenty of time up shallow. They got big by being aggressive and chomping big bait, they didn't get big by tip-toeing around and being finicky all the time. - you'll catch them.

Many smaller natural lakes harbor giants that learned early on life is good in the weeds. Comfort, oxygen, and endless food stocks. Again, bass or muskie guys catch big eyeballs in the weeds.

Learn leadcore trolling and use it in the fall time in deeper basins in these smaller lakes and reservoirs.

Wherever you live, you must capitalize on the three weeks prior to ice up night bite as well. Use big stickbaits around rocky shorelines close to hot basin daytime bite areas. Stay late.