Shore Fishing Southern Eyes

[caffeineforall]

I've been looking through the forums and articles and have found some information, but I was hoping someone else might have some insight.

I fish a southern Oklahoma eutrophic lake, max depth at the dam is 60' with most shore areas reaching 10-20' range. The lake is EXTREMELY snaggy. Loaded with cracked granite that just eats jigs for lunch. I gave up the jigging because none of my setups were able to launch a 1/8th jig far enough for effect fishing, anything heavier either snagged up constantly, or had to be worked to fast for what seem like inactive walleye. I changed to a slip bobber set up and had some luck with slow retrieves, however slip bobbering made me immobile and unable to cover alot of water. Mostly the lake is Saugeye, and not walleye, but they seem to behave almost identical to walleye.

I'm originally from Detroit and most of my northern tech's haven't produced a thing. Cranks failed, suspending, and deep diving. Again jigging is extremely difficult. I've tried three way rigging and its not so effect. Main forrage is gizzard shad. However I can't find a bait shop that has anything remotely large. Chubs and leeches are impossible to get out here. I'm pretty sure the lake has turned over as is evidenced by the crazy temperature changes the USGS has on their site for the lake, and the bite right after was non-exsistent the 2 days after I noticed this. Temps on the lake are currently around 55-57 degrees. Weather has been stable with lots of clear days, which sent me to the moonlight to fish em.

I'm contemplating switching to (relatively) large swim baits in the 3-4" range and quickly cover the points and transitions until I can find some active walleye, then switch over to slip bobbering them.

I dunno I'm rambling, just been having spotty luck getting a good night of walleye fishing. Most nights I go away empty handed. Best night I got a 3 pounder on the slip bobber rig in a shallow bay 5-10' deep, along with another small 15" eye. I'm not really fishing for a trophy (but whos kidding who I wouldn't mind hitting one) but eaters.

The main dillema I'm having is that through the articles and posts I've read I keep coming to two different ideas on where the fish are going to be active. Some say they move deep after turnover, others say shallow. Like I said I've caught some shallow, so I know they are there, the only way to get deep is at the dam head, and from the few people that actually chase walleye down here, they say the walleye can't go deeper than 30 or so feet because the oxygen level is far too low. But if the lake has turned over wouldn't they be able to now head down there?

Any tips, techs, or advice would be appreciated. Sorry for the rambling :x

[aceoky]

As the upper water column cools, it becomes heavier, eventually sinking and then mixing with the other water columns and you get turnover, so at least in theory the entire water column should have adequate oxygen levels as I understand things at least :laugh:

I would try big swim baits (5" not too big IMO)in the fall when they're feeding up for winter and developing eggs. You should be able to cover a great deal of water searching as you said and can pick up some nice fish that way, I would expect (also "eaters" can easily eat a 5" bait)

[caffeineforall]

So I went out tonight from 3-6pm. Fished a gravel bay with one side that had rip rap and a decaying weedline, the other side had a rocky point leading to deeper water. Tried swimbaits, lost 3 of them to snags. Tried a suspending rapala, no luck. Then switched to a night crawler on a slip bobber fishing the edge of the weedline, caught a blue gill :\ Tried a fox tail spinner, no bites. Just before giving up I decided to try the rocky point with a rat l' trap. Slipped on a rock and fell in the water (ARGH!). The entire time I was trying slow retrieves, just fast enough to keep whatever lure I had above the rocks. With my last few casts I decided to go it a bit more agressive and worked the rat 'l trap fast and furious. With 15 minutes before I had to head back to pick up my wife from work, I managed to catch this little guy, I guess he was about 14" which is the legal limit, but I like my eaters to be in the 17-20" range, or really chunky, he was neither.

http://twitpic.com/oxuwm

Might try early morning tomorrow, any ideas? Thinking of trying a european 3-way rig and continuing working the rat l' trap.

[Hawker]

Based on the background in the pic you posted and the size limit you mentioned, I would guess you are fishing none other than Altus-Lugert, would I be correct?? I've only been down there once a few years back and did quite well night fishing that lake the weekend I was there using Bomber Long-A's and #7 Shallow Shad Raps along the rip rap of the dam area and the rocky shoreline areas. Basically I fished the Long-A's like I was fishing for Stripers at night, I V-Waked them. Caught some good Hybrid Stripers down there doing the same thing too! I fished the Shallow Shad Raps just fast enough to bump the bottom occasionally, and concentrated fishing the raps in water less than five ft depths. I was fishing from a boat though, so if your shore bound, I'd suggest a good set of waders, ease out to a depth your comfortable, then work the bank parallel with your casts, or maybe invest in a Kayak or canoe so you can really get to the good areas.

Good luck down there! There are some really good Walleye, Saugeye waters here in Oklahoma, mostly untapped by knowledgeable Walleye fishermen.

[caffeineforall]

Close! I'm fishing Lake Lawtonka, thats Mount Scott in the background on that picture. I do indeed intend to get a set of waders, but after xmas and tax season for the spring runs. Kayak maybe, but I would need to trade in my car and get a truck, kind of like having good gas mileage atm.

Havent fished altus-lugert yet, have heard mixed reports. Might try the mud flats out there though.

Thanks for the input though! Will have to head out to OKC and get some shallow shad raps and add them to my arsenal. I have to rebuild my lure collection as I gave all my old stuff away before I joined the Army (Doh!)

[caffeineforall]

Planning on going out saturday night with the wife, think the rock pile might be a good bet. Going to try the ratltrap in between bobbering it. Rattle jigging if that doesnt produce something fast, slow it down maybe.

Southern eyes have me confused :x

[Alowicious]

Have you tried useing waders at night? At sunset and into the night the walleyes will move shallow sometimes into a foot of water, usaully into the 2 to 6 foot range. Wade out to about three feet and cast parallel to shore and out a little deeper of course useing original floaters in the #11 and #13 models. Also #7 & #8 shallow shad raps as mentioned are great baits. If the shallow divers are not getting deep enough try husky jerks #10 and #12. Reel slow.

[capnlee]

I frequent Conchas lake in NM. It is very snaggy as well. I had pretty much given up on jigging until I discovered Nuckle Ball jigs. They are a stand up jig, and I have found that they snag WAY less than a traditional jig and they do catch fish. You can check them out at:

http://www.jigfishstore.com/catalog.php?homeinclude=catalog&category_id=1&parent_id=1

You might also try casting Lindy rigs with a Northland floater at the end of your leader:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/common/search/search-results1.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&selectedPerPage=&hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&_D%3Asort=+&sort=all&Ntt=northland+floating+&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1

These are just a couple of less 'snaggy' methods I have come across. Give 'em a try and let me know how they work.

[caffeineforall]

no hip waders so I can't wsde. There are a few little bays I may be able to work parallel to shore from the shore though.

I'll have to give those standup jigs a try. Walmart has some, though not 'knuckle balls' they may work just as well.

tomorrow a low pressure front is pushing through, replacing the high pressure of the last 3 weeks. Maybe that will turn the bite on :)

I'll report back tomorrow night or sunday.

[caffeineforall]

Heading out for a bit of morning fishing in front of a slow moving a relatively mild low pressure system. Winds will switch from blowing south to north, to north to south today.

Fishing should be good ahead of this change, I hope.

Will report back!

[caffeineforall]

Morning bite was non-exsistent. Front pushed through around 9:30 and whipped up the lake. Winds went from blowing out of the south, to blowing out of the north in about 30 minutes.

Heading back out now with my wife to try again. Maybe the bite will have picked up. I can only hope so ;D

[caffeineforall]

No walleye/saugeye. They were there but this low pressure cold front seemed to turn them off. Or I didn't stay late enough. It was cold and windy, too much for my better half, and besides she caught this! http://files.snapmylife.com/pictures/15462437/771723.jpg?1258242567
smallie/large mouth hybrid. The only way I actually knew that the toothy grins were out tonight is because I brought in my slip bobber and had this left of a minnow....http://twitpic.com/pkt4b

Oh well might go out a few more times but not for a while. I'll keep the thread active for all southern walleye/saugeye fishing. :D

Thanks for the tips!