Flyfishing for walleys

[stupendous]

I was reading the posts in the "favorite ways to catch walleyes" thread. Not too surprisingly, nobody said fly fishing. I was wondering if anyone else out there goes after the old 'eyes with a fly rod?

My favorite way to catch walleyes is with by fly casting around shallow structure (<10 ft.) after dark. I use streamers and hareworms on an intermediate sinking line (6 wt. unless I'm using the 8 wt. for Pike too). When you think about it, the baits aren't much different the hair jigs and curlytails, and on the right nights I do very well. On some nights, when there is a big insect hatch or frog migration, you can catch them on the surface too. Anybody else like to go after walleyes with the fly rod?

[RANGER]

stupendous,

Yes, I will use a Fly Rod to fish for them but it is not, at all, my preferred tackle. My friends laugh at me for toting it along on trips (the one I have now is a backpack type - 4 sections, 9' 6") but if there is a May Fly hatch I will use it and catch fish. I use tapered leader, 6 wt, floating with one of the commercially tied emerging grubs.


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[AquaMan]

I have touted the thrill of Flyfishing for Walleye on here for years. However, the situation has to just righ otherwise deep walleyes are near impossible to raise on a fly. Since walleye spend most of the time in the deep, fishing for them with fly rods is short timed. As you pointed out, shallow eyes are easier, though not easy, targets for flys. I have used the mayfly hatch to entice eyes to my hook. They are already educated on the value of a small nymph and the fight is tremendous. Spring and fall evenings are also productive. I have had them rise to a cahill. Shallow river eyes with sinking lines and streamers are another great time. The occasional northern or smallie is a little hair raising, but fun none the less.

Flyfishing for anything is thrilling and walleye are just as warry as trout.

But is it my favorite? Nope!

I love the bump...bump...tug of a walleye on a jig/minnow/ultra light setup while drifting in the breeze over 18-20 feet of rocky structure. SET! Cha! Mmmmm....golden fillets sizzling in the griddle!


AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[Jim O]

Fishing with streamer flys is very popular with certain folks on the Wolf/Winnebago system. Casing and spinning gear is the preference.
Jim O

[Mattman]

Have any of you tried some of the saltwater flies that look like a shiner? Think they're made of that braided, woven, crystal flash tubular material. What are some other flies that have worked for you? Wooly Buggers, egg-sucking leeches, Clousers?? Any other mayfly patterns? Crawfish patterns? I would love to hear some more good info from the flyfishermen/women out there!

I've been telling myself to try flying this spring and now I will have to.

[AquaMan]

I have used a lot of bass and bonefish flies just like the ones you described. As with any presentation, the closer your fly matches the forage in that area, the better chance you have of hooking up. "Match the Hatch" so to speak.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[rngrfshm]

Hi,

I am one of the board members of Dakota Fly Fisherman here in ND and we have some great patterns that work good for walleye. Our sinking #5 lines will allow us to fish down to about 30 to 35' or more and have caught them considerably on small buggers or a bead head beaver leech pattern. Also early in the spring we used a crystal prince nymph in gold/green color. They are lots of fun to catch, but in the boat I use traditional tackle.

http://www.minot.com/~dffclub

[mlc]

Yep, use my fly rod at least a couple of times a year, mostly in the spring. There is a shallow (12 to 16 foot average) lake that is very productive with a fly rod. Bunny Leeches in a wide assortment of colors can be deadly on a #6 stillwater line for me. I usually use larger size patterns, say #2 throug #6.

Typically I fish structure or emerging weedbed flats in the spring from a float tube at night. I carry two lines for a 6 weight rod. My main line is a Stillwater line and the other is a floating line for fishing depths shallower than 6 or 7 feet and adjust my leader for depth accordingly and add weight to the leader as needed. Also, I use a Fishing Buddy fishfinder. They are great on tubes as they read depth and also look to the side. This unit has taken away the chore of finding weeds and structure from a tube or pontoon style craft.

I do not consider the fly rod my favorite way of catching 'eyes, but I just cannot seem to get through the year without using it. I think the main attraction is being out on the water at night when things are peaceful, yet full of surprises.

Take care,
mlc

[Gilligan]

I have flyfished for 35 years and just got into walleye 11 seasons back. Was always curious as how the flyrod would work so I gave it a try several years back. The lake I fish has ideal summer conditions - walleye on shallow weed edges 9-12'. I use a weight forward floating line. Sucessful patters have been zonkers, woolybuggers and muddler minnows. I also use small hair crappie jigs. They are just about like casting a bead head. I also have a friend that trolls large salmon flies off 3 ways and spin gear and does well. That being said I beleive conventional walleye fishing methods are more effective.

[RIVERRUNNER]

I use spinning tackle and throw flies on slip bobbers .In the detroit river we get a hatch of small moths around mid-july usually brings in the silvers and walleyes pickin up the scraps.I don't fly fish but try at nite very shallow 1-3ft under lights by outflows or discharges,current breaks. points'rip rapand rock piles just to name a few. At nite has gotta work with flies on fly rods but for dealing with rocks, shoreline trees, fences, breakwalls, gerder beams etc. Accuracy is the difference between 20 snags or 20 fish.Give it a try. GOOD LUCK & good fishin.

[Gilligan]

By the way Walleye Insider has an article this month on flyfishing... havent read it yet