Lac Seul Sand Reefs [Archive] - Walleye Message Central

NWO Fishing Bum

07-19-2006, 07:14 PM

Fixer,

I pulled some excerpts from my previous posts, explaining exactly what you want to know and what you want to look for. There are many of these places located to the NW, N, and E of the entrance to Williams Bay from Lac Seul. There are many islands and many reefs out there, so pay attention to your navigation or take a guide. Have a read through the information below . . . if you've been out there before, you should be able to picture the above-water descriptions I am providing. If you want a couple specifics on location, just respond and I will get you started, but you'll have to pay if you want anything beyond that, ha, ha. It will be easy to get on fish in that area, don't worry.

" . . .perhaps the best pattern for that period is what we have come to call MEGA-SAND STRUCTURE (and when I say we, I mean myself and my professional guiding colleagues). The combination of the post-glacial landscape, geomorphologic processes in the last 10000 years, and the creation of the Lac Seul reservoir (raising the lake elevation several feet) have created a common main lake phenomena on Lac Seul which are magnets for walleyes in the late-summer and fall. Picture for example a common site on Lac Seul, which is a sandbluff island, composed pretty much entirely out of sand, and often has sand banks rising from near the water's edge with forest on top. The main lake of Lac Seul if full of these things, which are essentially islands slowly eroding away, or rather not going away, but that sand is being deposited somewhere throughout the system, depending upon water levels, wind direction and velocity, etc. Years and years of this process has created these mega-sand structures, and believe me some of them can be big (like several square kilometers in size). There are several characteristics to defining the nature of these structures, but many share similar qualities. Because of the water levels (which change on Lac Seul), and the depth in the water column to which wave action plays a significant role, many such structures will top out around 15-19'. So the depth increases from the edge of the sandbluff island fairly quickly down to this depth, and then creates a large flat bar of sand at about that depth. Again, the size, direction from the island, and other spatial characteristics of the bar itself is dependent upon the criteria listed above. Now, the other common quality is that at the edges of these 'sand plateaus', the depth quickly drops to 40, 50, 60, 70 feet or more (simply a steep sand slope).

Sometimes you can get fish scattered across the top of these things, but they are usually stacked up on these breaks (and I mean literally stacked thick)!! Sometimes, particularly later in the season, and you should always at least try this anyway, the fish might be further down the break close to the thermacline. But most often, they are sitting right on the top edge of the break (right in that 17-22' region). So, if you don't know where to start, you can find these things by watching your graph, and then simply troll along the edges. Quite often the fish are ONLY on the top-edge break, and if you are out by just a boatlength it could be the difference between 2 fish and 20 fish. I have seen a guided boat outproduce an unguided boat easily 10 to 1 or 15 to 1 for fish production because of the guide's diligence to keep the boat right on the break. Sometimes it may also be useful to occasionally let yourself "fall off" the break a short distance, as big fish in particular will sometimes move off and sit suspended, just off the break. Also you should work the entire lengths of these breaks, but often changes in the orientation of the break, or the end of the break, can be particularly productive. I like to bottom bounce these structures, but depending on the bite, and if the fish are less aggressive, you may have to slow down and jig.

Not all mega-sand structure holds the same volume of fish, but again the key variables include a huge bar of sand (often extending from a sandy shoreline, or sandcliff island) that are generally flat on top, at about 15-19', and have steep edges/slopes which drop into deep water, which are 100% sand, and a basin of deep water in front of the slopes, and the slopes are windward."

Response from:
Steve b.:

"Nice description of the mega-sand stucture nwo fishing bum.I've been going to LS for the last 15 years and just recently started fishing this type of structure.I always refered to them as sand flats and I never realized how big they can be.Our group has caught fish exactly as you have stated.Nice informative post.Is the "sand-bluff with the forest on top"one of the best ways to initially locate this type of structure?Heading up 7-15-06 and we stay at a camp near williams bay. steve."

Response from:
NWO Fishing Bum

"Yes, that is a good way to start, but don't be fooled, there is some mega-sand along rockier shoreline, or extending off rocky points in a certain orientation. There is SO much sand being eroded and swept around that is has to be deposited somewhere. Also, there are many of these things out in the middle of nowhere. Watch your graph as you drive along. You'll often cross over large flats about 17'-22', then a QUICK drop down to 50' or 60' or more. Remember that when you're driving, these sharp slopes will look like cliffs. Shallower slopes can hold fish, but they are more spread out. If you pass over something like this, turn around and go back and look at it. If it comes back up, go further down, and see if the slope continues. These things often go for 100m or more. Don't just start fishing, drive around a bit watching the depth and get a feel for the structure. As I mentioned, the most productive areas are usually RIGHT on the top-edge of the break, so you ideally want to work along that top-edge. Good boat control, as always in walleye fishing, is critical to maximizing production on these types of structure, and because they are best with a hucking wind beating them, the guide/boat operator gets a work-out. Oh, that said, a good boat with proper splash-guards for backtrolling is also very important to good boat control on these structures. Also, these are a good place to make use of the GPS tracking available on higher-end depth finders these days. As your driving around getting a feel for the structure, put a waypoint right on the top-edge of the break, each time you pass over it, then go to the end and play connect-the-dots as you backtroll. Also, once you get the line down, you can just follow it for a second pass or for the next day, as long as your memory holds the information.

Finally, mega-sand = zero snags. It truly is wonderful fishing."

That should cover the theory part. If you want to know anything further just let me know.

NWO Fishing Bum


Walleye Message Central > Canada Eh? > Canada > Lac Seul Sand Reefs PDA : Lac Seul Sand Reefs Fixer 07-19-2006, 02:08 PM I am taking my 12 year old son on his first Canada trip to Lac Seul on July 29th. We are staying at Williams Lake Lodge near Williams Bay. This will be my third year there and have really enjoyed the camp and that part of the lake. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been reading about large sand reefs on the lake and that these are excellent locations to find walleye in late July and into August. I typically have always fished windblown points and shorelines with excellent results, but since I am taking my son, I thought these would be a good place to start with spinner rigs until my son gets a handle on the walleye bite and can move to jigs. Can anyone tell me if there is any of this type structure in the central part of the lake? We are familiar with the area all the way from McIntyre Bay to about 5 miles or so East. Thanks for your help. Fixer:cheers: NWO Fishing Bum 07-19-2006, 07:14 PM Fixer, I pulled some excerpts from my previous posts, explaining exactly what you want to know and what you want to look for. There are many of these places located to the NW, N, and E of the entrance to Williams Bay from Lac Seul. There are many islands and many reefs out there, so pay attention to your navigation or take a guide. Have a read through the information below . . . if you've been out there before, you should be able to picture the above-water descriptions I am providing. If you want a couple specifics on location, just respond and I will get you started, but you'll have to pay if you want anything beyond that, ha, ha. It will be easy to get on fish in that area, don't worry. " . . .perhaps the best pattern for that period is what we have come to call MEGA-SAND STRUCTURE (and when I say we, I mean myself and my professional guiding colleagues). The combination of the post-glacial landscape, geomorphologic processes in the last 10000 years, and the creation of the Lac Seul reservoir (raising the lake elevation several feet) have created a common main lake phenomena on Lac Seul which are magnets for walleyes in the late-summer and fall. Picture for example a common site on Lac Seul, which is a sandbluff island, composed pretty much entirely out of sand, and often has sand banks rising from near the water's edge with forest on top. The main lake of Lac Seul if full of these things, which are essentially islands slowly eroding away, or rather not going away, but that sand is being deposited somewhere throughout the system, depending upon water levels, wind direction and velocity, etc. Years and years of this process has created these mega-sand structures, and believe me some of them can be big (like several square kilometers in size). There are several characteristics to defining the nature of these structures, but many share similar qualities. Because of the water levels (which change on Lac Seul), and the depth in the water column to which wave action plays a significant role, many such structures will top out around 15-19'. So the depth increases from the edge of the sandbluff island fairly quickly down to this depth, and then creates a large flat bar of sand at about that depth. Again, the size, direction from the island, and other spatial characteristics of the bar itself is dependent upon the criteria listed above. Now, the other common quality is that at the edges of these 'sand plateaus', the depth quickly drops to 40, 50, 60, 70 feet or more (simply a steep sand slope). Sometimes you can get fish scattered across the top of these things, but they are usually stacked up on these breaks (and I mean literally stacked thick)!! Sometimes, particularly later in the season, and you should always at least try this anyway, the fish might be further down the break close to the thermacline. But most often, they are sitting right on the top edge of the break (right in that 17-22' region). So, if you don't know where to start, you can find these things by watching your graph, and then simply troll along the edges. Quite often the fish are ONLY on the top-edge break, and if you are out by just a boatlength it could be the difference between 2 fish and 20 fish. I have seen a guided boat outproduce an unguided boat easily 10 to 1 or 15 to 1 for fish production because of the guide's diligence to keep the boat right on the break. Sometimes it may also be useful to occasionally let yourself "fall off" the break a short distance, as big fish in particular will sometimes move off and sit suspended, just off the break. Also you should work the entire lengths of these breaks, but often changes in the orientation of the break, or the end of the break, can be particularly productive. I like to bottom bounce these structures, but depending on the bite, and if the fish are less aggressive, you may have to slow down and jig. Not all mega-sand structure holds the same volume of fish, but again the key variables include a huge bar of sand (often extending from a sandy shoreline, or sandcliff island) that are generally flat on top, at about 15-19', and have steep edges/slopes which drop into deep water, which are 100% sand, and a basin of deep water in front of the slopes, and the slopes are windward." Response from: Steve b.: "Nice description of the mega-sand stucture nwo fishing bum.I've been going to LS for the last 15 years and just recently started fishing this type of structure.I always refered to them as sand flats and I never realized how big they can be.Our group has caught fish exactly as you have stated.Nice informative post.Is the "sand-bluff with the forest on top"one of the best ways to initially locate this type of structure?Heading up 7-15-06 and we stay at a camp near williams bay. steve." Response from: NWO Fishing Bum "Yes, that is a good way to start, but don't be fooled, there is some mega-sand along rockier shoreline, or extending off rocky points in a certain orientation. There is SO much sand being eroded and swept around that is has to be deposited somewhere. Also, there are many of these things out in the middle of nowhere. Watch your graph as you drive along. You'll often cross over large flats about 17'-22', then a QUICK drop down to 50' or 60' or more. Remember that when you're driving, these sharp slopes will look like cliffs. Shallower slopes can hold fish, but they are more spread out. If you pass over something like this, turn around and go back and look at it. If it comes back up, go further down, and see if the slope continues. These things often go for 100m or more. Don't just start fishing, drive around a bit watching the depth and get a feel for the structure. As I mentioned, the most productive areas are usually RIGHT on the top-edge of the break, so you ideally want to work along that top-edge. Good boat control, as always in walleye fishing, is critical to maximizing production on these types of structure, and because they are best with a hucking wind beating them, the guide/boat operator gets a work-out. Oh, that said, a good boat with proper splash-guards for backtrolling is also very important to good boat control on these structures. Also, these are a good place to make use of the GPS tracking available on higher-end depth finders these days. As your driving around getting a feel for the structure, put a waypoint right on the top-edge of the break, each time you pass over it, then go to the end and play connect-the-dots as you backtroll. Also, once you get the line down, you can just follow it for a second pass or for the next day, as long as your memory holds the information. Finally, mega-sand = zero snags. It truly is wonderful fishing." That should cover the theory part. If you want to know anything further just let me know. NWO Fishing Bum Mike Kansas 07-20-2006, 10:30 AM NWO, Great info. Im sure anybody who reads this and follows your instruction will increase their catch. Once we locate fish we like to put out marker bouys on the edge of the drop with boat anchored in shallow and cast jig/minnow over the ledges and retrive up the ledge. This provides us the opportunity to fish slow and cover the entire drop from deep to shallow. Especially effective if the wind is from deep to shallow. Also have casted light weight Lindy rig with floating jig/minnow 12"to16" leader with success. Keep the info coming NWO. It's always good to read your posts. Mike Kansas Mike Kansas 07-20-2006, 10:30 AM NWO, Great info. Im sure anybody who reads this and follows your instruction will increase their catch. Once we locate fish we like to put out marker bouys on the edge of the drop with boat anchored in shallow and cast jig/minnow over the ledges and retrive up the ledge. This provides us the opportunity to fish slow and cover the entire drop from deep to shallow. Especially effective if the wind is from deep to shallow. Also have casted light weight Lindy rig with floating jig/minnow 12"to16" leader with success. Keep the info coming NWO. It's always good to read your posts. Mike Kansas Fixer 07-20-2006, 11:24 AM Thanks for your help NWO Fishing Bum. We did take a guide a couple of years ago. They did point out what they called "clay banks" and said they are usually pretty good places to fish. I assume these are what you're talking about and that some are visible and some are not and must be located via depth sounder. I am looking forward to our trip. Any other words of wisdom would be appreciated. Thanks again for your help. Fixer:cheers: Fixer 07-20-2006, 11:24 AM Thanks for your help NWO Fishing Bum. We did take a guide a couple of years ago. They did point out what they called "clay banks" and said they are usually pretty good places to fish. I assume these are what you're talking about and that some are visible and some are not and must be located via depth sounder. I am looking forward to our trip. Any other words of wisdom would be appreciated. Thanks again for your help. Fixer:cheers: