Weed Walleyes

[BradB]

Hello!

This summer I'm fishing a 1500 acre Minnesota lake that is very clear and has a deep weed line. There are a good population of walleyes in this lake and I suspect that they go into the cabbage during the day. The weed line ends at 22 feet and there are many fine kelp-like beds of tall cabbage stretching 15 to 20 feet up towards the surface. Most of the lake holds 30-35 feet mud flats and there are only a few small mid lake humps of sand, and some rocks.

Would any of you mind sharing any techniques that might work in this instance? I'm thinking of using jig worms and working the edges with a my trolling motor. But I'm a little stumped. I've been trolling large cranks (reef runners & thundersticks) over the flats and catch 75 northerns to every walleye doing that. The small northerns just inhale the cranks and too often get mortally hooked. I'd like to try something with just one hook that will give them a better chance at survival. I'm not out to kill little northerns.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have.

[Gord]

There are few things you might like to try.... 1. planer board pulling a light bottom bouncer/spinner, crawler harness over the tops of the weeds. 2. anchor off shore and let the wind slowly blow a slip bobber/leech towards the weeds. The walleye will watch the leech as it approaches. It will drive them nuts as it gets closer and closer. If a northern takes it, the small hook won't hurt him. You could also run the bait shallow so it floats over the top of the weeds. 3. anchor your boat just outside the outer edge of the weeds. cast a live bait rig or jig/bait or split shot rig, slip bobber etc. along the outer edge. slow down. try to present the bait in a slow natural manner. the slower you go, the longer it stays in the walleyes face. 4. cast a shallow running floating rapala across the tops of the weeds. the slow twitch, crippled minnow retrieve might work, especially if the top of the water is like glass. it would be the only motion in the area. it would draw lots of attention. this works good very early in the morning before sun up.

[Backwater Eddy]

Snap jigging Sassy Shads is a very good option too.

Backwater Eddy...><,,>

[eyedoktr]

I used to live on a lake with big, thick weed beds. What I found to work rather well was to use 1/8th-1/4 oz brown and yellow bucktail jigs. I would cast them into the weeds, let them settle, then snap them free. I ended up modifying a round head jig with a hammer and making it flatter. This helped prevent alot of snagging and made the retrieve easier.

[BradB]

Thank you for the great suggestions! One thing I thought I might try is drop shotting at the edge of the weeds, in 20+ feet of water. Have you folks tried that for deeper water weed walleyes?

[TJM]

Here's a tip for jigging in weeds. I know this sounds dumb , but it makes life easier. Put a snap swivel on the end of your line and attach the jig to it. It looks terrible, but when you snap jig through the weeds, the swivel cuts the weeds off cleanly a lot more often than just tying on. Weed fish are usually pretty aggressive, anyway.
Also the swivel seems to keep the line from getting nicked up as much.
Try it.

["COMA"]

Come back at night with a few dozen leeches and set up a lindy rig with a 1/4 oz or 3/8 oz bullet sinker and an 7' lead to a orange phelps floater and a leech. Slowly back troll the edge of the weed line. If there are any points concentrate on those areas. Make sure you bring a camara some bug repellent and a hat lite. The action will be good So a couple of pops should get you through. A radio is nice, Oh yeah some deer sticks!. Take what you need release the rest. Enjoy the nite sky and the solitude. Have fun . "COMA"

[PlanBguy]

Just for kicks try a shift concentrating on big pike or muskies. Your description of the lake sounds like a decent bet these big guys, maybe a big bass or two as well. Also, many of us have tagged our biggest walleye while pike or muskie fishing with long crankbaits or jerkbaits we would never think of when we fish walleyes. What the heck?!