Help me determine what was happening out on the water today

[cliptor]

try a lindy with a leach or worm they dont seem that agressive, or try a minnow through the tail and let sit there and wiggle

[Freedom1955]

Originally Posted by Frog_Belly

Was out with a buddy for the first time on a new lake. After a little work we found a shoreline with fish. From 11am-2pm walleyes in packs of 5-20 were roaming around in roughly 5-7 fow. Could not entice bites, we only landed one walleye after seeing hundreds in crystal clear water (it was a big fat hog of a walleye but did not fight much at all). We threw everything at them, jigs, spinners, cranks, different sizes/colors/speeds and no bites. They would not bite on anything.

Occasionally we would spot a hog of a walleye just sitting on the bottom alone motionless. This is one of them that I caught and even after releasing my hog it went right down to the bottom and sat just below the boat in full view.

On the other hand Northerns were biting like crazy on anything you could throw at them in this same area. The funny part is, After 2pm there was not a walleye to be found in this area but the northerns were there and still were biting just as earlier. Past experience tells me these walleyes were in the shallow area during the heat of the day to feed, but why wouldn't they bite on anything?

A little background - this is a smaller lake maybe 20ft deep maximum. We were along a rocky shoreline with some weed beds in shallow. Last night it got to 22. Tomorrow is supposed to be 78 for a high.

I had a similar experience a long time ago on a small MI lake. Clear water 10 foot deep and could see a pack of walleyes about 5-10 in a group. Could not get them to take anything. Decided to get away from them and give them a break for an hour or so. Came back but this time stayed casting distance away from them. Two techniques got them. An old "Nugget" lure and crawler that I don't think they even make anymore. Cast it out let it hit bottom and then a very slow/stop retrieve. The second was a slip bobber rig and a leach. When I used the slip bobber I would short cast the pack to feel them out. Then I would cast a little closer to them until I caught one. Each time I caught one the next cast would be a little farther towards the pack. They stayed in about a 100 yard area for a couple days.
I haven't been back to that lake since and I also have never observed walleye's swimming around in packs again either.

[Frog_Belly]

Originally Posted by Freedom1955

I had a similar experience a long time ago on a small MI lake. Clear water 10 foot deep and could see a pack of walleyes about 5-10 in a group. Could not get them to take anything. Decided to get away from them and give them a break for an hour or so. Came back but this time stayed casting distance away from them. Two techniques got them. An old "Nugget" lure and crawler that I don't think they even make anymore. Cast it out let it hit bottom and then a very slow/stop retrieve. The second was a slip bobber rig and a leach. When I used the slip bobber I would short cast the pack to feel them out. Then I would cast a little closer to them until I caught one. Each time I caught one the next cast would be a little farther towards the pack. They stayed in about a 100 yard area for a couple days.
I haven't been back to that lake since and I also have never observed walleye's swimming around in packs again either.

Interesting, I will be trying that technique tomorrow. I appreciate the feedback. I will try to update this thread with how it goes, hopefully they are still exhibiting the same behavior.

[zooks]

First of all, I highly doubt that the lake is experiencing a turnover. The lake in question - smaller lake in NE SD, 20ft max depth - is likely not big or deep enough and is too windswept to stratify and develop a thermocline. No thermocline = no turnover.

I'd second everyone's suggestion of nighttime fishing. Those fish are likely just sunning themselves trying to digest their meals. Fish deeper off the break like 10-15 FOW or try for panfish during the day. Target those same areas at night pitching jigs and cranks or trolling cranks and see if you have better sucess. Hope this helps, good luck.

[walloeyes]

1. feeding deep and resting/digesting shallow
2. Not hungry enough to compete with aggressive northern pike
3. Lake is brimming with food and your baits got outcompeted.

Walleyes burn up reserves chasing bait in clear shallow waters. They are not bass or northerns. They wait until the percentages are on their side...low light, shade, dingy water. The more bait present the more this holds true. No bait and you can throw rules out the window.