Help Me Scout Out A New Lake

[TMF89]

Hey guys. So I'm leaving for Canada in a week and a half, and we're going to a lake we've never been to before. This year I'd like to focus way more time specifically going after big northern and walleye. This being the Walleye forum, I was hoping you guys would have some input lol. Here's the lake. So far I'm just thinking troll cranks adjacent to the shallower structure Hey guys. So I'm leaving for Canada in a week and a half, and we're going to a lake we've never been to before. This year I'd like to focus way more time specifically going after big northern and walleye. This being the Walleye forum, I was hoping you guys would have some input lol. Here's the lake. So far I'm just thinking troll cranks adjacent to the shallower structure on the main lake, or areas where there's deep water nearby. Or work breaks, bottom composition changes, or other features out in deeper water. My two main setups so far are going to be cranks, and salted suckers with a jig.

I'm thinking the sucker with a jig during the day in the spots I mentioned, and throwing cranks/minnow baits during twilight/at night in the shallow reefs and points adjacent to big water. I've marked a few places I think will produce. I'd get into more detail with each spot and how I plan on fishing it, but my grandma has Dementia, lives with us, and wants to play some cards. lol
Here's a map of the lake. I'm excited because it does appear to have a bunch of big water for breeding big piggies. Thanks guys!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...rFlom89/kl.png

P.S. I tried just inserting the image into the message with IMG tags, but it's just linking to the pic. Something weird with this site I'm not aware of? lol

[Pikeslayer8]

First off, welcome to Walleye Central.

I think that I would concentrate on where the water flows hardest.
The big long narrows that has some depth that feeds into McCusker Lake in the north furthest from camp is where I would make a point of visiting and the obvious narrows that separates Keeper from Eagle Lake close to camp. I probably would fish this area first. I would also fish the narrows just south of Rabbit Bay.
That's just my thoughts. Some of the other fellas might have better ideas, but that's how I would look at it.
I would make sure to bring a depth finder and pay close attention to water temps.

Don't limit yourself to just using suckers bring some crawlers. Cheap insurance.

Have a great trip and come on, let Granny win this round of cards, will ya.

[Hillbiehle]

I fished Hornby in that area this time of year. I recall 22' at any mainlake point produced fish. Some points obviously held bigger fish than others. If you are trolling, my two go to crankbaits up there are Storm Hot n Tot (Chartreuse, yellow/orange) and Shad Raps (purpledescent).

Don't overlook jigging cabbage fields in the 8 to 9' range. In addition, I have caught many walleyes on topwater with a devilshorse over the weeds which is different.

[clearis]

Chad at Pasha Lake Cabins had a phone interview with Al Linder about fishing in Canada. Chad posted the interview as segments and included Al's comments on fishing a new body of water. The interview is posted here:

http://www.pashalake.com/walleye-ont...gradioshow.htm

I wouldn't overlook pulling a bottom bouncer with a slow death hook/crawler setup or a with a spinner when looking for fish. I have always caught fish with this rig on the Canadian Shield when scouting a new body of water.

Listen Al's comments regarding, "Skunked in NW Ontario."

[adempsey]

Fish the fast drops from shallow to deep water with jigs. Points, saddles, sunken islands/reefs, weed bed pockets/edges near deeper water. Looks like there are a bunch of narrows to fish too.

I'd bring nightcrawlers and some Gulp as well.

Trolling bottom bouncers with a crawler harness is a good way to locate fish. I also drift with Lindy rigs/jigs to locate fish.

As for cranks, can't go wrong with the Hot'n'Tot, Berkley Frenzy or Shad Rap. I like to toss jerkbaits like the X-Rap in the shallows after dusk as well.

My trip this year was 99% jigging drop-offs in 18 to 30+ FOW.

I've only fished for pike in the weed beds or in deeper water near weed beds. Never really used a quick strike rig but I believe they are good in the fall? A big minnow should work any time of the year IMO, but nothing wrong with using some spoons, spinners and jigs with large plastics.

Good luck!

[Ten Horse Johnson]

My experience with fishing off of maps is not the greatest - especially poorly marked ones like in Canada. If you can get someone knowledgeable to mark some spots to try, that'd be the way to go.

In general, I would troll along main points and islands to find the dropoffs. Work those edges/transitions. Go toodle around in open water in search of humps...there will no doubt be many, including some subtle ones that probably don't get fished much if ever.

A guy in our group has done a lot of underwater camera recon and saw that the area right where rock turns to much/silt is key. Find that edge.

The Lindner interview that someone posted earlier has lots of excellent information. It was fun to hear some things I've observed over the years be confirmed by the legend that is Al.

[guidedfishing]

Or you could give this map a try. http://www.nestorfalls.com/lakeMaps/KeeperLake.pdf

I would add most Canadian lake maps are merely a rough guide. How much ground you can cover always looks better on the map, traveling 10 miles in an outpost boat with a 15hp motor in unknown waters may be more time consuming than you think. (no idea if that is the case).

I'll just add always start shallow work deep, work the windblown points with bottom bouncers and cranks to find active fish. When you pick up a few, slow down grab a jig and work it just alittle slower to see if there is anything going on. Its always good to have some live bait crawlers, leeches or minnows. If fishing is slow nothing better than to tease some action out of the local walleyes. If their snapping I usually just switch to soft plastic, a purple ring worm with a pearl tail on a jig.

best find some one that's fished it before get a couple confidence building spots, Usually if its working in on spot you can apply that same technique to other areas in the laks as you explore.

good luck

GF

[TMF89]

Well guys thank for all the tips, I appreciate it. But I'm looking specifically for big fish, not just fish in general. What techniques and locations would you fish for that? Thanks!

[SinOrSwim]

Ohhhhh, you are looking for BIG fish??? That is where I have been going wrong all these years. LOL just kidding. That cracked me up though.

Originally Posted by TMF89

Well guys thank for all the tips, I appreciate it. But I'm looking specifically for big fish, not just fish in general. What techniques and locations would you fish for that? Thanks!

[Ten Horse Johnson]

Originally Posted by TMF89

Well guys thank for all the tips, I appreciate it. But I'm looking specifically for big fish, not just fish in general. What techniques and locations would you fish for that? Thanks!

Big fish can be caught in the same types of areas and structures as smaller ones. They do school by size, however, so it is possible to sometimes locate a school of very active large fish...finding where that spot is on a given day is the challenge. Just gotta move around. On Jeanette lake this year, we had some guys catch 12 walleyes over 22 inches in a two hour span out of one spot. A few years earlier, the same guys caught 14 over 24 inches (including a 31.5 inch monster) out of another spot a quarter mile away. But these are rare moments when everything lines up perfectly.

I have observed that very often, a big fish comes out of those spots where you only pick up a couple fish. It is unusual, in my experience, to be on a hot bite with a bunch of 16 inch males and then get a random 28 incher in that mix.

So unfortunately, I have no "silver bullet" for you other than if you see that certain areas are only producing small fish, maybe move around a bit.