05-30-2012, 04:28 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Starvation is just tuning up to sing pretty for the rest of the year. Walleye spawn is over and the fish are entering a post-spawn feeding frenzy. Smallmouth should be going shallow for their own spawn. Water temps have been bouncing around the 60 degree mark and will be hitting the magic 65 to 70 zone by mid June. That's when you can catcha ll species in one spot with one lure on an average day. And it will stay that way until at least the first of September.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Once ideal temps hit, you can fish shallow around the shorelines in water from 6 feet to 15 feet deep. A good pattern is to throw small grubs and tubes into shore and then hop them out into deeper water. White, chartreuse or crawdad colors all work for walleyes or smallies. Vertical jig the same colors over points and humps.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Perch will be in anywhere from 10 feet to 25 feet...depending on water temps, weedbeds, food movement, etc. Look for schools and vertical jig with small jigs tipped with crawler or perch meat.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Trout move all over the lake...at all depths. They will often be swirling on the surface early in the morning but may be caught at anywhere from the bottom to middepth in deeper water throughout the day. Flies...on fly rods or behind a bubble...will catch some bodacious bows. But the silly fish smack just about any lures or rigs meant for the other species. Try trolling spinners or crankbaits for both walleyes and trout.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most walleye chasers start in the Knight Hollow area early in the summer season. They seem to really school up there in a couple of spots and you may have to play "bumper-boat" on a busy day. Going on weekdays cuts down the traffic.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After about the first of July you will be able to get walleyes all over the lake...bottom bouncing with crawler rigs or trolling shorelines with diving crankbaits. Also good to find a good area (with sonar) and do some vertical jigging with a jig head and crawler. That will also get you perch, smallies and trout. Box of chocolates.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the water starts cooling in the fall the fish move deeper. They are often in the same areas but slide downhill to deeper spots. Until it gets really cold they are usually still active and some of the bigger fish of the year will be showing up.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]And then there is ice fishing...when it gets cold enough long enough to cap the lake. That usually happens...if it is going to happen...by January.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Ice out starts in February and the lake is usually open by March. Great ice out action for the big browns in the lake...and the rainbows always come out to play. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The biggest influencing factor for all fishing is water levels. You can have great fishing on a spot one week and come back two weeks later to find it high and dry. Water users can really suck the water out of the lake in a year like this one...where runoff ends early and irrigation requirements are greater. Most fish tend to pull off the shorelines and go deeper when the water is dropping. That takes more sonar work and luck to find the fish and to catch them in a feeding mood.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Once ideal temps hit, you can fish shallow around the shorelines in water from 6 feet to 15 feet deep. A good pattern is to throw small grubs and tubes into shore and then hop them out into deeper water. White, chartreuse or crawdad colors all work for walleyes or smallies. Vertical jig the same colors over points and humps.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Perch will be in anywhere from 10 feet to 25 feet...depending on water temps, weedbeds, food movement, etc. Look for schools and vertical jig with small jigs tipped with crawler or perch meat.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Trout move all over the lake...at all depths. They will often be swirling on the surface early in the morning but may be caught at anywhere from the bottom to middepth in deeper water throughout the day. Flies...on fly rods or behind a bubble...will catch some bodacious bows. But the silly fish smack just about any lures or rigs meant for the other species. Try trolling spinners or crankbaits for both walleyes and trout.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most walleye chasers start in the Knight Hollow area early in the summer season. They seem to really school up there in a couple of spots and you may have to play "bumper-boat" on a busy day. Going on weekdays cuts down the traffic.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After about the first of July you will be able to get walleyes all over the lake...bottom bouncing with crawler rigs or trolling shorelines with diving crankbaits. Also good to find a good area (with sonar) and do some vertical jigging with a jig head and crawler. That will also get you perch, smallies and trout. Box of chocolates.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the water starts cooling in the fall the fish move deeper. They are often in the same areas but slide downhill to deeper spots. Until it gets really cold they are usually still active and some of the bigger fish of the year will be showing up.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]And then there is ice fishing...when it gets cold enough long enough to cap the lake. That usually happens...if it is going to happen...by January.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Ice out starts in February and the lake is usually open by March. Great ice out action for the big browns in the lake...and the rainbows always come out to play. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The biggest influencing factor for all fishing is water levels. You can have great fishing on a spot one week and come back two weeks later to find it high and dry. Water users can really suck the water out of the lake in a year like this one...where runoff ends early and irrigation requirements are greater. Most fish tend to pull off the shorelines and go deeper when the water is dropping. That takes more sonar work and luck to find the fish and to catch them in a feeding mood.[/#0000ff]
[signature]