I Need your help with Walleye.

[Backyard Boy T.V.]

I have never caught a walleye and this year I want to do it. So please reply with tips and spots I can try. Thanks!

If you are willing to share a secret spot , then send me a private message.

[RockyRaab2]

Utah waters where walleye are present, ranked from least likely to catch one to most likely (IMO):

Echo
Willard
Deer Creek
Starvation
Utah Lake
Powell

There may be others that I don't recall at the moment. TubeDude probably has writeups on walleye, and I defer to his wisdom on the "how to catch 'em" angle. Except that I will predict him saying that the surest way to catch a walleye is to target some other species, LOL!

[Backyard Boy T.V.]

Utah waters where walleye are present, ranked from least likely to catch one to most likely (IMO):

Echo
Willard
Deer Creek
Starvation
Utah Lake
Powell

There may be others that I don't recall at the moment. TubeDude probably has writeups on walleye, and I defer to his wisdom on the "how to catch 'em" angle. Except that I will predict him saying that the surest way to catch a walleye is to target some other species, LOL!

Thanks I will definitely use this info. Hoping to hit some of those lakes during the spawn this year! ?

[TubeDude]

Rocky is right.  I always say that there are more walleye caught "on accident" than on purpose.  And I also catch a lot more while casting small jigs for white bass or crappies than when I specifically target them.
 

As has been mentioned, walleyes live in quite a few Utah Waters.  But the most and biggest are probably in Utah Lake.  Best places to try are around the rock dikes of the harbors...especially during April and May.  But a lot of "wading warriors" catch good numbers at several spots around Lincoln Beach.

Walleyes will hit a wide range of baits and lures...including spinners, crankbaits and plastics.  But the guys who consistently do best are the ones who fish plastics with light gear and finesse tactics.  Here is a PDF writeup I put together a couple of years ago that should provide some help.  After that it is a matter of good luck and good timing...to find the fish and get them to play with you.

[_6x_]

Here is a strange story. Around three years ago, everyone was catching walleye in Utah Lake. Just drive the state park at dusk and there were rows of people lining up, catching walleye. This was sometime in April. I worried at time time that the walleye in Utah Lake were going to be like the buffalo ca. 1865. Most people thought that was a silly worry.

Maybe it was, and maybe I'm just not smart enough to find the walleye, but I have not only not caught a walleye in Utah Lake since, but I haven't even seen a walleye caught since. I don't know what has been different. It seems to me like they are gone. But maybe I don't understand the spawn well enough, or else have missed it, or something like that. I also hear rumors from time to time that a similar event happens at the Provo's mouth in Deer Creek, but have never timed that right, either.

In general I find walleye much more elusive than bass and trout, but that may be that I didn't grow up fishing for them.

[Backyard Boy T.V.]

Rocky is right.  I always say that there are more walleye caught "on accident" than on purpose.  And I also catch a lot more while casting small jigs for white bass or crappies than when I specifically target them.
 

As has been mentioned, walleyes live in quite a few Utah Waters.  But the most and biggest are probably in Utah Lake.  Best places to try are around the rock dikes of the harbors...especially during April and May.  But a lot of "wading warriors" catch good numbers at several spots around Lincoln Beach.

Walleyes will hit a wide range of baits and lures...including spinners, crankbaits and plastics.  But the guys who consistently do best are the ones who fish plastics with light gear and finesse tactics.  Here is a PDF writeup I put together a couple of years ago that should provide some help.  After that it is a matter of good luck and good timing...to find the fish and get them to play with you.

Man Thanks! This is all the info I could want! I will be sure to use this!

---

Here is a strange story.  Around three years ago, everyone was catching walleye in Utah Lake.  Just drive the state park at dusk and there were rows of people lining up, catching walleye.  This was sometime in April.  I worried at time time that the walleye in Utah Lake were going to be like the buffalo ca. 1865.  Most people thought that was a silly worry.

Maybe it was, and maybe I'm just not smart enough to find the walleye, but I have not only not caught a walleye in Utah Lake since, but I haven't even seen a walleye caught since.  I don't know what has been different.  It seems to me like they are gone.  But maybe I don't understand the spawn well enough, or else have missed it, or something like that.  I also hear rumors from time to time that a similar event happens at the Provo's mouth in Deer Creek, but have never timed that right, either.

In general I find walleye much more elusive than bass and trout, but that may be that I didn't grow up fishing for them.

Timing is key from what I have heard. That and knowledge of the lake you are fishing.

[TubeDude]

Here is a strange story.  Around three years ago, everyone was catching walleye in Utah Lake.  Just drive the state park at dusk and there were rows of people lining up, catching walleye.  This was sometime in April.  I worried at time time that the walleye in Utah Lake were going to be like the buffalo ca. 1865.  Most people thought that was a silly worry.

Maybe it was, and maybe I'm just not smart enough to find the walleye, but I have not only not caught a walleye in Utah Lake since, but I haven't even seen a walleye caught since.  I don't know what has been different.  It seems to me like they are gone.  But maybe I don't understand the spawn well enough, or else have missed it, or something like that.  I also hear rumors from time to time that a similar event happens at the Provo's mouth in Deer Creek, but have never timed that right, either.

In general I find walleye much more elusive than bass and trout, but that may be that I didn't grow up fishing for them.

Walleye fishing in Utah Lake IS cyclical.  There have been years of overabundant walleye...with everybody catching them.  And there have been other years where even the pros have had trouble scoring.  

Walleye numbers and locations are predicated on at least two things...water levels and food supply.  They roam around the lake looking for more comfortable conditions and a source of eats.  In a shallow lake like Utah Lake there are a lot of variables in any given year.

In years of very low water, there is often a poor spawn of white bass.  And white bass are the primary food source for a lot of Utah Lake fishes...including walleyes.  So fewer white bass means hungry walleyes...with some even thinning up and/or starving to death before the next successful white bass spawn.  A good example was in 2003 to 2004.  At the end of several years of drought, Utah Lake was shallow and there was a very low population of white bass.  Consequently, the bigger walleyes either got skinny and/or starved to death over that winter.  In the spring there were not many walleyes left...and they were skinny...like the one in the attached picture.  And the guys pitching jigs for them in the usual walleye spawning areas were snagging big dead walleyes that had died under the ice during the winter.


On the flip side, when there is a lot of food the walleyes are less likely to fall for something being thrown at them by silly fishermen.  And you can't catch them where they ain't.  Water levels and weather patterns can move the fish around a lot.  Where they showed up to spawn one night might hold no fish at all the next night.  Always good to have some alternate spots and move until you find them.

I have fished Utah Lake walleyes since the 1960s.  In the early days there were no size limits and there were a lot more walleyes.  And in the troutaholic times there were few who actually fished for walleyes.  It was not unusual to catch 10 - 20 fish...during the day (postspawn)...and to keep a limit of fish all over 5-6#.  Today...same story as most other Utah waters.  More fishermen...more pressure...fewer fish.  Here are a couple of pics from the past.

[MWScott72]

Here is a strange story.  Around three years ago, everyone was catching walleye in Utah Lake.  Just drive the state park at dusk and there were rows of people lining up, catching walleye.  This was sometime in April.  I worried at time time that the walleye in Utah Lake were going to be like the buffalo ca. 1865.  Most people thought that was a silly worry.

Maybe it was, and maybe I'm just not smart enough to find the walleye, but I have not only not caught a walleye in Utah Lake since, but I haven't even seen a walleye caught since.  I don't know what has been different.  It seems to me like they are gone.  But maybe I don't understand the spawn well enough, or else have missed it, or something like that.  I also hear rumors from time to time that a similar event happens at the Provo's mouth in Deer Creek, but have never timed that right, either.

In general I find walleye much more elusive than bass and trout, but that may be that I didn't grow up fishing for them.

6x - here is a funny story to go with your strange story.  I was fishing one of the UL tributaries last year during the WB spawn.  My jig got bumped and I set the hook knowing immediately that there was no WB on the end of my line.  I was fishing 6lb test and the fish started taking line but after about 10 minutes I got it close enough to determine that it was indeed a walleye, and I about freaked.  No net to land it, so was praying that my line would hold out in her toothy mouth. Finally, I landed her and it was a 8.75 lb fish...far surpassing the dozen or so WB on the stringer.  I probably should have thrown her back, but I don't catch walleye...in fact it had probably been 8-10 years since my last "eye" and they are way to good on the dinner plate!  In fact, she provided 2 dinners for our family of 4...man, are they good!

So...there WAS at least one walleye in the UL ecosystem last year

[Mildog]

Hey Tube Dude,
That Float Tube and Rods and reels in that picture look familiar to me. Could that pic be a blast from the past. Either way I remember many hours with a fair amount of success catching the Toothy eyes in several waters around the state in our tubes, "back in the day". One thing i totally agree on from all the great info you posted is, the best and easiest Walleye to catch is a hungry one, when prey are down they are much easier to catch for sure. It seems they are not as likely as say a bass to hit something out of curiosity or aggressiveness other than possibly during the "spawn" period. It is definitely cyclical on many of our waters. A few years back limits many or most trips to Willard or Starvation  now tougher but still usually get a few much of the time. Lake Powell is very good for them in early Spring and early summer. There is another one the list that has been quite good the last few years and I think a couple will be better this year.
Go out and find them, Good Luck !
Mildog out

[TubeDude]

Hey Tube Dude,
That Float Tube and Rods and reels in that picture look familiar to me. Could that pic be a blast from the past. Either way I remember many hours with a fair amount of success catching the Toothy eyes in several waters around the state in our tubes, "back in the day". One thing i totally agree on from all the great info you posted is, the best and easiest Walleye to catch is a hungry one, when prey are down they are much easier to catch for sure. It seems they are not as likely as say a bass to hit something out of curiosity or aggressiveness other than possibly during the "spawn" period. It is definitely cyclical on many of our waters. A few years back limits many or most trips to Willard or Starvation  now tougher but still usually get a few much of the time. Lake Powell is very good for them in early Spring and early summer. There is another one the list that has been quite good the last few years and I think a couple will be better this year.
Go out and find them, Good Luck !
Mildog out

That was taken after a trip at the Jordan River outlet...ahead of the pumphouse...about 1982.  The year before the big flood...when you couldn't get near the prime area.  It was in my fave postspawn period...about Junish...when the hungry eyes schooled up in the current flowing out of the lake...picking off small bullheads and white bass as they drifted by.  Large black marabou jigs (and even big streamer flies) got absolutely hammered by the hungry and competitive fish.  No tentative nibbles.  Just a big THUMP.

Those were the days when I discovered that I really didn't like competing with all the snaggers at the bubbleup, catching (or snagging) lethargic fish that fought like wet burlap bags.  Not much appeal aesthetically and downright unpleasant most of the time.  As you and Rick helped me learn, it was far better to wait until walleye romance time was over and the fish were actively feeding again.   Very little competition from other anglers and much greater piscatorial rewards.  Them was good times.

[Therapist]

6x's Statement about hammering spawning walleye has always been one of my issues on Ut. Lake. They used to use what was called the Geneva Dry Fly, a 3/0 or 4/0 treble hook w/ a few feathers attached and cast it out and rip it back to snag spawning walleye. Cute !! For years and years the preferred lure were Storm Thin Fins for the spawning fish. Today most use jigs and plastics to target them. My problem is this ! Say you are a cattle rancher and when you see that bull mount one of your heifers, you go out and shoot her. Later in the year, you wonder what happened to your calf crop !! Same thing with the walleye in Ut. Lake. We are decimating the spawning population of females during the time when they are replenishing the stocks of walleye. Those fish are swarming to the rocky shoreline of the lake to lay eggs. They are not hitting the lure because they are feeding, they are moving it out of the nesting area where they are trying to lay eggs. Everyone loves those pictures of those big fat females loaded with eggs, the next generation being destroyed. Those fish are under a great deal of stress during the spawn and when we harass them during that time, we are just shooting our cows, then wondering where our beef is !! Those 4-6 lb females, loaded with eggs, are the future of the lake and those are fish that are taken the most during the spawn. We have seen a decline in the walleye population. Look up some articles on walleye up in the upper midwest. They do not allow fishing during the spawn and they still have to supplement the natural spawn with stocking. Utah used to do that in Ut. Lake, capture spawning fish in the Provo River, collect the eggs and hatch them, then release them back into Ut.Lake. The old Springville hatchery was where it was done. I do not advocate fishing for walleye during the spawn and if I catch one, especially a gravid female ( with eggs) it goes back quickly. I might keep a male or two as there are more than enough to fertilize the spawn, but I do not keep the females. When I hunt walleye it is after the spawn, late May to July. They need about a 2 week recovery period after the spawn and then they go on a feeding binge that is unbelieveable. By then, most anglers are pursuing other quary and leave them alone, more for me !!

I doubt that this will have much impact on the general fishing public, as I have made this case many times in the past, but things are changing on Utah Lake and we may not like some of the changes. So far, there are still abundant walleye if you know what you are doing. But how long can we go, shooting the cow, before the calves disappear !!!

[TubeDude]

Y'know, as I codgertate on the issue of reduced walleye numbers,  it occurs to me there are at least two other factors that may be at work.

1.  Carp seining.  Yeah, I know, the carp killers are not supposed to keep other species...other than a few white bass and bullheads.  But I have watched the operation both on the ice and in open water.  I have observed that many hauls bring in large numbers of non-carp species...like walleyes.  I have also observed that there is no concerted effort to quickly rescue "more desirable" species like largemouths, crappies, or walleyes.  In fact, after the carp have been loaded up and the crew departed there are often "floaters" of the "bycatch" species.  Who knows...over the course of the past few years...how many big spawner female walleye have succumbed to being squashed together with several tons of carp and kept immobilized for a long time?


2.  Illegal harvest.  There is a hardcore contingent of anglers (not sportsmen) who consider Utah's waters to be their own private fish market.  They fish for subsistence (family budget) or profit...often illegally selling a large part of their catch.  In Utah Lake we see them filling buckets (and pickups) with white bass...and removing large numbers of walleyes too...often over-limits and or many large females over the 26" size limit.  With the Covid situation and with DWR being already spread out and each CO covering vast areas, the "happy harvesters" not only rape the resource but often don't even buy licenses.  That is a statement directly from an exasperated CO who verified that a high percentage of violators don't have licenses.

When I first became acquainted with Utah Lake walleyes, it was in the early 1960's...only about 10 years after they had been introduced to Utah Lake.  Virtually every "angler" along the lower Provo was using the "Provo River Nymph"...a large treble hook with a piece of yellow foam for better visibility.  The consensus was that snagging was the only way to catch walleye...that they wouldn't take bait or lures.  Of course that was nonsense.  But snagging persisted and became a major problem...resulting in all tributaries to Utah Lake being closed to fishing in March and April.  All that did was keep legal anglers away.  Poachers still showed up after dark and had spotters in the trees to help them see the fish to snag.  Whenever a DWR officer showed up, the violators disappeared into the brush.  Today the restrictions are relaxed.  These tributaries are open to fishing, but not to keeping
Walleye during the spawn months.  Again...keeping the honest anglers honest, but not the poachers.

From first hand observations and reliable reports from others, I know that large numbers of big spawning females are removed from both Utah Lake and the streams before they ever get a chance to help repopulate walleye numbers.  Basic logic should tell us that has an effect.  We don't know how much.  But we do know when the fishing sucks compared to former times.

CRASH!!!   Just fell off my soapbox.

[Freakyfisherman]

I have never caught a walleye and this year I want to do it. So please reply with tips and spots I can try. Thanks!

If you are willing to share a secret spot , then send me a private message.

My advice is to get good with your jigging skills as most of the walleye I catch are by jigging. A sensitive rod is crucial. Sometimes the walleye can be so subtle all you get for a bite is a tick or your line just stops. On crankbaits or jerkbaits you can get aggressive strikes or like I did on the tikka minnow on the ice at deer creek last week. Its almost like a sixth sense, that subtle bite. Most people probably dont realize they had a walleye bite. Be careful cause once you figure that out, its addicting. Spawn is NOT the best time to catch them. After the spawn walleyes go on a feeding frenzy. My PB caught in July hot time of day was 29 inches long. Well past the spawn. Watch lots of you tube videos on catching walleye. It is quite helpful. Good luck on your quest.
Gabe

[meancuznalfy]

X2 on the jigging skills. My favorite way to catch them, 1/4 oz jig with a twister tail in chartreuse is my favorite. Watch your line, you'll see it move before you even feel the bite.

[Backyard Boy T.V.]

I have never caught a walleye and this year I want to do it. So please reply with tips and spots I can try. Thanks!

If you are willing to share a secret spot , then send me a private message.

My advice is to get good with your jigging skills as most of the walleye I catch are by jigging. A sensitive rod is crucial. Sometimes the walleye can be so subtle all you get for a bite is a tick or your line just stops. On crankbaits or jerkbaits you can get aggressive strikes or like I did on the tikka minnow on the ice at deer creek last week. Its almost like a sixth sense, that subtle bite. Most people probably dont realize they had a walleye bite. Be careful cause once you figure that out, its addicting. Spawn is NOT the best time to catch them. After the spawn walleyes go on a feeding frenzy. My PB caught in July hot time of day was 29 inches long. Well past the spawn. Watch lots of you tube videos on catching walleye. It is quite helpful. Good luck on your quest.
Gabe

Thanks you very much!

---

X2 on the jigging skills. My favorite way to catch them, 1/4 oz jig with a twister tail in chartreuse is my favorite. Watch your line, you'll see it move before you even feel the bite.

Thanks!

[PAC12_AfterDark]

Can you tell us what you have tried? Maybe we can point you to a more sucessful method.

I have had incredible sucess that few years with a slow death hook & crawler.

Once schools are located I prefer to switch to 3" grubs or small swim baits.

Good luck!

[Backyard Boy T.V.]

Can you tell us what you have tried? Maybe we can point you to a more sucessful method.

I have had incredible sucess that few years with a slow death hook & crawler.

Once schools are located I prefer to switch to 3" grubs or small swim baits.

Good luck!

The one and only time I have targeted walleye, we were using bottom bouncers with slow death hook and crawlers. All we caught were channel catfish.

[meancuznalfy]

We've had good luck in the morning trolling rapalas for them, black/silver and gold/black have been the best colors. Then after that bite dies we go to tossing jigs.

[Springbuck1]

HA! You can't catch walleye on purpose. It's a myth. I've been trying to get someone to teach me for 20 years, but they know, deep down it was an accident last time, so nobody will.

The only sure method I know of to catch walleye is to watch me trying to catch one, using recommended methods, at recommended "hot" times and places, for about 4 hours, then walk up next to me, put exactly the same bait I've been using on your Snoopy pole, and hang on to your pole!

I once had six Asian guys all wade-fishing the freezing AF River during run off, each show me exactly how to do it, right down to how they hook their worm and mandatory jig sizes. Every method was completely different, but from dusk until darkness, one by one, each caught a giant walleye and left with their prizes, while I stood in their very bootprints using their methods until I dragged my hypothermic butt home, fishless.

My OWN FATHER, if you can imagine, ignored my jig and nightcrawler advice, freshly gleaned from a very successful fisherman, glommed a ball of rainbow Powerbait (!) onto a treble hook and dumped it weightless and unceremoniously off the west dike at Willard Bay. He managed not one, but TWO that night.

I watched a kid catch a 22"-er at Willard, inches from the bank, a scraggly worm scarcely 10" under an obscenely large bobber, on the hottest day in August at midday. Right where I was catching green sunfish moments before.

Catching walleye is simply something luck lets you do, or doesn't, like those ugly guys all the women want, or the meanspirited, uncouth moron who makes money without trying hard. Don't let 'em fool you. Don't get your hopes up, young man. There is nothing to "learn".

The most important part of "walleye" is "lie".

LOL.

[meancuznalfy]

Lol, I had a boss luck into one big one, when the fish and game had them corralled in one bay in the spring. Thought he was a great fisherman, for years he tried getting my secrets as I'd catch them consistently from shore and did better than most in boats.