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Thread: The Walleye Channel

  1. #21
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    I tend to avoid "special days" like the plague. Just too many people for my taste at most locations. Did some farming. Have more stuff today and then maybe a trip to a local lake I haven't fished in a few years.

  2. #22
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    Going to try and get out today. Way to windy yesterday.


    Proud Member Of Team Geezer
    Member: Michigan Chapter of Team Overalls

  3. #23
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    Saginaw Bay; Linwood Marina

    After a fishless day on the Bay yesterday I have spent some time pondering what must have went wrong that Jerry and I did not catch a single walleye......and the best I can come up with is trolling speed.

    We arrived at Linwood about 7:30, as as we came down the road we could see the Bay had some attitude with waves being more than what we expected. Never the less we got in line and got everything prepped for launch. Launch went well and we were off....meeting boats coming back in that we had seen launch just a few minutes before us. As we got about a 1/4 mile out we figured out why, it was too rough so we turned around and put the boat back on the trailer and decided to wait for those calmer winds to show up that were predicted.

    A couple hours later the Bay had calmed down considerably so we gave it another shot.

    The guys in the Marina as well as a couple other fisherman told us that the spark plug had really dirty water and that we would be better off to try closer to Linwood, putting that in the memory bank as we headed out I looked at the waypoints a good friend had given me and headed to that area......must have been a good spot as we found at least another dozen boats in that area. We put out the first baits, 65 feet and clipped on the offshore boards. Water depth was about 20 feet. Then a second set of baits and planer boards. Being my first time solo running the show I felt 4 boards out would be a good starting point.

    Here is where my first indication should have been of how the day would go.......going into the waves my trolling speed fluctuated between .08 and 1.2. Never could get a consistant speed. We trolled through the waypoints and decided to go back through them with the wind at our backs we should be able to maintain a more even speed and bump the speed up as well. After a turn which left us a tangle (surprise!) back through we went and although we could get speeds up to 1.4, still no hits. We marked a few fish, nothing great, so we moved to another spot a old boy in the marina shared with us that this spot was a tried and true spot he always got a few walleye in! We tried that spot and he was right....there were few, so few we didn't find them. After 2 passes my trolling motor was running out of power.....so we wrapped it up and chalked this day up to a learning curve.

    What did I learn? Well I think number one was I need to be able to control a better trolling speed......which means a kicker for propulsion and the TM for steer. Or instead of the 55 lb thrust 12 V TM I have, a upgrade. My thoughts are to get a kicker, which I'm just not ready to do yet. I know what I want and will wait until I have enough "fun"money to make that purchase.

    So where do I go from here? Well one bad day is not going to define my fishing. I will be back. Yesterday was a learning expierience and with that was a success.......plus I got to spend a day with Jerry and trying out a new technique that up to this point I had not one solo although helping Rich and his dad many times.

    Walter Won-Haulin Ash 0
    2017 MiCDC fall crappie guide of the year (FCGOTY)
    Member: “Michigan chapter of Team Overalls
    Haulin Ash Fishing Rocks-"D"
    Caution: If we fish together, you may be on YouTube

  4. #24
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    This hits on an article I was going to post in a day or so "SPEED".

    For those that don't know, after Steve sent me a message yesterday telling me how they did, I replied with the following information:
    Did you leave wishing you had tried something?
    Were you marking fish but no takers?
    Were they suspended and did they go to the bottom?
    Did you change speeds?
    Try going across the winds?
    Into the wind?
    Make turnes to speed up the outside boards and slow the inner ones?
    Did you try setbacks to put you almost on the bottom?
    Did you move to find active fish?

    The reason for my questions was to make him think. What was he missing? What could he have done differently? Did he try everything?

    In the end I think you can see that he diagnosed his issues 100% correctly! So, the takeaway from all this? He was successful afterall. He knew exactly what he should be doing, and that his current setup couldn't get him to where he needed to be.

    Traditionally, we pull cranks starting at 1.5mph speed over ground. He stated that the fastest he could get his boat was 1.4 but, because of wave surges, he was not getting consistant speed with the baits. He was not able to attempt faster speeds. The ONLY thing he could have done to aid himself would have been to go with the wind and make LAZY turns. This would have allowed his outside boards to be pulled at a faster clip and helped the baits dive or produce speed. Other than that, you did ALMOST everything right!

    Based on our conversation this morning, two things I would caution on.
    When asking someone what bait colors were hot, be careful. A large majority of people have a set number of colors based on what they have used in the past. They don't have a full stock or arsenal of colors at their disposal. Also, unless they tell you "Flicker minnow size 9" the bait they are catching fish on might have more to do with action than color!

    Baitshop guys are NEVER right!!! They know where the fish WERE not were they are!
    Don't be afraid of dirty water. The reason? When you find dirty water, it is very easy to find the clean water edge. The fish WILL be on that edge. It takes the guess work out of finding fish in a sea of emptyness!

    Only other thing you could have done. switch over to running bottom bouncers and work with the speed that you had. Not saying it would have produced a bunch of fish but at least it would have allowed you to work within those confines or limitations.

    I got an Ulterra I'll sell you!
    I have OCD "Obsessive Crappie Disorder"

  5. #25
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    This hits on an article I was going to post in a day or so "SPEED".

    For those that don't know, after Steve sent me a message yesterday telling me how they did, I replied with the following information:
    Did you leave wishing you had tried something?
    Were you marking fish but no takers?
    Were they suspended and did they go to the bottom?
    Did you change speeds?
    Try going across the winds?
    Into the wind?
    Make turnes to speed up the outside boards and slow the inner ones?
    Did you try setbacks to put you almost on the bottom?
    Did you move to find active fish?

    The reason for my questions was to make him think. What was he missing? What could he have done differently? Did he try everything?

    In the end I think you can see that he diagnosed his issues 100% correctly! So, the takeaway from all this? He was successful afterall. He knew exactly what he should be doing, and that his current setup couldn't get him to where he needed to be.

    Traditionally, we pull cranks starting at 1.5mph speed over ground. He stated that the fastest he could get his boat was 1.4 but, because of wave surges, he was not getting consistant speed with the baits. He was not able to attempt faster speeds. The ONLY thing he could have done to aid himself would have been to go with the wind and make LAZY turns. This would have allowed his outside boards to be pulled at a faster clip and helped the baits dive or produce speed. Other than that, you did ALMOST everything right!

    Based on our conversation this morning, two things I would caution on.
    When asking someone what bait colors were hot, be careful. A large majority of people have a set number of colors based on what they have used in the past. They don't have a full stock or arsenal of colors at their disposal. Also, unless they tell you "Flicker minnow size 9" the bait they are catching fish on might have more to do with action than color!

    Baitshop guys are NEVER right!!! They know where the fish WERE not were they are!
    Don't be afraid of dirty water. The reason? When you find dirty water, it is very easy to find the clean water edge. The fish WILL be on that edge. It takes the guess work out of finding fish in a sea of emptyness!

    Only other thing you could have done. switch over to running bottom bouncers and work with the speed that you had. Not saying it would have produced a bunch of fish but at least it would have allowed you to work within those confines or limitations.

    I got an Ulterra I'll sell you!
    I have OCD "Obsessive Crappie Disorder"

  6. #26
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    Specialized Equipment

    Although my next article was going to be about weather before I tied it in to another article about speed, I felt it first important to discuss the equipment I use in order to fish in these conditions. Walleye fishing is most times at its finest when the weather is downright nasty. When tournament fishing, we don’t have a choice on the days we can fish. I don’t like having to be sidelined on a free weekend off because of the possibility of rain in the forecast.

    Throughout my time in the Marine Corps, there were several pieces of specialized equipment that I relied on in order to make my job easier, make myself more comfortable in difficult situations, and quite possibly save my life. Many of these pieces of gear were purchased out of pocket. I learned that no one values their lives and their careers more than yourself. Fortunately I no longer have to worry about that sort of thing anymore but I still utilize this same thought process when selecting my gear or equipment for the field.

    I learned from my dad years ago that if you purchase junk, you are usually left with replacing junk. Eventually, you pay the same amount as you would have to purchase a good quality product in the first place.

    With my Marine Corps career, I never bothered worrying about what the other guy had. I needed good sound equipment that worked for me. Something I could tailor to my own needs. At the time, the internet was in its infancy so purchasing things online was not an option. I relied heavily on touching, seeing, and playing with a product to determine if it was something that would work. I asked other people what they used, watched them with their products, tested them, evaluated them, and made my own conclusions and decisions. Although the internet has come a long way and people seem to want to comment on every product under the sun, I have often found that I utilize their comments very little when it comes to selecting a piece of gear or equipment. I use their comments as a starting point but, in the end, I need to see it, feel it, try it on, and play with it in order to see if it will meet my needs. I use the comments only as a recommendation towards the products.

    Just like my time in the Marine Corps, I also rely on my valued friends for their input on specific pieces of gear or equipment. If a buddy recommends a specific lure or lure color, I can say with pretty good certainty that I would purchase it. After all, it doesn’t affect the way I fish, move, or function. When it comes to fishing rods, reels, or gear that I wear, I still must see it, feel it, and play with it before I determine whether it will work for me. I do however value their opinions greatly and will research the products they use for myself. Sometimes, I agree with what they say. Other times, I find the product will not work for me at all.

    When speaking with them, I always ask what they like about it, what they don’t like about it, what they would change, and how it works. From this I can usually gather if it is something I am considering. I never rely on some so called professional to influence my decisions. More often than not, they either represent the companies in question or they have some direct involvement where they are financially influenced to sell that particular product. I might us it as a reference or a starting point, but I’m not going to go out and order a $400.00 suit without trying it on first!
    One of the most essential pieces of gear or equipment in my arsenal is my rain suit. I’ve used several over the years and have had varying levels of success and failure with many of them. Oftentimes they would keep my dry for a few hours, be cumbersome to put on, and provided very little comfort. A high quality rain suit is a must. Drawing on my time in the Marine Corps, I remembered utilizing a specific Goretex garment and not having issues. I set out to find the best gear that would work for me. Cabela’s had a few different options however they did not fit my body type or style. Bass Pro shops have their high end 100mph suit that is being touted as the best on the market. I tried it on and I was not impressed. I simply didn’t like the way it fit, the way it moved with me, the way the bibs fit, or the way the coat fit. Although it might have kept me dry, I certainly wouldn’t be comfortable. In my search I came across the Bass Pro “Pro Qualifier” suit. The bibs were exactly what I was looking for. Easy on with zip up sides and Velcro, added knee protection for kneeling, lightweight, and comfortable. The jacket was the perfect size and fit with only one negative. The cuffs on the inside are very tight. The bibs actually get a 5 out of 5 stars out of 47 people (if you care about that) while the jacket is only 4.7. The reason is because of the cuffs. For me, it was worth it considering that I could take them to a tailor and have them removed.

    I’ve fish with these in 15 degrees wearing down underwear as a base layer, driving rain, sleet, and snow. I’ve been in wind, had waves wash over the back of the boat and hit me mid chest, and as close to a monsoon as you would get. They have remained dry during all of that. I’ve fished with them in the rain for 4 straight days with zero water getting inside. As a result of my findings, my dad, Kevin, and Brian all purchased a set.
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    Many times while walleye fishing, the wind can be bitter cold. Unlike trolling, jigging requires that my hands be out in the elements. While running the trolling motor or jigging the rod, my hands are always exposed. Hooking minnows and unhooking fish from the net and putting them in the livewell introduces moisture to the skin. To combat this I rely on a quality pair of gloves. These gloves must allow my hands to function as if I am not wearing gloves at all. For me, I prefer glove liners in black to allow for ambient light to warm the skin. Although I’ve recently tried the new gloves by Gill, I didn’t find them to my liking. The cuffs were too high and they were not easy to get on and off. I rely on two different pairs of gloves. For really cold weather, I prefer the thicker North Face gloves. Because of my small hands, I actually wear a women’s medium (try finding men’s small). Pound for pound, the best gloves and most used are my Manzella Ultra Max gloves. I usually wear them to hook minnows, unhook fish, put them in the livewell, and continue fishing. I can wear them all day long. At times they might feel saturated but my hands do not get cold because of this. They protect my skin from the wind and elements and allow me to keep them active on my trolling motor remote and my rod.
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    Lastly, the third piece of equipment that I wouldn’t leave the dock without is my Huk Trophy Gaitor. Over the years I’ve noticed that I am starting to get sun spots on my face, ears, and head. My grandfather had bouts with skin cancer and I believe I was ready to finally take action. I looked for several different sun gaitors and Huk always seemed to be at the top of the list. One of the biggest issues that I face is that I wear glasses all the time. Whether it is hunting or fishing, when wearing a normal mask, you always have to worry about your glasses fogging up when you exhale. Many people wouldn’t consider this as they don’t wear glasses. They would then be disappointed when they got on the water, put on their shades, and realized that they started to fog. Huk has a breathable gaitor with front mesh that allows for your breath to exhale. I can say that the only time my glasses fog is when I’m facing the wind on a cold day and it is blowing the warm exhaled air back in my face.
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    These listed products are three of the best products I have found in order to get me on the water and keep me there. Wind, rain, snow and sleet will not stop me from fishing nor will it change my mind about going. Previously, without this gear, I would consider myself a fair weather fisherman. Now I don’t worry about the weather.
    I have OCD "Obsessive Crappie Disorder"

  7. #27
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    Saginaw Bay; DNR Patterson Launch


    Took the boat to Saginaw for the weekend. Drove up Friday, spent the weekend at Grandpa & Grandma's on the Kawkawlin River.

    Daughter had Scholastic, History State Finals, her exhibit was on the "Indian Removal Act of 1830". She & her partner were done by 9:45 with the presentation.
    In between the performance, and awards, we had time to kill. I did a quick price check @ Franks, then went to Northwoods. Northwoods had better prices on Flickers, so I got 5 more colors, so I now have a total of 8 colors, all in duplicate. Walked around, a bit longer while Wife looked at everything as well. We were back by 3:45 for Judging.

    Judging wrapped up by 3:00,
    Awards were at 3:45. Avalon, & her partner, did not place, and afterwards, I said "maybe the judges do not like Indians" and her reply was, "They sure did, as they cleaned up in the awards............", Which was funny, if you were there, for the awards.....

    Anyway by the time that was done, the girls decided that they would ride back to GR, with her friends family, leaving the Wife & I in Bay City. What to do, where to go..........
    "Luckys SteakHouse" on Wilder road.........Go there take some extra $, and get a steak, it is well worth it........

    Back to the house in a food coma, the plan was made, get up @ 6:30, final prep for boat, and drive to DNR Launch. Unknown to me, Grandpa went out and bought a license. He was evidently going as well. I to was on what was thought to be a solo adventure, testing boards, etc, but was actually accompanied by 75 Year "Ole Man" Now even though the kids call him "Grandpa & Grandma" they are of not relation. I adopted THEM. When I was a kid, (I grew up with a single Parent, My Mom), had not "Father Figure" and this guy is the guy I chose (Both of us unknowingly) to be a Father/Son combination. Anyway, he was on the deck, drinking coffee ready to go......... @ 5:00, in case I woke up early.......lol

    We got to the launch, and by the time we got to the Island, from the DNR launch, we turned around as well. Quick check of the a No Wake map, and we went upstream, Bill had never seen the river shore since he was a kids so I got a history lesson as well. We tried some jigging. We only caught White Bass. Fun, but not what we were after. Kept eyeballing the wind, and as it dropped from 12, to 10, to 8, once it hit 8 we headed back out. By the time, we got to where I wanted to be, it was maybe 10:30, 1:00-ish.

    As Steve, said, Speed is an issue. I has two choices, trolling motor only, and be done when batteries are dead, or use the Ipilot to steer, and the Merc 115 to push. I already know that when in gear my boat goes roughly 2.5 MPH, and that is to fast, So I deployed the two Amish Bags that I have as braking device, and it dropped to about 1.5, still not slow enough, I deployed the Emergency Boat Dump Bucket as well. that was around 1.3-4. Depending on the wind, and current, I saw as low as .8, and 1.7. I will have to see if I can upgrade my Amish Bags to the next size larger, to reduce the speed even more.

    Anyway, I set up 4 boards, all varying depth, until one went off. It was 80 feet back, roughly 1 foot off the bottom, and got a fish. No for being Solo, Bill, was more along to try a EAT them, IT was a success. Made Bill reel it in.......... Redeployed, and then reeled in everything else, and set them all that depth. It was not fast, but constantly, picking at them.

    Once one was a hooked line, Bill was pissed because the thought he had tangled the spread, (He had done that once earlier (Not his fault, the fish he was reeling in went down and under the line of the other board. I was pulling the line in to get it out of the water, and IT TUGGED BACK. In fear I almost let go thinking it was Becky, I almost let go, but I faced that fear, and pulled in another Walleye, and I got a bonus Rapala as well. No idea type or color.

    It was game on as we picked away at fish until about 3:37. We ended up with 8 total, it was not "Award Winning Double Limit or anything", but dinner was............. Those 8 were enough for the 4 of us for Dinner.

    I tried a lead core. Lead core like Kevin performed, for me needs some work. I actually swapped that out for a spinning rod, and deployed a Flicker by hand, and it accounted for 2 fish for the day. I liked that better than messing with lead core. but for my first time out, I wanted to keep it simple.

    Wife @ Northwoods
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    Our catch back at the house.
    He was kind of grump, he wanted to help and face planted in the lawn getting out of the boat......
    He started smiling when the fish was coming out of the deep fryer though, and was then pleasantly happy again.........
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    OE





    Last edited by OneidaEagle; 04-30-2018 at 10:50 AM.
    Custom Rods: Out-Snagging Berkly's 7-2 Since 2019 / Custom Rods: Collecting more dust that Berkley due to Covid Since 2020
    Custom Rods: Not afraid to show, in 2021

    Likes Redge LIKED above post

  8. #28
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    Weather

    One of the biggest considerations that many walleye fisherman have to face is weather. It isn’t so much about the rain, snow, sleet, or wind, but rather the state of the water, the waves, and how you can effectively and safely fish it with the equipment that you have.

    With every boat comes limitations. As boat owners and captains, we must know and understand the weather, the wind, and how it effects our equipment. Having information at our disposal helps paint a clear picture of what is happening on the water, what will happen on the water, and what is forecasted for the near future.

    All of the mentioned links and apps within this article are located on my cellphone. I have the ability with this device to get up to the second data and information. These links, apps, and tools are considered the best sources for me when making a determination to go fishing, or tuck tail and run when I am on the water.

    Over the course of 14 days, my dad, Brian, and I tested over two dozen weather application on our phones. In the end, the following two apps (both free) were found to have the most accurate and reliable information based on what we do. These are both android applications however I would assume you can get them for an I-phone as well.
    NOAA Weather FREE
    RadaNow!

    Another application that I have been testing for the last two years is called: “Live Weather”. This application allows me to select different weather stations based on maps. A few examples of the locations I have stored are: Toledo Light No. 2, OH. Saginaw Bay Light, MI, Alpena, MI, and Gravelly Shoals Light, MI. Having this stored locations gives me the ability to check local ON THE WATER weather as it is happening. This allows me to see the trends and current wind speed. While on the water it allows me to look to a different area and forecast if I am in the path of any major storms or weather incidents.

    Inside of google I store several bookmarks that are all weather, wind and wave related.

    Great Lakes Forecasts by Zone - Detroit/Pontiac, MI
    This shows me a map of Saginaw bay, Lake Huron, Lake St. Claire, the Detroit River, and Michigan waters of Lake Erie. I can select any location and get instant weather in that area.

    Monroe Michigan Weather
    Access Denied

    Great Lakes Zone Forecasting
    This is probably the tool I have used the longest. It gives me the ability to see what the weather has been over the course of the last week (including, wind, waves, and current). It also allows me to animate it so that I can see how the lake is moving. Additionally, it gives me the ability to shift ahead to what is forecasted. I use this to track trends, see how the currents are working in relation to the wind and waves, and make my speed assessments that we will cover in a future article.
    https://www.glerl.noaa.gov//res/glcfs/

    Inner Saginaw Bay weather:
    Access Denied

    Alpena weather:

    Access Denied


    Thunder Bay weather buoy
    https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/recon/station-apn.html

    Saginaw Bay weather buoy
    https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/recon/station-sbb.html


    I utilize weather buoys a great deal to determine wind speed at water level, current both on the top and bottom of the water, current speed and direction, and water temperature. This helps me paint a better overall picture before I get on the water. We will cover speed and current in a future article.
    I have OCD "Obsessive Crappie Disorder"

  9. #29
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    The "access Denied" links still work!
    I have OCD "Obsessive Crappie Disorder"

  10. #30
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    OE
    First congrats on getting some Walleye.

    I know you mean this in fun, and if you want to keep score against you and Walter Walleye.....go ahead.
    I’m not going to be in a competition with anyone for fishing.
    I compete everyday in business and fishing is for my fun and enjoyment.....no need to keep score against me cause I’m not in it for that.


    Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com
    2017 MiCDC fall crappie guide of the year (FCGOTY)
    Member: “Michigan chapter of Team Overalls
    Haulin Ash Fishing Rocks-"D"
    Caution: If we fish together, you may be on YouTube

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