Walleye Shortcuts
by Ron Anlauf 

If you’re serious about catching walleyes then you’re going to have to get serious about finding them.  The fact is you can’t catch them where there not, no matter who you are.  Time spent angling where they’re not is time wasted, and wasting time is the last thing you want to do when there is so many of the willing stacked up and just waiting for a decent offer.   

Today’s best walleye anglers have  become highly proficient at locating old marble eyes and have developed short cuts that any angler can put to use to help get the most out of a given situation.  “Getting the most” can more and maybe bigger fish caught, and ultimately more fun.  Success can be measured in many different ways including just being out there, but heavy catches make for the fondest of  memories.  

If you think back to your most memorable trips how many come to mind that didn’t involve catching at least afew fish?   It’s just the way it is for most anglers and there is really nothing wrong with that, and finding afew of the willing is the best way to get it all started.    

One of the quickest methods for locating a bunch of willing walleyes is the proper use of good electronics.  A high definition graph like Humminbird’s 798c with Side Imaging  can root out fish that are holding tight to the bottom, and can do it like no other.  Walleyes are often found laying belly to the bottom and could be easily missed without the right equipment.  The 798c with it’s incredible definition and brilliant color screen can reveal those bottom huggers and keep you where you need to be when you should be there.   And instead of scanning directly beneath the boat it can also look out to the side and is where Side Imaging comes into play.   My first impression of the feature was that it had to be pure gimmick, and soon found out I was totally wrong.  The fact was the unit displayed the posts under docks, supports under a bridge, and deep rock humps that looked like rocks with pods of fish holding just off the bottom., and that was just for starters.  It’s just that it’s a different look and not what I was used too.  But I sure am now and like my first depth finder; will never leave home without it.   

Even with the latest equipment finding fish with electronics takes a little time, and time without a line in the water.  It’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make but the reward can be well worth the effort, especially if you stumble into the mother of all schools of walleyes.   

How and where you look for walleyes with a graph will depend on several factors including the type of fish holding structure you’re looking at as well as water depth.  Water depth is usually dictated by seasonal movements and can range from a few feet to over eighty, depending on the situation.  A typical scenario includes walleyes moving into shallow water early in the spring, then heading to deeper water for the duration of the summer season, followed by a move back to the shallows in early fall.    Water clarity can also be a factor and may limit just how deep walleyes will likely be found.    

The shallowest walleyes can be a tough number to locate with electronics because of the range you scan is greatly reduced and the fact that shallow fish can be extremely spooky.  In that case your fish finder is more likely to be used as a structure finder.  Shallow really means anything inside of ten feet and can include up to fifteen or so depending on the given conditions.  As you get outside of the real shallow stuff and head for deeper water the fish finding capabilities of a good depth finder really come into play.  Now you can legitimately find schools of fish with your electronics and is time to keep your eyes glued to your graph.   

Finding walleyes hanging out on deeper structure is a slow process but not nearly as slow as fishing for them.  Even with it’s limitations you can still get on top of a smaller bar or reef and in a matter of minutes be able to know if there are any fish using the area at that given time.  Try looking over the top, the sides, and off the base of the bottom break for fish holding close to the bottom.  That doesn’t mean you should ignore anything else you see like fish holding way off the bottom, it’s just that locating the bottom huggers is a good place to start.  As you scan the breaks it may take several passes over the same area to know for sure if there are any fish present.  It’s hard to explain but a fish holding tight to a quick drop off can be easily overlooked.  If you’re marking what looks like a cloud, or series of clouds, you’re probably looking at emerging insects or schools of baitfish.  It’s all food and is a good thing and greatly increases the chance that at least a few walleyes are using the area.  If you mark some bait, try looking a little deeper  for fish that are holding just below the “cloud”.  If you do it’s time to drop a line and check it all out.  If you don’t, try spending some extra time really straining the area with your electronics.   

Besides being a high definition graph the 798C SI is a G.P.S.  with a chart plotter that can display today’s highly detailed maps like the Navionics Hotmaps.  It’s a powerful combination that can really help you narrow it all down and shorten the time it takes to hook up with some serious pole benders. 

So does this mean you can’t catch walleyes without all this high tech gear?  Of course not, but it can shorten the time spent between bites, and it can make the whole process more interesting, and it can help you to become a more proficient angler.  It all boils down to what you really want.   See you on the water.