Walleye Tips

[ShuMugen]

After reading and still trying to learn the walleye bite. Does  any one have any other Tips they can supply me? I have tried Jigging raps, Spoons tipped w/minnow head, Blades and dead sticking minnows. I know low light is key and have notice that the evening bite maybe the only chance for me to land a walleye bigger than 14" ( my personal best Ice Eye    )cause we all dread the Morning Wake up Alarm. I guess im having a hard time learning how to jig for them. a lot of folk are just saying there is no real way to jig for them but to jig hard and slow down the retrieve. any other details would help me land a personal best this season.

[Vex-Um]

it sounds like what your doing are the right things.  For walleyes, my experience has been that location and timing is everything.  You have to keep trying new areas, or even that same areas at different times to find success. Once you figure out the patterns the walleye use day by day you will have success.

[WiscoNative]

I am not saying I've caught a lot of walleye in Colorado but growing up in Wisconsin and Minnesota I know a few things about walleye fishing. It seems like you have a pretty good start at it. Finding location and what time they are feeding is about 90% of the battle. Not assuming you are but don't feel like you have to go to the deepest parts of a lake to find walleyes. I've had my best luck fishing break lines right on the edge. You tend to find walleyes during the day light hours on the deep side of the break but they seem to cruise close to it. During low light they start to come up the ridge and even on top. I've out fished or have been out fished by friends only a couple feet deeper/shallower. Personally I like to hole jump while walleye fishing and try to find the active feeders but you can set up shop and wait them out too (but you might be wasting time if you are in the wrong spot).
As far as jigging goes I am a spoon with a fathead head guy. Not saying other stuff doesn't work but thats what I prefer. Size, color, rattle/no rattle, shape, flash, etc... it seems to change day to day for me. I have my go to jigs but I base it more on light conditions, color of water, forage and a few other items. Don't assume you need big lures either. As for jigging I like to jig rapidly but with little vertical change (6-8 inches). Don't be afraid to make them chase it a little....mark a fish that won't bite...reel it up/raise your rod gradually while jigging can trigger a bite often.
I would highly highly highly recommend a flasher of sorts as well.
Most off don't get discouraged because weather and pressure can turn these guys off or on like a switch too.
Well maybe I am totally wrong as far as Colorado walleye go but I've caught a walleye or two through the ice back in the midwest.

[ITO]

That's some really good info there! The chase factor was the missing link for me on hard water. Most of all though I think it boils down to, time on the ice. You will get confidence thru bites and landing fish. Really hot bites are rare in CO for eyes on ice. A few bites in a morning or evening session are a good night in most metro lakes.

[themacman]

Wisco advice is solid. Who the hell is ITO?

[ShuMugen]

Thanks for the reply, I agree, time and area does play a huge role, I actuall got out to Cherry creek tonight, and found the entire lake to be 1"-2" of ice, and discovered that the tower only had about 2"-3" of decent ice, depth was about 0-25' and a ton of shad, only marked one large fish... Ended my night with skunk. no real channels, or points.... May have to wait a couple more days for safe ice to work with

[themacman]

Guess youre the first to ice CC then? nice,keep after it

[Bigassbassman]

Dang - icing 2" is hardcore.  And chasing eyes in the Crack ain't worth dying.  I'll wait a while.

My advice: fish when/where the eyes are biting.  And they like heavy metal.  It's not rocket science.

[IFF]

Hum....to tip or not to tip    ShuMugen I could have told you that

[river rat78]

Thanks for the reply, I agree, time and area does play a huge role, I actuall got out to Cherry creek tonight, and found the entire lake to be 1"-2" of ice, and discovered that the tower only had about 2"-3" of decent ice, depth was about 0-25' and a ton of shad, only marked one large fish... Ended my night with skunk. no real channels, or points.... May have to wait a couple more days for safe ice to work with

If there is a ton of shad in the lake then I would try jigging a lipless crankbait. They have a shad profile and are most likely what the walleyes and other larger fish could be feeding on.

[waterwhipper]

With Walleye you want to look for humps, ledges, Drop offs with deeper water close by. We have caught eyes in as little as 10 foot  and some times deeper like 40 Foot , But every time there is some type of structure involved. Swidish Pimples with a minnow head , HD Ice , Rapala jibing raps, Thin fishers , Cicada, Pk Spoons ,Kastmasters work for us. Sometimes tipped some times not. Sunset and then the first couple hours in the dark seam to be the best. Electronics are key IMO. First you may see the bait fish/ Shad move in soon after you will see the walleys come in Most of the time right on the bottom. Hence the electronics so you can see them come in. Something with a good bottom zoom. Move a lot if need be just don't sit. Many time we will drill a series of holes before dark along a drop off or ledge spaced about 10 feet apart and as the sun goes down we start to troll for them going to one hole then to another trying to pinpoint them. I really think drilling you holes early before sunset is a key for success as walleye seam to like less noise than your typical slimmer .

[JohnnyO19]

Have only caught 2 walleyes here in Colorado on a deadstick with a minnow. You need to be actively jigging. Most fish hit the lure as it's dropping, so the comment about electronics is HUGE. If you know a fish is there, be ready to set the hook on every drop. Line is also important, don't want a lot of stretch in it, what ever you use.  Sounds like you're off to a pretty good start with the rest of your info. I'd also caution you about 2in of ice near the tower, seen and heard of a few people taking a "dip" there over the years.

[LureNFlyGuy]

Thanks for the tips, fellas. Hoping to find the walleye in Trinidad Lake this season.

[A0fisher]

some good tips!  It comes down to location and timing as others have said. 

Many time we will drill a series of holes before dark along a drop off or ledge spaced about 10 feet apart and as the sun goes down we start to troll for them going to one hole then to another trying to pinpoint them.

I do the same.  20 minutes before and 20 minutes after sunset, I will typically not move.  After that, it can pays off to move.