Targeting walleyes

[crappieslayer56]

This year I plan to expand my ice fishing horizons target walleyes at least once in Iowa. Does anyone have any tips as for baits or what to look for as far as structure? I’ve caught many during open water (especially in SD and MN hahaha). But I’ve never targeted them in the winter. Where I live in southwest Iowa I don’t have much of an opportunity for walleyes that is close so I target bluegills and crappies. I plan to make a day trip or two to storm lake or spirit lake, so if anyone has any tips it would be much appreciated!

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

Seemed like at Storm lake last year, aggressive, ripping tactics worked pretty well.  Some on live minnows, just letting them struggle and swim.

Best tip I have is to be aggressive with a spoon or blade bait type, and also having a deadstick rod near by.  I think most people are too subtle most of the time to attract nearby fish.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Seemed like at Storm lake last year, aggressive, ripping tactics worked pretty well.  Some on live minnows, just letting them struggle and swim.

Best tip I have is to be aggressive with a spoon or blade bait type, and also having a deadstick rod near by.  I think most people are too subtle most of the time to attract nearby fish.

Yep....Aggressively calling them in then they hit the bobber/dead stick happens more then just hitting the jigged lure.

[fishinjohn]

This year I plan to expand my ice fishing horizons target walleyes at least once in Iowa. Does anyone have any tips as for baits or what to look for as far as structure? I’ve caught many during open water (especially in SD and MN hahaha). But I’ve never targeted them in the winter. Where I live in southwest Iowa I don’t have much of an opportunity for walleyes that is close so I target bluegills and crappies. I plan to make a day trip or two to storm lake or spirit lake, so if anyone has any tips it would be much appreciated!

Every lake is different believe it or not... here in NY i fish several lakes specifically for walleye..
Onieda... jigging small jigging raps or jigging spoons tipped with minnow works great.. one good pop.. then shuttle movements.. repeat.. they take it on the lift.. or theyll flash in and smoke it...
Kinzua resevoir...  I've fished there for 30 years... only caught a handful jigging... there I use tip ups with live minnows..
Chatauqua lake... tip ups work however the go to is a LARGE jigging trap not tipped with anything... same action as onieda but with large jigging raps but no good on spoons...
Lake erie.. no tip ups...jigging spoons or raps(smaller raps work better for me) tipped with 3 or 4 minnows... once they show up on the graph I just slowly work them upwards.. if they want it they eat it and usually only have to work fish up less than 5 ft in column before they strike
Best thing to do is ask guys that fish a specific lake and see what their responses are..
For structure.. get yourself a good map and look for steep drop off or some points that's stick out by a drastic contour change.. sometimes the most subtle change will hold fish.. here a couple examples of things I look for before heading out




 Hope this is helpful

[crappieslayer56]

Thanks for the replies! It is much appreciated!

[bootstrap]

stealth. drill holes the night before and get there 2 hours before first light.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

stealth. drill holes the night before and get there 2 hours before first light.

LMFAO....holes the night before? They would be froze.

[Bates]

How close to Lake Icaria are you? IDNR stocks walleyes in there.

[bootstrap]

LMFAO....holes the night before? They would be froze.

an inch of drilling is better than a foot. usually i can just push them in with my heel.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

an inch of drilling is better than a foot. usually i can just push them in with my heel.

Over here the entire hole would be froze solid.

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

Also, doesn't 12 mile lake have walleyes?

Don't come to Black Hawk for walleye, it's so frickin tough for winter walleyes, but the bluegill fishing is good.  Best to go the extra half hour to Storm Lake for the 'eyes.

[fishinjohn]

stealth. drill holes the night before and get there 2 hours before first light.

Drilling holes the a.m. of doesnt affect the bite.. so why waste the energy and time?
Just curious what your reasoning is all...

[bootstrap]

headed down to drill my holes for tomorrow. be right back.

[crappieslayer56]

How close to Lake Icaria are you? IDNR stocks walleyes in there.

I’m about an hour and a half away. I fished Icaria once during open water. How does it fish during the winter?

[Slabseek3r]

Also, doesn't 12 mile lake have walleyes?

It does, i have only caught one dink out of there in the summer though.
"Walleye of all sizes are available to anglers.(2017)" as claimed by the DNR

[D0wnbyth3r1v3r]

I have caught some nice walleyes out of 12 miles.

[mattstark44]

I live close to McBride and tried to target Walleyes through the ice with minimal luck.  I've fished 3 & 12 miles and pulled cigar Walleye but nothing over 12" at least in the winter.  Palo through the ice is much of the same for me in the winter - cigars.  I will probably hit McBride a couple times and get frustrated this season.  McBride gets a lot of pressure.

[matzilla]

Bet bet to catch walleyes in Iowa would likely be on the upper pools of the Mississippi or private ponds. My pond has walleye lol

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Durring the winter, I've had decent luck on walleye in Iowa.

It is usually a morning and dusk bite not much durring the day for the most part unless you grind it out for hours. To get much of a consistent bite with walleye putting yourself on structure durring the dusk/dawn is pretty much the key. If your lucky enough to find that structured spot, that dawn/dusk usually will turn out a decent catch time and time again. The dredging in these prarrie lakes has helped out with the structure a lot.....before they were basicly bowl shaped structureless lakes where you had to fish transition spots if you could find them.

Not sure where you are, but In worthington mn just across the boarder okabena lake is a pretty easy and good walleye lake in the winter......one deep 12-14 foot hole on a lake that is 7ft everywhere else. Just setup before dusk and a limit is pretty doable. However, it's a small window. Usually gets fishable ice mid to late Dec. then they turn on the air and the spot is open water the rest of winter. It's kinda funny....once it's fishable ice there is usually a little shanty town every night untill the air gets turned on. The pizza place in town even will even deliver out to the lake.

[Bates]

Durring the winter, I've had decent luck on walleye in Iowa.

It is usually a morning and dusk bite not much durring the day for the most part unless you grind it out for hours. To get much of a consistent bite with walleye putting yourself on structure durring the dusk/dawn is pretty much the key. If your lucky enough to find that structured spot, that dawn/dusk usually will turn out a decent catch time and time again. The dredging in these prarrie lakes has helped out with the structure a lot.....before they were basicly bowl shaped structureless lakes where you had to fish transition spots if you could find them.

Not sure where you are, but In worthington mn just across the boarder okabena lake is a pretty easy and good walleye lake in the winter......one deep 12-14 foot hole on a lake that is 7ft everywhere else. Just setup before dusk and a limit is pretty doable. However, it's a small window. Usually gets fishable ice mid to late Dec. then they turn on the air and the spot is open water the rest of winter. It's kinda funny....once it's fishable ice there is usually a little shanty town every night untill the air gets turned on. The pizza place in town even will even deliver out to the lake.

What are the lakes that have been dredged are you talking about.  Would love to get on some walleyes through the ice. I don't have money too waste on going to Minnesota for walleyes so any information would be awesome.

[matzilla]

What are the lakes that have been dredged are you talking about.  Would love to get on some walleyes through the ice. I don't have money too waste on going to Minnesota for walleyes so any information would be awesome.

www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/fish/programs/files/17report.pdf

[potatoe]

I would like to give this a try also, this is good info. I gave it a try last year towards dusk but had no idea what I was doing. It looks like you try to target structure and the bottom of a trough / drop off.

thanks for posting this info

[shaig]

 I have the same ambition, I think i will target some of the new structure on Lake Manawa.