Author Topic: walleye and alewife (Read 6266 times)

BassOn · « **on:** Jan 11, 2014, 05:04 PM »

Where I fish their is an abundant alewife population and it seems like no matter what bait or jig I use they won't hit it because it's not an alewife...In the summer I am very successful at using a light at night to attract the alewife and catch them for bait. But in the winter it doesn't seem to work...does anyone have any tips and tricks to get these fish to bite?

Capt J · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 11, 2014, 08:17 PM »

Bass are you tring to get the alewifes to bite or the eyes... Forgive me for not being clear.

Do your alewifes die off mid winter? Or at least a lot of them.

I'm just asking because we see a lot of wifes where Im at but a lot of them dont survive the cold. Which gives the eyes an abundance of food for a short time,

BassOn · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 11, 2014, 10:03 PM »

im trying to get the walleye to bite....i just thought that maybe the walleye were stuck on them since in the summer thier is just an incredible amount of alewife...never thought that they died off in winter though that could be the reason why i cant catch them for bait...i was just seeing if anyone had any tips on how to jig up walleye that are stuck on a bait source that i cant get...i tried jigging raps,rippin raps,lindy darters,rattlin flyer spoons,buckshot spoons all in various colors and sizes and tipped with the head of a pinhead.any tips will be greatly appreciated.

Capt J · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 07:15 AM »

Personally my go to bait during the die off, when there is an abundance of even easier to take forage, is Finesse Minnow. I use them as I would live bait. They produce well for me with no change in method.

Vtgooseman · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 02:21 PM »

Are you fishing with any suspended baits? As in most cases the remaining alewife will be higher in the water column as will be the fish most likely to bite.

BassOn · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 02:46 PM »

ill have to try that...the little bait i marked on the flasher was up close to the ice.

Vtgooseman · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 03:03 PM »

Best of luck.

Capt J · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 05:40 PM »

Dont give up man You'll get em....

BassOn · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 07:12 PM »

thanks guys...just rained here in ct yesterday and ruined the ice...hopefully it will get solid again by the end of the week...im not done with these fish yet it actually gives me more of a motive to target them.

Walleye_Slayer · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 07:30 PM »

Lots of alewife where I fish as well never seems to be a problem for me. Couldn't tell you if they die off or not.. I don't know but it's a good question.. I guess I've always thought that the fish targeted them in the summer offshore suspended in deep water.. Now the fish are in more classic structure close to shore or on offshore structure.. So I guess I've never had that issue.. Keep trying and changing things until you hook up

Vtgooseman · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 07:42 PM »

Alewife have huge die offs here when the water temps of Lake Champlain suddenly drop, in the spring the shorelines are covered with their rotting carcasses.

Nothing like the die offs in the great lakes but still makes a mess.

Capt J · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 07:47 PM »

I was just going to say... they dont do good with temp swings.

Rat-Man · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 12, 2014, 07:55 PM »

Kind of scarce in the Great Lakes anymore.

BassOn · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 13, 2014, 10:29 AM »

wow that pretty crazy...maybe i have to target more rocky dropoffs and humps in deeper water....ive been fishin on the edge of weeds at dusk and deep mud flats during the day...thanks for the input it could be that im just in the wrong spot.

Hardwaterhank · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 19, 2014, 05:53 AM »

I like the way the topic is going anyone ever fish a dead alewife for walleye?

Walleye_Slayer · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 19, 2014, 03:42 PM »

Somebody out here caught a 30" walleye with a dead smelt fishing for pike in 4 fow.. Green Bay west shore

RNsurfnturf · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 19, 2014, 09:40 PM »

VERY interesting topic....
I have the same issue on my home lake, these walleyes are suspended in the summer and hard enough to catch then.

Its Unheard of to catch them on the ice. maybe 1 or 2 a yr get caught.
I'm looking to figure it out as well....
Avg size in the summer is 5-6 lbrs and fat!

Walleye_Slayer · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 20, 2014, 06:43 PM »

Quote from: RNsurfnturf on Jan 19, 2014, 09:40 PM

VERY interesting topic....
I have the same issue on my home lake, these walleyes are suspended in the summer and hard enough to catch then.

Its Unheard of to catch them on the ice. maybe 1 or 2 a yr get caught.
I'm looking to figure it out as well....
Avg size in the summer is 5-6 lbrs and fat!

How large is the lake and where do the fish spawn?

RNsurfnturf · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 22, 2014, 08:22 PM »

Quote from: Walleye_Slayer on Jan 20, 2014, 06:43 PM

How large is the lake and where do the fish spawn?

Its a small 6 mile long bowl with very little structure. There is 1 inlet that I don't think is conducive to spawning. Very muddy and shallow.
I think most spawning is on a couple spots that have rip rap along a couple of roads.

Walleye_Slayer · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 22, 2014, 08:30 PM »

Quote from: RNsurfnturf on Jan 22, 2014, 08:22 PM

Its a small 6 mile long bowl with very little structure. There is 1 inlet that I don't think is conducive to spawning. Very muddy and shallow.
I think most spawning is on a couple spots that have rip rap along a couple of roads.

Pm sent

oldred · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 23, 2014, 12:40 PM »

Quote from: RNsurfnturf on Jan 22, 2014, 08:22 PM

Its a small 6 mile long bowl with very little structure. There is 1 inlet that I don't think is conducive to spawning. Very muddy and shallow.
I think most spawning is on a couple spots that have rip rap along a couple of roads.

I don't know if they spawn successfully but I understand they do go up the creek of the large point on the west side. It's a long walk from the park to get over there but I mean to try it one of these days.

BassOn · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 27, 2014, 08:37 AM »

i know the lake im fishing thier is no spawning...all fish are stocked and a freind talked to a biologist a while back and he said due tothe alewife being the only baitfish in the lake thier is something in the bait that makes the walleye sterile...whether thats true or not u got me.tried a early morning the other day...worked the shallow water early then went to the deep water near structure later in the day...no walleye for me again...ive gotta be getting close as the lake i fish isnt very big.

RNsurfnturf · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 27, 2014, 07:34 PM »

Quote from: oldred on Jan 23, 2014, 12:40 PM

I don't know if they spawn successfully but I understand they do go up the creek of the large point on the west side. It's a long walk from the park to get over there but I mean to try it one of these days.

I have had this conversation many times and have spoke firsthand with the DEC and they have said that spawning is essentially unsuccessful because of the alewifes.
Otisco is basically 100 % put and take fishery relying on the stocking efforts currently in place, which BTW I think they have been doing a great job!

I will get over to Leyders point once I'm a bit mobile because I do agree that is the best place to hook one.

I am convinced that having a machine and a run and gun approach to the limited structure on the lake at dawn and dusk is the most efficient way to try to figure them out!

I will post if I have any luck!

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Author Topic: walleye and alewife (Read 6266 times)