Walleye

[JC0396]

Hey guys, I am relatively new to ice fishing in PA. Most of my ice fishing time was spent in upstate NY chasing Panfish, Browns, and Lake Trout. I have never caught a decent Walleye through the ice, and have no idea how to do it. So my question to you all is what kind of tackle should I look to to get myself started? Also, is it realistic to expect to catch them through the ice here, and Do they hang out in the same kind of cover as they do the rest of the year or do they change up their game too? Thanks for the tips!

[crispycritter]

where are you planning to fish what lake or river. rapalas, spoons, rattle jigs, live bait it all works go to the places you plan to fish and ask some people will give you tips. some have tight lips

[JC0396]

Yeah, I'm learning that. I see on here a lot of people want to know GPS coordinates, times of day, what lure to use, etc. . The heck with figuring it out on your own, what fun is that, right?  I just don't know anything about fishing for walleye through the ice. I know that Prompton has good ones in it, and so does duck harbor, and White Oak. I'm planning to investigate those, more so Prompton than the rest. I just wanna know what the "routine" is from some seasoned VET. Walleye anglers.

[crispycritter]

the best tips I can give you would be colors and what jigs i use .the walleyes in my area seem to like green most of the time.some times more natural colors like black and gold or black and silver or buckshots in the same colors work for me.As for location i cant help you in those waters i fish the Susquehanna R.best times to fish when ever you can go because walleye are finicky finicky fish the bite and colors can change at any time of day. My best time seems to be the am we have caught them at noon on cloudy days during daylight go deeper. Oh yea almost forgot when fishing try different types of presentation such as soft jigging or log upward jigging pound it on the bottom some. that make lots of fish bite for me. ooops that was my secret        #5#7 rapala all sizes of buckshot. 

[JC0396]

nuangolasusquehanna...

Don't quote me. I've heard that from a few guys. I myself have never fished that white oaks so I have no idea. If you know that they are not there for sure, please tell me so I don't go there expecting the impossible, please?

[junebug]

As far as I know there are no Walleye in White Oak, it is very shallow.  Then agian I could be wrong.  Check the PA Fish Commish site for lakes they stock with Eyes.

[JiggerMan]

I would not pass the big lake by.  I know it has some giants in it.  and probably more than prompton.  fish the points  where you can find some sharp drops next to some shallow feeding flats and fish the last hour of daylight and the first hpur of dark. 

large to Xl shinerson tip-ups generally a 1-2 feet off bottom, some times you can split the depth and fish for the suspenders.  Jigs .....  I would use jigging raps and spoons in natural colors. except for chartruse and white jigs.  you can also do alright with a jig tiped with a fathead or some of your dead shiner tails ( so dont through them down the hole or in the ice for the crows.)

JM

[Locnar]

Low light at first light or dusk and overcast days are always best regardless of the season for walleye. Obviously fish structure like humps and points into deep water, but this is elementary when it comes to fishing any lake. Tactics for eyes on big lakes vary on the principle forage. Like the Pack for instance is alewife based so you pretty much need to know where alewives will likely school up to know where "most" eyes will be. There are some good resources online and on the walleye part of this forum for how to "find" eyes. Smaller lakes like Duck harbor are bad habitat for walleye and the tactics you would use on the Pack or on most big lakes may not work on these. The stockie eyes on many bad habitat walleye lakes eat a variety of things and are often caught all over the place. The patterns you read about in say In Fisherman only really apply on big lakes and somewhat on smaller big lakes like the Pack. Fishing is always best on early ice and late ice and unless your fishing one of the rivers tip ups are not your go to, jigging patterns like some have already mentioned are the best bet. Slow is usaully better, just like open water walleye in December, slow is key. Walleye dont want to do any work to get food. In fisherman over the years has had some of the best pictures and how tos for jigging technique Ive ever seen, maybe you can find some good Doug Stange walleye jigging tutorials. Good luck you will need it in our area, and the guys catching them for the most part have dead bolted the lips.

[the_mad_iceman]

You're right about being tight lipped! I'm one of them.... Lol

[JAZII]

White Oak is listed as being stocked with walleyes.
It has 20' of water.
I bass fish it allot, never caught a walleye.

Walleye lakes do not have to be deep. I caught several walleyes at Gouldsboro State Park while bass fishing, before it was drained.

JAZII

[Ski Hunter]

You're right about being tight lipped! I'm one of them.... Lol

we all know you're spot already  


I hide mine by fishing opposite sides of the state on Sat than I do on Sun  

[Rebelfisher]

although white oak is stated as having walleye...check the pa fish comm website for their biologist reports...some lakes produce better than others...Ive fished white oaks numerous times and never caught one...lower woods is listed as having them, but when they trap netted it for a biologist report, I believe they only got 1...and just because a lake is listed as having a certain species present, dont always believe it..Harveys lake is a prime example...its listed as having lakers and kokanee salmon...the salmon was a failed effort in 1975 and lakers are no longer present since the alewives were introduced. just food for thought.

[iceotter28]

i know guys in our area do well on lower woods, prompton, and belmont. my one friend works at the fish hatchery and i know they stocked them this year. they are just a tuff fish to catch but i do know if u are close to prompton try the narrows in low light and u should pick a few up.

[iceotter28]

ill ask my friend at the hatchery he knows whats where, when i hear back from him ill let ya know

[iceotter28]

he said they put fingerlings in there so im sure there in there

[JAZII]

http://www.fishandboat.com/water/lakes/white-oak_pond/00whiteoak.htm
..I can't see any mention of walleye at White Oaks, am I missing soemthing?

You have to look in the warm water stocking lists.

JAZII