walleye strategy

[ShortHanded]

Thanks shorthanded this is exactly what I was looking for. So if you find a school, say center mass at 25 ft deep. How deep will you run lures? A variety of depths not going deeper than 25? Feeding fish tend to rise up and eat, not sink down.

I'm not convinced walleye only feed up. That said, accurately placing your baits at depths within a well conceived overall spread is critical to catching.

Given your question...I would setup my spread slightly above, inside, at bottom and below (say 10ft) the bait.

Remember your sonar reports the distance from the transducer to the fish not the precise depth directly below the surface. Sometimes these distances are the same, but often fish shown are off-center or on the the extreme edge of the transducer cone. A fish off-center or on the outside of the cone is actually "shallower" than the reported depth... the amount less depends on the frequency cone angle of your transducer and relative fish depth. One way to tell is by the shape and density of the graphed "hook". At trolling speeds partial or faint marks are toward the outside of the cone and higher in the water than reported. Perfect solid color hooks are more in the center of the cone angle and closer to the indicated depth. This adjustment is a detail, but could throw your perceived depth off by as much as 6 ft or more depending on relative fish depth. This depth error is less in relatively clearer/shallower waters of eastern lake Erie vs. lake Ontario for example.

Line counter reel calibration is another way to reduce the errors in placing baits in the vertical water column.

More accurate depth placement of your baits within a well conceived overall spread will put more fish in your box.

[RedPearl]

I was out this past weekend on the 4th out of sturgeon point. Launching around 4pm was one of the craziest things I've ever seen, there were 12 boats filling up the harbor, waiting to dock, it had just started to cloud up so maybe people were getting nervous out there, who knows, and they kept coming in. Had to wait to launch, just so the harbor could clear out somewhat.

Played around with my sonar, found out I can split screen both 83 kHz and 200 kHz so that was pretty interesting. Also found I don't have to putter along to see fish, or at least see something worth investigating, I can slow down and get a better look.

Boy did I see fish. Schools of baitfish, closer to the surface. Schools of larger fish in a variety of depths. And schools of baitfish with larger fish underneath them, probably feeding on them. I ran a few varieties of presentations, but like others mentioned the fish were very tight lipped. Had family with me, plus the kicker motor started acting up (first time ever), so wasn't able to fish for as long as I wanted. I think I could spend all day out there working out the puzzle. One thing I have to do is rig up some type of trolling board or rail to get several poles working these fish.