Early-season fishing on the way
It's kind of tough to think of spring when we're just coming off a week that included a couple of sub-zero nights.
But before long, spring will be here and with it a host of early season fishing opportunities. One that I look forward to each year is Pymatuning's walleye fishing, which is open year-round.
Typically, the walleye spawn on Pymatuning occurs during late March or early April, spurred on by warming water temperatures and increasing light levels. Fishing tactics should be geared toward targeting post spawn fish and their movements as they transition into late spring/summer patterns.
Shortly after spawning, walleye are keying on Alewife that move during the nighttime hours to shallow humps and shoals. Night casting, both from shore and from a boat, with jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits, is currently the most productive post-spawn pattern.
The first consistent daytime action I've experienced recently has been by focusing on areas close to the same types of humps, shoals and points that attracts alewife and walleye during the evening hours. These areas top out in roughly five feet of water; the targeted nearby depths are around seven to 15 feet.
'Crawler harnesses tipped with either a natural or artificial nightcrawlers, fished behind bouncer sinkers have been effective. Boat speed is an important component of this tactic. Somewhere close to 1 mph puts you in the right zone. Slower than that and the spinner blade might not function. Faster, and walleye might not respond to the presentation.
Bottom bouncer sinkers in the 1.5 to 2-ounce range are about right for these depths. Aim for maintaining an approximate 45-degree angle from your rod tip to the bottom bouncer.
Soft action rods work best for fishing spinners/bottom bouncers. As the boat moves along the bottom, bouncer will momentarily hang up, and then release, imparting a subtle stop-and-go to the presentation.
Placed in a rod holder (rather than hand held), the soft action rod allows a walleye to hook itself. If there's a modest wind, spinners can be fished via a controlled drift. If it's flat, or too windy, use the motor, in the latter case heading into the wind.
As the water warms, and the nighttime Alewife movement ceases, expect much of the walleye population to move out over deeper basins, where schools of Gizzard shad become the primary prey. Since shad often suspend over open water, it's common to find walleye suspended as well.
Last spring and early summer, my boat partners and I experienced some fine days catching quality-sized walleyes by long line trolling crankbaits over main lake basins that averaged 20 to 30 feet in depth.
A key to this pattern is to be around baitfish. Trolling speeds of 2 to 2.5 mph allow you to cover the water rather quickly. While doing so, watch for the presence of baitfish on your sonar screen, and the depth the bait is holding in.
Marking the location of baitfish, as well as caught walleye, will allow you to refine your trolling passes, upping your efficiency. Play around with colors, crankbait styles, and setbacks in your search for the right combination.
Crankbaits that attained 12 to 14 feet of depth on setbacks of 100 to 125 feet of line excelled on several outings last year. This year, who knows? So be open-minded and experiment.
While walleye can suspend, it also pays to keep a lure or two close to the bottom. Leadcore line setups allow for this. Leadcore line features a nylon sheath a tiny filament of lead; 18-pound test is most commonly used. Essentially, the line is a continuous sinker of sorts that allows you to fish crankbaits, even shallow-running ones, near the bottom.
In general, when your intention is to get a crankbait to within a foot or two of the bottom, gradually pay out line while maintaining a steady speed, say 2.25 mph. Leadcore line is color coded every 10 yards, which can be used to calculate setback, or a line counter reel.
Once you've let out a decent amount of line, for instance 80 feet if you're over 20 feet of water, engage your reel to allow things to stabilize. Your lure will likely still be well above bottom. Now continue the process of setback/reel engagement, until you begin ticking bottom.
Once that occurs, bring in five to 10 feet and your lure will be a foot or so off the bottom.
Whereas trolling speed has minimal impact on long-lined (without any additional weight), it is critical when using leadcore line. If you slow, the lure will sink; conversely, acceleration will lift the lure.
Obviously, this method works best over basins of relatively consistent depth, which is the case at Pymatuning.
Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle
