Michigan is an excellent place to fish for walleyes. You can find this species all through this beautiful state in different lakes and rivers. Therefore, you can fish for them no matter where you live or where you’re visiting. Their glassy eyes reflect light and allow them to see well even in the dark so they have an advantage over their prey. For this reason, they tend to feed the most aggressively during the night but that’s not the only time you can catch them. You can fish for this species anytime with excellent results.
Walleyes are a great species for sport fishing because they put up a real challenge that will keep you on your toes. They are hard to hook because they are a smart species. They will hit the bait a time or two before taking it. You have to time when to set the hook perfectly or you’ll lose the catch. When you do get one hooked, expect a real fight. Walleyes don’t give up easily.
Michigan Walleye Fishing Tips
Since this species is harder to catch than many other types of gamefish, anglers can benefit from the tips and suggestions provided by experienced anglers who don’t mind sharing. You can use this information to help you get started until you gain more experience fishing certain areas.
Here are four walleye fishing tips to use in Michigan:
1. When the spawning season begins, you can find walleyes in the feeder streams and in the shallows where they’re searching for a place to spawn. They will seek out shallow bars, weeds and shoals. During this time, they’re very aggressive and more abundant so it’s a great time to seek them out.
2. When fishing with artificial lures, use jigs, crankbaits, spoons and plastic worms. When the walleyes are in the deeper parts of the water, try using yellow deep diving plugs or yellow plastic worms. These usually grab the walleyes attention faster because they are attracted to bright colors. When using live bait, fish with minnows, insects and worms.
3. Drift fishing is an excellent method to use when fishing for Michigan walleyes. Use a slow drift when in a boat but this method can be used from shore too. Simply, allow the current to move your bait through what you believe to be a good fishing spot. If there are walleyes in the area, they will strike. Jigging and trolling are also excellent techniques to use in Michigan.
4. Using electronics when fishing for this species will make your fishing trip more productive. It will make it easier to find the walleyes and a GPS system can help you find your way around the lakes and rivers when you’re not familiar with them.
The walleyes in Michigan will be the most active from late evening until around sunrise but you’ll also find them to be active on overcast days and when it’s windy.
Walleye Fishing Advice
Walleyes are notorious for stealing bait away so using methods that help you feel when you have a bite will increase the number of fish you catch. Using a bobber will make it easier to see when they actually take the bait.
They also have small mouths so experienced anglers recommend using lightweight fishing rods, thin fishing line and the smallest tackle you can that will work for the size fish you’re trying to catch. Another reason for these recommendations is that walleyes can see so well that they can see thick fishing line and hooks that stick out of the bait. This will send them swimming away quickly.
Since walleyes are a smart species, presentation is very important. Learn how the lures are supposed to move in the water to imitate real baitfish and present them correctly. If your bait is not presented in the right manner, it will actually scare this fish away.
Walleyes have sharp teeth and they will cause damage to your fishing line. For this reason, it’s a good idea to check your line each time you reel it in so you don’t lose your catch when you hook one and use a wire trace. Try fishing the shallow parts of the water before heading out to the deeper parts. They will often be in water as shallow as two feet deep searching for a good meal.
After fishing a specific area for awhile, you’ll begin to notice a pattern. You’ll learn which baits get the most action and where the fish are usually the most abundant. That’s part of the perks that go along with fishing the same waters often.
When fishing a body of water in Michigan for the first time, consider hiring a guide. They can save you a lot of time trying to learn the water by taking you directly to the hot spots and giving you a few pointers that will help you catch more fish.