One of the most exciting species of fish to seek out is the walleye when fishing for sport. It has everything that anglers look for when choosing a species. It’s an elusive fish so this makes them a challenge to catch and once hooked they’ll fight you all the way to the end. This makes seeking them out fun, exciting and adventurous. They make a tasty meal as well so this is another advantage to reeling in a mess of walleyes.
They tend to thrive better in cold water and they seem to prefer gravel, rocky or sandy bottoms but they can be found in all types of waters both warm and cold. Their eyes reflect light so they can see very well in the dark. Due to their unique eyesight, they’re the most active during the night when they have an advantage over their prey.
If you go fishing for walleyes during the day, fish in areas that are shady or in the deeper parts of the water for the best results. They won’t be found anywhere the light is shining through the water. Due to their excellent eyesight they avoid direct sunlight. However, you can yield some excellent results when fishing on overcast days.
Tips for Catching Walleyes
With the walleye being one of the hardest game fish to catch it helps to have some tips to try that have been passed along by other professionals throughout the years. These will give you a head start and keep you from having to start from scratch and learn everything the hard way, if you’re new to the sport. Even if you have been fishing for awhile, these tips can still be useful. You may run across something new that you’ve never tired before.
Here are three tips for walleye fishing that will help increase the odds of reeling in more fish:
1. Use light fishing line and a sensitive fishing rod when fishing for walleyes. This will help you feel it when you get a bite and it will prevent the fish from seeing the fishing line. When your line is visible it reduces the number of bites you’ll get. You can also use a bobber to help indicate a bite.
2. When fishing with lures the color you choose will make a big difference. Choose color based on where you’re fishing and how deep you plan to fish. A basic rule to follow is to use bright colors such as lime green, blue, red and florescent green when fishing in dark water and in the spring. When fishing in the summer and in clear water, dark colors are recommended.
3. Take advantage of electronics every chance you get. A GPS system can map out the areas where the hotspots are located and store this information for future references. You can also use depth finders and fish finders to make your fishing trip more productive.
The smaller the tackle you can use, the better off you’ll be. This makes it easier to feel the bite and catch the fish. They’re small mouths are filled with lots of teeth but the mouth is rather small, which makes it hard for them to take large bait.
When choosing your bait look to see which foods are found in the water naturally and use something that resembles this. The walleyes will be attracted to things they’re familiar with faster than anything else. If you use live bait it can be caught out of the lake or river in which you’re fishing for some excellent results.
Conclusion
The walleye is a challenging fish to catch that’ll put up an incredible fight once they’re hooked. This makes fishing for them more fun and interesting than many of the other species. The walleye is a great choice to seek out when fishing with your family or friends. You can compete to see who can reel in the most fish or who catches the biggest one. One thing is for sure; they’ll certainly keep you on your toes and give you something to talk about.
When fishing for walleyes it’s best to use a slow retrieval and a technique that’ll allow you to control the depth you’re fishing. When fishing for this species, look for them in the shallows before you head out to the deeper parts of the water. Surprisingly, you can often find some nice size walleyes in water as shallow as three feet deep. They’ll also be found around brush, weeds, rocks, trees and reefs. In the deeper water they can be found in drop-offs, sunken islands and around sand bars.
Keep your line tight and use the tips listed above and this will help to improve the success you can enjoy when fishing for walleyes. Learning all you can about this species, their habits and the water in which you’re fishing can also make a big difference.