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Inland Winter Walleye Wisdom

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  hydrasportbill 
#1 ·
Does any one have any? ha!

Hit a local reservoir tonight and struck out. Not a sniff as far as i could tell and did not see any glowing eyes at all. I fished in a long sleeve cold gear t-shirt shirt with Carhart bibs tonight and was so warm i was sweating when switching spots. Car dash read 48°. This weather is screwed up!!! Tossed some Rattling Rouges, HJ's and big Keitech swimbaits.

Guess i am looking for thoughts on if these inland walleye still use the shallows to feed all the way through winter? I did quite a bit of spotlighting the first few feet of shore and was only seeing VERY small bluegill in shallow. Talking inch long or less fish. The little bit bigger gills and bass were just not there. If the 3"-4" bluegill and bass (main baitfish i see in stomach contents) are not up shallow...... kind of thinking/guessing the walleye will not be there either?

Have never fished for 'eyes from shore like this right in the middle of winter so guess i am just running a trial and error right now. I fished the shallower end tonight that the basin runs around 20 feet deep. This end is my favorite area to fish in both spring and fall. Guess if i try it again i will try the other end that drops off to a little deeper water. There are a couple spots that are close to 35 feet deep just out of casting range. Wondering if the walleye use the deeper (warmer) holes through the day and then maybe feed off the fringe areas when they get hungry. No clue.

So any one else have knowledge on open water fishing walleye at the end of January?
 
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#2 ·
I have no help for winter Walleye whereabouts in the middle of winter on the reservoir I think you were fishing. The sister reservoir however, I do know where the Walleye sit this time of year and it's just a tick out of casting distance in some submerged trees and stumps. I hope it gets good ice and We can fish it this season.
 
#3 ·
I've caught saugeyes on Rapalas just after ice out up along shore here in fostoria. The earliest in the year for me would have been late February several years ago. It's just hard saying whether or not they would come up along shore in January. I suspect they would.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the input. It took me several years before i figured out the different patterns for both spring and fall. Those patterns aren't always consistent either on the featureless upgrounds. I generally do better with bigger baits in the fall but downsize for spring and even switch up to a crawler on a jig sometimes in the spring. I threw all big baits yesterday so will have to downsize next time i try. Probably be trying that deeper water also.

Still hoping we might see some more ice this year, but it will sure take a deep freeze to get the big reservoirs to lock up.
 
#7 ·
Got out last night and not a thing. Can say i still officially have zero hands on fish wisdom so far. Not catching or seeing any activity in the water is the only info gleaned from my winter walleye trips so far. Makes me want a small boat so i can get out over the deeper hole and see if they are stacked up in that area. Oh well, will have to stick with bluegill and crappie in the smaller reservoirs for now i guess. Water was clear but had a milky off white color to it. Weather was nice, kind of crazy to see nightcrawlers out in the middle of February.
 
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