Walleye on the fly

Northern · Oct 20, 2023

Ok - success!!
Yesterday, I met up with @Billy, @Buzzy, and @Starman77 on a multispecies Seeps lake (great to meet you, guys!) Following a slow start, Buzzy and Starman left for troutier waters, and Billy and I kept at it after finding some cooperative smallies. In a bit, we started picking up a stray walleye here and there, so we started targeting them, focusing on dropoffs and humps, working structure and keeping our flies on the bottom in 20-30' of water. Both of us were fishing jig leeches, and soon were into a number of decent-sized walleye. Billy had the hot hand, probably doubling my numbers, but I managed to hook into a fish that we both thought was a snag for a confusing 30 seconds when, after an initial head shake, it just sat there. I mean, it literally felt like I was trying to raise a 4lb rock from 30' down, with a 7wt. Eventually it started fighting back, and I netted this 22"er for a good laugh! Well, we laughed. Toothy here, did not.

The walleye out there are actually kinda pretty!

Unfortunately, we weren't prepared to keep fish, so no fillets were harmed in the making of this fishing report

Thanks, Billy, for the motivation to keep trying at this fishery!
I'll be back

Buzzy · Oct 21, 2023

Northern said:
Ok - success!!
Yesterday, I met up with @Billy, @Buzzy, and @Starman77 on a multispecies Seeps lake (great to meet you, guys!) Following a slow start, Buzzy and Starman left for troutier waters, and Billy and I kept at it after finding some cooperative smallies. In a bit, we started picking up a stray walleye here and there, so we started targeting them, focusing on dropoffs and humps, working structure and keeping our flies on the bottom in 20-30' of water. Both of us were fishing jig leeches, and soon were into a number of decent-sized walleye. Billy had the hot hand, probably doubling my numbers, but I managed to hook into a fish that we both thought was a snag for a confusing 30 seconds when, after an initial head shake, it just sat there. I mean, it literally felt like I was trying to raise a 4lb rock from 30' down, with a 7wt. Eventually it started fighting back, and I netted this 22"er for a good laugh! Well, we laughed. Toothy here, did not.
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The walleye out there are actually kinda pretty!
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Unfortunately, we weren't prepared to keep fish, so no fillets were harmed in the making of this fishing report

Thanks, Billy, for the motivation to keep trying at this fishery!
I'll be back

Patience and persistence paid off well for you and @Billy, well done. Walleye are kind of pretty? Yes, their fillets when golden brown and crispy are briefly very pretty.

Sam Roffe · Oct 21, 2023

Buzzy said:
Walleye are kind of pretty? Yes, their fillets when golden brown and crispy are briefly very pretty.

love fish and chips made with walleye….

Eastside · Oct 21, 2023

Northern said:
Ok - success!!
Yesterday, I met up with @Billy, @Buzzy, and @Starman77 on a multispecies Seeps lake (great to meet you, guys!) Following a slow start, Buzzy and Starman left for troutier waters, and Billy and I kept at it after finding some cooperative smallies. In a bit, we started picking up a stray walleye here and there, so we started targeting them, focusing on dropoffs and humps, working structure and keeping our flies on the bottom in 20-30' of water. Both of us were fishing jig leeches, and soon were into a number of decent-sized walleye. Billy had the hot hand, probably doubling my numbers, but I managed to hook into a fish that we both thought was a snag for a confusing 30 seconds when, after an initial head shake, it just sat there. I mean, it literally felt like I was trying to raise a 4lb rock from 30' down, with a 7wt. Eventually it started fighting back, and I netted this 22"er for a good laugh! Well, we laughed. Toothy here, did not.

What line were you using to stay down that deep? Thanks.

Northern · Oct 21, 2023

Eastside said:
What line were you using to stay down that deep? Thanks.

SA Sonar Seamless Density S5/S7 and a slooow troll

Not sure what @Billy was using

Eastside · Oct 21, 2023

Northern said:
SA Sonar Seamless Density S5/S7 and a slooow troll

Not sure what @Billy was using

Thanks. I have the same line. I’ve tried it on the Columbia but it is challenging with the current.

Northern · Oct 21, 2023

Eastside said:
Thanks. I have the same line. I’ve tried it on the Columbia but it is challenging with the current.

Oh, I imagine. This was a calm lake on a calm day

skyriver · Oct 21, 2023

Nice work!

Billy · Oct 24, 2023

I was using my Cortland type 5! What a hoot figuring out walleye on the fly. I've become a little obsessed thinking about them and flies and locations. They don't seem to like a fast strip. I was pleasantly surprised at the fight on my six weight. Simple jigs both baitfish and leech style worked best for me!

Eastside · Oct 24, 2023

This is the gear fisherman’s version of what you are using. They would put a soft bait on the hook which resembles the tail on your fly. https://mackslure.com/products/smile-blade-sd-drift-jig?variant=44597658747126. Thanks for your and Northern’s post. Walleye on the fly has also been a goal of mine.

Northern · Oct 24, 2023

Eastside said:
This is the gear fisherman’s version of what you are using. They would put a soft bait on the hook which resembles the tail on your fly. https://mackslure.com/products/smile-blade-sd-drift-jig?variant=44597658747126. Thanks for your and Northern’s post. Walleye on the fly has also been a goal of mine.

Yep - when I fish for them with spin gear (in MN and Ontario), we use almost entirely just jig heads with plastics - mostly sassy shad types, or gulp minnows. No blades necessary.
This summer up there, I used jig heads with a few wraps of bunny strip, pretty successfully. So for here, I just downsized to a tungsten jig bunny fly to use on a sinking line

From ON: a double, one nice fish with a jig & plastic, my scrawny one with a jig & bunny!

Jonnytutu · Oct 24, 2023

I've done well with a type 6 and a chartreuse streamer, slow retrieve.

Fin

Billy · Oct 25, 2023

Jonnytutu said:
I've done well with a type 6 and a chartreuse streamer, slow retrieve.

Fin

For some reason I didn't try chartreuse but I will next time I go out!

Haggis57 · Oct 25, 2023

I've had luck fishing for Walleye in Manitoba with Woolly Buggers and Chartreuse Clousers, slow retrieve.

Ken

Billy · Oct 25, 2023

New goal: 5 pound walleye on the fly

RichS · Oct 25, 2023

There’s a 7 pounder.

JS · Oct 25, 2023

I’m humbled and impressed!!! I can’t wait to give it a shot again with new confidence!

Buzzy · Oct 25, 2023

JS said:
I’m humbled and impressed!!! I can’t wait to give it a shot again with new confidence!

You stole my thoughts about being humbled (and impressed) by @Northern , @Billy and @RichS's persistence and their catch (not a little jealous). Today I sat at my vise and tried to, uh, compose a walleye fly, tied up something awful and then remembered I have a gear box of warmwater tackle. I pulled out five jigs, stripped off the rubber and am going to try and come up with something that a walleye (or catfish or perch or carp or trout or bass or....) might bite.

I know exactly where Billy was fishing from his last post: heading their Friday morning before the big freeze hits Friday night. Fingers crossed. (I'm tempted to be a dirt bag and sneak a night crawler onto one of the "flies".)

Eastside · Oct 25, 2023

Buzzy said:
(I'm tempted to be a dirt bag and sneak a night crawler onto one of the "flies".)

Will that work with a fly line back cast?

(Goggle emoji).

Evan B · Oct 25, 2023

If you can get them down, may not hurt to try some larger baitfish patterns.

Growing up, I always caught my biggest ones on decent sized rapalas. Hell, tie in some rattles to really make it interesting.