“Boat Shy” a term that some folks have used to describe walleyes, and other fish that disappear whenever an angler’s boat moves over the surface water above them. The greater a lakes water clarity is, the more “boat shyness” schools of fish tend to demonstrate. Heavy boat traffic heightens the effect even more; fish become jittery and move away from boats even more quickly than they would when the lake is quiet.
Clouds, wind, algae blooms, warm water temperatures, or strong currents all help to reduce the impact of water. But what happens when the sun shines, there’s no breeze, the water is cold, and the algae bloom is non-existent?
Well, the simple answer is that fishing for walleyes gets tricky. For some experienced anglers, fishing is good because they are aware of stealthy techniques and use them to sneak up on unsuspecting schools of fish. For those less experienced, the mystery of where the walleyes are, and how to catch them becomes difficult to solve.
Jump to the conditions for our 2024 walleye fishing opener on Lake Winnie. Calm seas, bright sunshine, 54 to 56 degree water temperatures and robust crowds was the challenge. Hit or miss, was the best term we can use to describe the opening weekend results. Many of the more experienced anglers did very well. Many of the less technically oriented anglers struggled.
The good news is that walleyes which were caught tended to be high quality fish. Keepers from the large 2019-year class now range from 15-1/2 to 16-1/2 inches in length. The population remains strong too, so there’s an excellent chance of gathering fish for a meal. The also strong 2018-year class, and a smattering of remaining 2013 year class fish provided folks with opportunities to catch-photo-release some larger fish. Reports of fish from 18 to 22 inches were common, some larger fish in the 24-to-26-inch range were reported by especially lucky anglers.
The key depths tended to be deeper than typical for most. Most common were reports of folks catching fish in the 16-to-22-foot depth range. Fish were also located shallower, but only in areas where turbidity was greater. Flowages, like Third River, or the entrance of the Mississippi River provided inflow of darker water and that provided cover. In these areas, 6 to 8 feet of water provided good action. Particularly on Sunday, when winds were stronger, and smoke from Canadian wildfires darkened the sky.
Jigs tipped with minnows, like most years was the key presentation. Weights varied with the water depths, but 1/8 and ¼ ounce sizes are most often deployed. Minnows of all varieties are widely available, including spottail shiners, the most popular among early season anglers. Despite their popularity, shiners are not necessary, large fatheads and rainbow chubs produced good results as well.
We began the report with news about the clear water conditions anglers faced over the opening weekend. The clear conditions are likely to persist until water warms, algae blooms increase, or we receive an increased flow of water from low-lying areas. If you’re able, plan your daytrip fishing for breezy, cloudy days. If you’re staying for several days, enjoy the sunrises and sunsets on the lake; fishing will be easier during those twilight periods.