If you take a small section of the lake and break it down into a lake within a lake, finding walleye is much easier. Take a good look at the shore line as this will give you some clues as to where to fish. If you notice any kind of points, major or minor ones, checking out the contour is a must. Find some weed and a drop off near by and you'll find fish. The drop off doesn't have to be a big one as I've caught walleye and SM bass even in 2 ft of water. That's right I said 2 ft of water. There was always a nice drop off just outside of the weed edge usually even if only a few feet. The weed edges consist of a secondary and major weed lines each with nice drop offs near by.
On Lake Gogebic, the winds usually come straight down the lake from the north or from the south and disperse in all directions in the middle sections. Sometimes it seems as if the winds are actually coming from the west on the east side instead of the north or south. If the winds actually come from the east, forget it, don't bother, do something else. In the 38 years of fishing the lake, I've never caught much during an easterly wind. It's possible but tough. Looking at the chop and seeing what direction its coming from, start searching by cranking in and around 7.5 ft of water. That's my starting point anywhere on the lake. I'm always facing the wind. If you happen to catch a northern pike, don't fret. I know they can be a hazard on your line but they give you a great fight. The reason you should be grateful that you found some northerns, is that small mouth and walleyes are near by.
Aside from the great fight SM bass will give you, if this is the first fish caught, is that walleye are even closer now as they can be found in and around the same spots just a few yards more, ahead. Sometimes you need to go much further into the wind to a location where a drop off is by finding a major weed line. I've caught walleye, huge ones 19-24 inch in water under 3 feet in a minor weed line around the 500 club but there was always a drop off to 5-6+ft near by. This was an exception and sometimes they are a reality here on the lake depending on the circumstances of what's below the water. If it looks like a good spot irregardless of depth on your depth locator, it's worth checking out!
Mostly, I find Northerns in weedy coves where they are foraging left overs from SM and walleyes. So they are always the last ones in line and the closest to the shore, inside a minor weed bed. Altho in some major points like the one at the Lone Oak Resort, they can hang out in 4-6 ft in the weeds. They may even hang out in the weed bed just south of the point in 7-9 ft of water. It depends on which way the wind is blowing. It's an area still well worth checking out thoroughly. Second in line, facing the wind are the SM bass. They like to hang around somewhere between the secondary and major weed lines close to a drop off. Ahead of the pack just waiting to ambush anything resembling food hidden in the weeds near by a major drop off, are the walleye. So all you have to do to remember the order they hang out in weeds near a drop off facing the wind/incoming wave, irregardless of exceptions are; #1 walleye, #2 SM bass and #3 northerns and if you come across anything other than walleye on your cast, remember that walleyes are just a few more yards ahead.
Now you just have to find the right color to throw at them for consistency. I've even figured that one out. Maybe I will reveal that info in a future post. Give cranking in weeds a shot and Good Luck!
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| average size weed walleye |
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| a days catch in the weeds |
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| a respectful size SM bass found in the weeds with walleye a few yards near by |
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