Novice Needs Help With Walleyes

[Bimmer]

Sorry I've not been on here much in the past year as with still being in school, my fishing excusions have been limited to trout on the Taney. I have just to weekends left and I think this coming Saturday we'd (the wife and I) like to drive down having heard that the walleye bite has been favorable.

Can anyone recommend some appropriate spoons to use? I'm used to fishing them up in the Dakota's with a jig tipped with a minnow or a leech. I live a couple of blocks from Fin and Feather here in Springfield so I'm sure whatever you kinds folks recommend, they'll be sure to have it.

I'm guessing with the weather the way it's been that they're deep in 30+ feet of water. Ideally, should I be looking at getting near the dam area?

Hey thanks fellas for the guidance! I really appreciate it

[rps]

1. I haven't been out in two weeks due to medical reasons.

2, Things change quickly this time of year. (See Bill Babler's posts recently)

3, Information that follows is based on experience and seasonal trends.

Try a Cabelas or War Eagle spoon in 7/8 or 1 oz. White or white with chartreuse. Fish roll offs, drop offs, timber edges, and way out on flat points in 25 to 35 feet of water.

Final note: I fish the upper end and find great success for wally. I think they are literally all over the lake.

[Wesley]

Forget the spoons. Not many people fish this lake for eyes. Correct there are BIG eyes all over this lake. Over 20 lbs. I believe if someone would drift crawlers off the flats where the drop off is they might be shocked how many they get. Lazy I do not want to screw with crawlers I troll and pick up a few eyes Good luck let us know how you do.

[Bimmer]

1. I haven't been out in two weeks due to medical reasons.

2, Things change quickly this time of year. (See Bill Babler's posts recently)

3, Information that follows is based on experience and seasonal trends.

Try a Cabelas or War Eagle spoon in 7/8 or 1 oz. White or white with chartreuse. Fish roll offs, drop offs, timber edges, and way out on flat points in 25 to 35 feet of water.

Final note: I fish the upper end and find great success for wally. I think they are literally all over the lake.

Hey rps! Good to hear from you buddy! Well that is semi good news. I say that because I have close to a dozen War Eagles. Too bad they're not spoons. They're spinner baits. Oh well, guess I'll hit the guys up at Fin & Feather tomorrow. I'm sure they'll be accomodating. The plan is to head near the dam, out of Moonshine Beach unless you can suggest something closer to Kimberling City. Thanks friend!

[Bimmer]

Forget the spoons. Not many people fish this lake for eyes. Correct there are BIG eyes all over this lake. Over 20 lbs. I believe if someone would drift crawlers off the flats where the drop off is they might be shocked how many they get. Lazy I do not want to screw with crawlers I troll and pick up a few eyes Good luck let us know how you do.

I'll be glad to provide an update. Thanks Wesley!

[Bimmer]

Looks like the forecast is not too favorable tomorrow with at least 50% rain. Guess we're going to shoot for next weekend instead.

Drats! Foiled again!

[powerdive]

Bimmer, whatever works for you up north will work here--the trick is not WHAT, but WHERE. Unlike bass, which inhabit nearly every cubic foot of water, walleyes are not abundant here. As rps said, spoons in the timber will work on the upper lake, and as Wesley said, live bait and cranks take fish on the edges of flats in the lower lake (look for inside turns in the lakebed). The point being, go with what you have confidence/skill in, and concentrate on finding a spot that holds walleyes.

[Bill Babler]

Quick note on the walleye, if you are passing up a rainy weekend for a nice hot sunny weekend, you are probably more than missing the bet. Walleye like our Smallmouth here like it nasty and the nastier the better.

If you are good with your electronics, that jigging spoon will catch as many walleye here as any bait that fishes the lake. Especially now. Both bass and walleye are really keyed in on an extremely huge hatch of threadfin shad.

I'm using a 1/2 OZ. Cabelas spittin image spoon. I have yet to find a better one. The bass are also on it. If you are to target walleye, I would perhaps start a little farther up stream than Moonshine. Put in a Campbell Point or Shell Knob and work the flat roll-offs where the long points or the inside bend channel swings drop into the channel. Start at 24ft. and follow the fish or the bait. You see a bunch of shad in the entire water column and you are in the right location. Night Crawlers, and Shiner minnows are also good fodder.

Good Luck

[Quillback]

X2 on that Cabelas spoon. Last August I picked up several wallies while fishing for bass on that spoon. Another bonus if it rains is that it may keep some of the skiers and pleasure boat off the water. It's crazy up the White river channel after about 11 AM, if you're fishing out on the rolloffs you'll have big wake boats coming by at the rate of about one every three minutes or so. Really annoying when you're trying to fish that deep bite.

[mjk86]

Man those cabelas spoons look killer!! Guess Ill have to pick some up....just one more bait to buy...Ill be down there this weekend til monday lookin for walleye in the kimberling area. Any bait shops down there carry those spoons? All I have are nungessers which are too light, and a few C.C. spoons, which would probably do the trick, but I really like the looks of those cabelas spoons. Im bout an hour or more from the cablelas here in st. louis.