Walleye thought

[Guest]

Next trip, I'm debating on fishing strictly live bait.

Minnows & Night Crawlers

If I want to drag the main lake gravel flats, what do yall recommend? Dragging with the wind or strolling

is there a certain night crawler harness or Erie Dearie type rig that works? 3/8oz for the 20ft zone?

[Tanderson15]

I would bottom bounce with metallic spinners with crawlers or gulp night crawlers and slow death hooks with 3" gulp minnows. Pts, pea gravel banks and secondary pts. Maybe shouldn't listen to me not doing great this year.

[rps]

Terry is always right. An alternative would be a Lindy rig. Main line through a weight to a swivel, then a leader to a hook with a float just before the hook. The hook is baited with a night crawler.

[Guest]

The wallys really like a Ned.

They're more willing to bite than bass were.

I was kinda shocked at the numbers of short walleye.

So, I'm going to focus more on them & crappie.

[Tanderson15]

I remember 2009 was filled with 17" fish. Then wow, the next year it took off. I think fish (walleyes) grow fast down here since they don't have to face the ice and believe me I don't miss the ice either.

[Tanderson15]

In CO and KS I mainly used a jig or Lindy rig but on the border lakes you have to cover territory. So you should troll like many do or BB. The way the contours of our lakes are lead line would be best, my least favorite.

[Notropis]

Boy notropis you are a wealth of knowledge glad your here. Next a couple of us on this notice the 19" walleyes seem very thin. Is that from spawning and the stress of it? Hope it's not a bad class.

Thanks for the compliment, Tanderson15. I've learned a lot about Beaver Lake through the years, always happy to pass it on. I wouldn't get too worried about the skinny walleye, the lake seems to have a lot of forage currently and sometimes walleye (particularly males) tend to be a little skinny at that length especially after the spawn. The AGFC Biologist, Jon Stein, looks at the walleye condition factors in the winter during his gill net samples and the relative weights were approaching 100% (very good condition) this past winter. There's a walleye topic from several weeks ago where he mentions the study, check it out! I'm sure he will keep an eye on the walleye's health and condition.

Cheers

[J-Doc]

So where do you get all your information?

[Notropis]

So where do you get all your information?

From 28 years of managing the fish populations in Beaver Lake.

[J-Doc]

Game & Fish? Or other? Biologist I assume? Just curious.