I can't say that I've taken a walleye on a fly yet, but I can relate what I've heard or read about it. There are two prime times to get them at flyrod depth:
1. Springtime in rivers, in particular rivers that happen to empty into a body of water that already holds such fish. If I remember correctly, they run up the rivers (if available) to spawn and can be found in some shallower water than normal.
2. Low light in the warmer months. Cloudy days or at dawn/dusk and night time will bring the fish up onto shallow reefs and riprap to feed on bait.
Flies generally have to be worked on or near bottom. Minnow imitations are best.
If anyone has anymore info, I'd love to hear it. The CT River has walleye, and I wouldn't mind adding another species to the list.
Well I started this thread so i might as well put in my 2 cents
As Mark said rivers during some part of the post spawn in spring are not your only but surely your best chance of adding to your species list
Fishing rivers: look for places where they will stack up. That won't take much salmon they ain't Any place marked falls or rapids on your maps.
As for flys they like the same things as trout esspecially "red eyed spiney finned green trout" WB's, streamers heck I've even got 'em on top water.
If there is an early Big hex hatch on then you might score with dries and maybe even lake trout.
On a side note i have a real nice pic of me with a good size walleye i tried to up load but was too big any hints on making the file smaller???
If you want to see it or others on my multi species list click on my link and go to the photos
I have very limited river fishing experience for walley but for lakes I use the same tactics as I posted for the Laker thread. The trick with lake walley is to get past the pike. Pike suspend higher than walleys so getting past them requires a real fast sinking line, I use a type 6 on a 7 Wt. Once on or near the bottom, the fly usually has enough boyancy to stay about 4 inches above the bottom, where Wally is likely to be.
I picked up a season permit for Saugatuck reservoir where they've been stocking Walleye for the past few years. They also stock Seeforellen strain of trout which grow to impressive sizes. Right now fly fishing is alomost impossible owing to the water level being at the base of the trees and there are no watercraft allowed. Deep water is available from many spots close to shore - I'm thinking along the lines of fast sinking line and "Alewife-Booby" :devil:
Took a look at your Walleye photo on your site and that is a nice fish. When I was up in Michigan last year the locals told me about a pretty good Walleye run on the Boardman River in Traverse City. Can't remember for the life of me when they said the best time to go was.
Bumping this thread back up....there's an article in the July/August issue of American Angler that tackles this subject pretty nicely.
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