Walleyes by nature are prone to prowl the lower reaches of the water column. Bellies to bottom, they stalk rocks, gravel, transition lines and other structural hot zones. Even in the inner sanctum of tangled weed growth, most times you’ll fare well presenting lures far below the surface.But not always. Depending on forage, light levels and other factors, walleyes aren’t opposed to soar higher than most anglers expect. On some fisheries, it happens more than we think, and being alert to the possibility of these frequent fliers can produce bonus catches other fishermen miss. Best of all, high-riders are often some of the biggest walleyes in the system.
“Lake of the Woods is a prime example, though it happens on other waters as well,” says longtime guide and hardwater expert Jon Thelen. “Most of your eater-size walleyes roam the bottom throughout the summer and winter months. After freeze-up, you can catch them on a variety of different presentations, including bobber rigs and spoons.”
But catching bigger fish—sag-bellied eyes topping 25, even 30 inches—gets a little more complicated once winter’s icy cloak has settled on the surface. “People don’t understand where all the big fish went that they were catching close to bottom all summer,” says Thelen. “In fact, it’s a simple matter. They don’t swim to Canada. They don’t hide in the weeds. They simply use more of the water column than folks give them credit for.”
Water and ice clarity often hold clues to how high ’eyes will fly, he says. “A lot depends on the last few days of open water,” he begins. “If we get a few calm days and the lake is relatively clear when it freezes, the fish will tend to suspend closer to bottom. But if it’s blowing hard right before freeze-up and the lake caps over on a chocolate milk day, fish rise higher in the column than normal.”
Thelen notes that this is hardly an aberration of winter. “In summertime, most of the biggest walleyes are caught on flat, calm days, when the lake is not churned up,” he explains. “Big walleyes slide down and feed near bottom, where everybody fishes. But when the wind blows, the big fish move up, where I’m convinced they feed on tullibees and other suspended baitfish.”Continue reading this article at this LINK.…
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