Full
Moon Walleyes
by Rick
Paquin
August 31,
1999
It's getting
around that time of year again. We start putting
our rods and reels away. Getting school clothes
and supplies for our children becomes a
priority. Hunting season is just around the
corner and ol' Rover needs a bit of fine
tuning.
Pulling the
docks up and winterizing the cabin are chores we
dread, but all good things come to an end,
right? Fishing comes to a slow halt. Why do so
many of us do this? Is it tradition? Do the fish
really slow down that much? What kind of rules
have we set for ourselves?
I can tell each
of you, that one of the best bites of the year
is coming soon. Those walleyes will put on the
feedbag. Not only will they be snapping, but the
big mama's are coming to this party.
99% of us
anglers miss it, no, make that 99.99% of us miss
it. Those big eyes got big for a reason and it
isn't because they fall easy prey to you or I.
Yet, soon, they are very vulnerable. If you
read beyond this point and use the tips given in
the next few articles I write, I'm asking you to
make a promise to put them back after you catch
them. These big mama's are major producers of
tomorrows eater walleyes.
I'm really not
too worried, because very few if any of you will
follow the tips I'm about to share. When you do
and the conditions are right, you can expect
some of the best walleye fishing you've ever
experienced.
The lake I'm
talking about is Minnesota's "Mille Lacs
Lake". A lot of anglers know about this
opportunity and really work it. They
work the reefs such as Hennepin Island and Three
Mile Reef by the hundreds. They get out at last
light in September and October and pound those
reefs. Most work it from 8pm until midnight-1am.
A few diehards stick it out until
2am-3am.
They work the
spine of the reef heading north off Hennepin or
the many spines off three mile. The best spine
we've found on three mile heads to the
southeast. Keep this in mind, because the
direction of the wind can make a subtle
differance.
These spines
typically run from 2' to 6' deep. 90% of them
are pulling a #12 floating rapala behind them
and they are long line trolling. Silver the
preferred color, yet blue has its' moments as
well. As long as the familiar tick tick tick of
the rap hitting bottom and the smooth vibration
of a clean running lure are felt intermittently,
everything is go.
Of course you
have the inevitable snag and with a lot of line
out and a partner with you, the trick is to
retrieve it in the dark without tangling
everyone. Now that's another story which I may
share some other time. Suffice it to say, they
ain't always snags! Sometimes it's a hawg
walleye and she has her nose in those rocks. The
big girls are experts at keeping down in
those boulders and rocks.
Now your partner
has to bring his/her line in, but usually very
reluctantly and with the proper speed to it,
trying to hook into their own walleye. Need I
also mention, this is the time when it is best
to be the operator of the boat. Sure is nice
when you can motor the boat right back to where
you have a fighting 10 pound walleye banging
nose down without having to yell directions to
the boat operator in the dark, with only a
spotlight as an aid.
This truly
works, and let's just hope you get out on a
night when there aren't hundreds of other
trollers to follow and swerve around.Those
walleyes do spook and very few are caught when
this kind of condition occurs. Unless of course
you have a trick up your
sleeve.
This story will
be continued!
GoodFishin
: )
Rick
Paquin
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