Ask the Walleye Pro: Pat Neu

Q: The lake we live by (Barrett Lake) gets a lot of weeds in the summer time. I was just wondering how you would fish walleyes in that scenario?

-Eric Jenson, Barrett, Minn.

A: Fishing walleyes in weedy lakes is not an easy task, but you can get it done. Slip bobbers are a very effective method to use when fishing weeds. You can fish bobbers in weed pockets or on the weed edges. Usually in midsummer a leech fished 12-18 inches off the bottom will trigger those weed fish to bite. I have also caught fish on clear northern lakes fishing red-tail chubs on the edge of deep cabbage weeds.

Depending on the type of weeds you are dealing with and the clarity of the water in the lake you may find fish in pockets as shallow as 2-3 feet of water, especially if the weed you are fishing is milfoil. If you should happen to find those fish in the shallower water, pitch a jig and leech or a jig and half-crawler to the weed pockets. This is actually one of my favorite methods for fishing walleyes. Use a 1/8-ounce jig with a good quality Gamakatsu long shank hook on it. Ten-pound test Fireline works great for this technique and I recommend a 7-foot medium-heavy action rod. When those fish hit you need to cross their eyes and get them out of that slop. This technique is very similar to flipping for bass; in fact I have caught bass on several occasions using this technique.

Q: I am going to experiment with planer boards for the first time for walleye fishing. I have chosen the Off Shore No. 12 side planers and Daiwa Sealine line-counter SG27LCA reels. I am thinking about Ugly Stiks for the rods. What are your thoughts on the CAL and BWD series? What are your thoughts on line? Mono or Fireline? Any other tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Jeff Maxfield, Austin, Minn.

A: Using planer boards to fish walleyes in Minnesota is a very effective technique that will put more fish in the boat. The Off Shore boards you have chosen will work very well for you. I highly recommend that you upgrade the boards to include the Off Shore Tattle Flag system. The Tattle Flag system will alert you to the strike the instant it happens, significantly increasing your hook-up percentage. Additionally, the Tattle Flags will drop when you pick up debris on your lure and if set properly they will drop when a small fish hits the lure.

I would recommend an 8- or 8 1/2-foot medium action rod for planner boards. You need a rod that has enough backbone to keep them from loading up while trolling in rough water causing the boards to jerk forward as they come off a wave. You also need a light enough tip to allow you to fight the fish. Your choice of reels is perfect. The majority of the time I fish boards I use 10-pound Trilene XT. I use Fireline on a limited basis when running boards primarily because it’s more difficult to keep the line clipped to the board. Off Shore does make a special release clip (OR18) for that purpose if you decide that you need to run Fireline to get those lures to the strike zone.

One last tip I will give you about trolling boards will be critical to your success and that is 90 percent of the time when I troll boards, it’s downwind. Trolling downwind allows you to control the boat and the boards more effectively and it makes it much easier to fight the fish once you have them hooked. Good luck this summer with the boards.

Q: I have fished Lake Sakakawea numerous times in the past. I have found that pulling shallow cranks in the spring and into late summer produces results. In regards to this are the fish I am catching up shallow moving from deeper water to substitute the normal food source (smelt) because the lack of these smelt due to low water levels on the lake. Thanks for your input.

-David Jeffrey, Garrison, N.D

A: First, I have never fished Sakakawea, but I would like to at some point in the future. Your comment about the lake is consistent with the set of circumstances that are plaguing all the reservoirs on the Missouri River system due to the prolonged drought. I sincerely hope the change in the ecosystem resulting from the drought doesn’t have a long-term effect on the walleyes, but it will in the short term. To survive the fish will start to target sources of food other than the smelt. The small minnows they are now feeding on in the shallows will sustain them for a while, but you will not see the growth rates you have during the past when they fed on the larger and more plentiful smelt.

With the new forage base you will need to change your mindset on where you will find the fish. I would tend to target fish on the windblown shorelines. As the water clouds up on those downwind shorelines you will find the fish much shallower than normal. The cloudy water will attract those smaller minnows, which in turn will attract the walleyes to move in to feed on them. You can locate fish in an area by trolling for them as you indicated you have, but once you find them also try throwing crankbaits to the shoreline points. You can also pitch 1/8-once jigs tipped with a crawler to those points once you have narrowed down your search. Watch for fish pushing those minnows to the top and make sure you cast to those schools of bait if you see them break. This technique is different than what you are use to but it is a lot of fun and highly effective.

Hailing from Forestville, Wis., Pat Neu is one of the most accomplished walleye pros in the game. In 2005, he won the FLW Walleye Tour event on Green Bay. To date, Neu has over $193,000 in FLW Outdoors earnings and five top-10 finishes. Neu also captured victory at the 2006 PWT Regional Series event on Bays de Noc in Escanaba, Mich., and finished the season as the PWT Rookie of the Year. A 1981 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Neu is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Yamaha, Minn Kota, Cannon, Navionics, Frabill, Off Shore Tackle and Pamp’s Outboard.