# Need Help - Beginner How-To



## rdelahunr (Dec 20, 2009)

Hi, I'm Ryan.

I'm new to walleye fishing. Last summer I purchased a 16' boat with an extra wide hull and a 15 horse motor for $650. I also have a small trolling motor and depth finder (not a very nice one). I fished occasionally that summer and caught 6-7 walleyes. My largest was a 21 inch. I have heard of lindy rigs, leadheads tipped with bait, crankbaits, and other techniques that work well. I was wondering what kind of place do I want to fish (deep, shallow, sandy, weedy), what time of day, and the best techniques for catching the most fish. Please give me some good ideas. I live on Long Lake in Hubbard County or Park Rapids Minnesota.

Thanks


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

I don't fish but I see walleye all the time while I'm snorkeling. Just after ice off I see large loners on the bottom in your area lakes ~20' or so.. not too much later they're schooled up and spawning in the rivers or shallows.. then during the summer they are schooled up so if you do catch a walleye.. chances are good you'll catch more in that same spot.. what time of day they'll bite I don't know. late in the year, just before ice on.. for some reason.. all the fish seem to disappear. wish I could


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## OverLord (Jan 16, 2009)

Its not that simple. Fish that are BITING can be one place one day and other places the next day. Every lake is different.

The best investment is a good fishfinder.

The best thing you can do to catch fish is trial and error. Move around. If a spot is not productive dont waste time, just move. Some days you will spend all day finding the fish.

I use lindy rigs 95% of the time for walleyes. Leader length is very important on some lakes. Fish with other people and try different lengths, hook color, baits, and beads/floaters.

Keep a log showing location and weather.

For your area I would invest in a bigger boat to fish Mille Lacs and Leech.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

rdelahunr said:


> Hi, I'm Ryan.
> 
> I'm new to walleye fishing. Last summer I purchased a 16' boat with an extra wide hull and a 15 horse motor for $650. I also have a small trolling motor and depth finder (not a very nice one). I fished occasionally that summer and caught 6-7 walleyes. My largest was a 21 inch. I have heard of lindy rigs, leadheads tipped with bait, crankbaits, and other techniques that work well. I was wondering what kind of place do I want to fish (deep, shallow, sandy, weedy), what time of day, and the best techniques for catching the most fish. Please give me some good ideas. I live on Long Lake in Hubbard County or Park Rapids Minnesota.
> 
> Thanks


This look looks a lot like Big Sand near Park Rapids, a lake I've fished a lot years back. It has the same depth (135 feet) and there's a lot of hard/soft bottom transitions:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/d ... 137020.pdf

It has 13 feet clarity, so I'm assuming you're normally fishing deeper during all lighted conditions...I'm sure the night bite shallow would be good too (so was Big Sand). Try trolling open water stretches at night and look for clouds of baitfish and try to troll cranks through/above them.

Deep lakes take longer to warm up so especially look to shallow mud areas at dusk/dawn. Pitch jigs off shallow water weed beds or lindy rig where the mud turns to sand.

Good luck


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## fishemup (Apr 7, 2010)

All the above are good suggestions.
You need get to the bottom to find fish. The old way was to use a weight or a bottom bouncer.
Crankbaits, worm harness, jigs, spinner rigs all work well. We are coming up on a hot time for fishing.
I heard about a new double bottom bouncer. Uses two lines instead of one. 
haven't used it but saw it at http://www.fishmaxfun.com


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