Hot Walleye Bite!! February 19, 2009
gengberg February 19th, 2009
The Bay of Green Bay
Well, it’s been a GREAT season for the ice walleyes!! We had a bit of a dry spell a few weeks back and the outlook was bleak, BUT NOW we are on FIRE! We are currently experiencing the best bite I have EVER seen for big fish-and numbers, too!
I am positioning myself in Sand Bay in about 25-35 FOW-punch holes in various depths in that range. 1/4 oz Oddballs are my jig of choice-greens/whites/chartrueses. I tip them with a medium to large lake shiner. If you are coming up from the south, do yourself a favor and stop in Dyckesville at the Citgo gas station (DePrey’s Quick Stop) he has, a really nice selection of bait. He also carries a TON of equipment and tackle. Also, Stevenson Pier Mini Mart on County C has a great bait shop as well for the locals! If you don’t have Oddballs, I also like the Jigging Rapala or Northland’s Triple Threat or Puffin-tip either of those with a minnow head. I have also heard, but not personally tried, that fishermen are getting the ‘eyes on Little Cleo’s and Swedish Pimples.
I am sticking with either 6 lb Berkley Max or 8 lb Berkley XL for line-always always mono!! I also tie on about a 10″-12″ leader of that same line with a small barrel swivel to eliminate line twists.
We are still driving trucks out from Sand Bay. All in all, I am seeing ice thickness from 24″-30″ right now. Ice conditions are good, but USE CAUTION this is the time of the year when the water starts warming up and the currents start to eat away at the ice from the underside. We also are having longer periods of sunlight, which can change the ice conditions as well. Never assume that the ice is “safe” - it never is!!! Always check with locals (bait shops, fishermen, etc) before driving out, and don’t hesitiate to punch holes out along your journey to your hole to measure ice thickness.
