Walleye fishing on Green Bay can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be overwhelming to find the perfect spots to catch these elusive fish. Fortunately, Green Bay is renowned for its extraordinary and plentiful walleye fishery, making it a prime destination for anglers.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner, this comprehensive guide will provide you with all the information you need to boost your success rate in fishing walleyes.
From the best spots to fish, to the ideal times to go, to the most effective techniques to use, and even some handy tips, you’ll have everything you need to make the most of your walleye fishing adventure on Green Bay.
Key Takeaways
- Green Bay is a top spot for catching lots of walleye. Best places are Fox River, Lower Bay and Little Sturgeon Bay.
- Spring is the best season to fish walleye in Green Bay when they lay their eggs.
- Good gear like strong rods, fine reels, useful lines and proper lures help you catch more walleyes.
- Using tools such as sonar or planer boards can make your fishing trip easier and more fun.
Best Spots for Walleye Fishing in Green Bay
Venture into Green Bay’s thriving walleye spots like the productive Fox River, abundant Lower bay near Sturgeon Bay, or easily accessible Little Sturgeon Bay. Don’t overlook other hotspots such as Oconto, Pensaukee, and Red River teeming with plentiful walleyes.
Fox River: Techniques and lures to use
Fox River is great for early season walleye fishing. Here are the best ways and lures to use:
- Go to the dam or Nicolet Paper Mill. These spots have many walleyes.
- Use fake baits. Ring worms, swim baits, hair jigs, and blade baits work well.
- Try Rippin’ Raps. Walleyes love these too.
- Cast your line in deep pools. Walleyes like to hide there.
- Look for clear water spots. Walleyes can see your lure better there.
Lower bay near Sturgeon Bay: Seasonal tips and strategies
Green Bay is a hotspot for walleye fishing, especially near Sturgeon Bay. Below are some seasonal tips and strategies.
- Spring is the best time to fish in this area. Walleye goes from Fox River to the deeper parts of Green Bay in this season.
- Look out for rock reefs and zebra mussel beds. These areas usually have gobies, which are walleye’s favorite food.
- Use sturgeon bay as your base spot. This place offers walleye fishing all around the year.
- The lower bay might be shallower than other parts but don’t let that fool you. It’s perfect for fishing walleye.
- Make use of local guides or experience to navigate the waters. They know where the fish hides!
- Lastly, always keep an eye on changes to weather or water flow. Both can move these tempting fish.
Little Sturgeon Bay: Access and productivity information
Going to Little Sturgeon Bay is easy. There are many places you can put your boat in the water. This bay gives a great chance to catch different types of fish, not just walleye. Many people go there to find muskies, bass, perch, salmon, trout and pike too.
This spot is great for fishing all year round! But March stands out as the best time for catching big walleye or smallmouth bass. People who love fishing truly enjoy this place because it offers lots of chances to catch a lot of fish!
Other popular spots: Oconto, Pensaukee, Red River, etc.
Oconto is a top spot for walleye fishing in Green Bay. Many fishermen love this area because it has 378 lakes full of fish. Oconto also has the Oconto River, which has plenty of walleyes.
Next up is Pensaukee. This place does not have as many lakes as Oconto but it’s still great for catching walleyes. Last but not least is Red River, another hotspot loved by anglers due to its abundant fish numbers and easy-to-reach location.
Ideal Times for Walleye Fishing
Discover the prime seasons for Walleye fishing in Green Bay, learn about pre-spawn tactics in spring, lowlight angling in summer, and peak feeding times during fall. Keep reading to unlock secrets of mastering seasonal strategies for a bountiful catch!
Spring: Pre-spawn and spawn periods, fishing patterns
Spring Walleye fishing in Green Bay is exciting. This is when the walleye start to spawn.
- In spring, female walleyes lay many eggs. They can lay around 100,000 eggs.
- The fish choose gravel and rocks to lay their eggs.
- Walleye like shallow areas and rivers for spawning.
- During pre – spawn, fishing can be a bit slow. But it’s worth the wait.
- After they spawn, walleyes get very hungry. This means they bite more!
- Anglers love this time as there are more fish to catch.
- Using the right bait makes catching fish easier.
- Try different spots on the bay to find the most active fish.
Summer: Lowlight and night fishing, deep water strategies
Summer is a good time for walleye fishing in Green Bay. Here are some key points to remember:
- Walleye fish often move to cooler, deeper waters in summer.
- Yet, some walleye stay close to the surface or in shallow waters.
- You will need to study and practice well to catch these smart fish.
- Fishing in low light or at night can help you catch walleyes.
- There are many ways and tools you can use in Green Bay to catch these fish.
- If you know deep water tactics, it will make your job easier.
- Always keep an eye out for where the walleyes may be hiding.
- Make sure your bait and lures work well in deep waters.
Fall: Peak feeding times, excellent autumn fishing
Fall marks high feeding times for walleye. The cooler water gets them hungry. They eat much more from September to November. Night time is best for catching these active fish, especially big ones! Green Bay’s waters are full of eager-to-bite walleyes during fall nights.
This gives you an excellent chance to catch lots of them!
Effective Techniques for Walleye Fishing
Fishing for walleye in Green Bay involves mastering a variety of techniques. Understand how different rods, reels, lines and lures impact your success rate. Try trolling to cover large swaths of water and locate more fish quickly, but don’t forget about jigging techniques that can be effective when used vertically.
Consider drifting and casting which requires specific retrieves and rigging practices. Lastly, make sure you adjust your approach for night fishing; angling under the stars often takes some additional planning and tactics.
Recommended equipment: Rods, reels, line, lures
You will need the right gear to fish for Walleye in Green Bay.
- Good Rod: Get a strong yet sensitive rod. You can feel even the lightest bite with it.
- Fine Reel: Make sure you are using a reel that fits your hand well and is easy to handle.
- Useful Line: A thin, smooth line works well for Walleye fishing. Such lines do not scuff easily.
- Proper Lures: Swimbaits and crankbaits are great choices for catching Walleye. They look just like real small fishes!
- Strong Jig: A high-quality jig works wonders when you want to catch Walleye.
- Live Bait Rigging: This technique takes some skill, but it’s worth it! You can catch bigger fish with live bait rigs.
Trolling tactics: Covering water to locate fish
Fishing for walleyes requires sharp tactics. Trolling is one method you can use to cover a lot of water. Here are some steps to make trolling effective:
- Pick the right baits. Go for a Berkley flicker minnow or a similar crankbait.
- Set your boat’s speed at 2.5 to 3 miles-per-hour. This speed will let you cover more area.
- Let out your line with the bait attached, until it hits bottom.
- Pull in a little line so the bait is just above the lake floor.
- Drive the boat along, pulling the bait behind.
- Keep your eye on fish finders and other gear that show where fish are hiding.
- Be ready! When a walleye bites, pull hard to set the hook.
Jigging techniques: Vertical jigging methods and lures
Jigging is a top way to catch walleye fish in Green Bay. Here are some tips on how to use vertical jigging methods and lures successfully:
- Use jigs with a jerky, up – down motion. This can trick walleyes better than baits that move side to side.
- Choose jigging spoons for cooler water. They draw lots of attention from the fish.
- Be smart about where you use this technique. Vertical jigging works great in rivers and over deep spots where walleyes like to hide.
- Don’t be afraid to mix things up sometimes! There may be times when holding your bait steady, not jigging it, can catch more fish.
- Hone your skills at using this method correctly by getting your bait down directly below your boat’s position where the walleyes hang out.
- Master vertical jigging so you have full control of where your bait goes and how long it stays there.
Drifting and casting: Retrieves and rigging for drift fishing
Drifting and casting is an effective method to capture walleye in different bodies of water.
- Navigate your boat along with the current for the best drift fishing experience.
- Pinpoint the perfect wind that will take you over the anticipated fishing area while drifting.
- Opt for techniques like casting, pitching, or snap – trolling with gliding jigs such as Rapala Jigging Rap #7 or #9 while fishing for walleye.
- Rig your line with top bait options such as crankbaits and soft plastics, ensuring they work effectively along the bottom during a drift.
- Keep live baits handy too, as they can provide excellent results during a vigorous walleye bite.
- Practice this technique not only on lakes but also rivers and shores to increase your chance of landing a trophy walleye.
- Manage your rigging nimbly to adjust your bait’s depth according to varying conditions.
- Employ short retrieves punctuated by small jerks for maximum effect when casting for walleyes during drift fishing.
Night fishing considerations: Tips for successful night angling
Night fishing is a fun way to catch walleye. First, find a good spot in the day light. It helps you see better when night comes. Keep your gear simple and don’t bring too much stuff.
It can make things messy! Pick the right bait for walleye, like Flicker Minnows or other stick baits that vibrate and reflect light.
Keep quiet while you fish at night; it will not scare the fish away. Try trolling to catch fall walleyes—it works really well! Also, bright lures that shine or shake can get more bites from walleyes at night time.
Tips and Tricks for Successful Walleye Fishing
Master the use of sonar and electronics to locate schools of walleye. Incorporate planer boards into your setup for a broader spread. Select bait options that are enticing to walleyes, and learn proper fish handling techniques.
Bring together all these elements to ensure an enjoyable and rewarding Green Bay walleye fishing experience.
Utilizing sonar and electronics to locate walleye
Sonar and electronics are your friends when fishing for walleye. These tools help you find where the fish are hiding. A fish finder shows you spots that draw in walleye, such as cover and baits.
Try using different screen colors on your fish finder too. This can make it easier to see if a walleye is close to the bottom of Green Bay’s waters. With sonar, finding these sneaky fish becomes an easier task! Keep an open mind while trying out new color pallets.
Using planer boards for increased success
Planer boards are a great tool for catching more walleye in Green Bay. These boards can go to spots your boat can’t reach. They let you fish in more space at once. Plus, they are perfect for trolling more lines without tangling them.
Using spinner rigs and crawlers with planer boards often gets good results here. If you want to catch suspended walleye, planer boards work well too.
Bait options and handling fish
Choosing the right bait can make your walleye fishing trip a success. Here are some options:
- Stick baits, like Rapala pippin raps, catch lots of fish in the spring.
- Crankbaits and soft plastics also work well for walleye in Green Bay.
- Live bait is great too. You can use minnows, nightcrawlers, or leeches.
- Bring many crankbaits with you to Green Bay. There’s a lot of cover and you might lose some to snags.
- Be gentle when taking the hook out of the fish’s mouth.
- Wet your hands before touching a fish to protect its skin.
- Don’t keep a fish out of water for too long – it’s hard for them to breathe!
- If you’re not keeping a fish to eat, set it back into the water gently.
Overall tips for a successful walleye fishing experience
Use good tools to find fish. Good sonar can help you see where the walleye are in the water. If you use a planer board, you can catch more fish. Use live bait like minnows and worms or fake bait that looks real.
Be kind to all fish, even if they are not the right type of fish or big enough to keep. This care keeps Green Bay full of fish for next time!
Conclusion
Green Bay is a great place to fish for walleye. There are many spots where you can go, and different times of the year make fishing better. Good tools and tricks can help your chances too.
So get ready, set up your gear, and have fun on your Green Bay Walleye Fishing trip!
FAQ:
1. What is Green Bay known for in terms of fishing?
Green Bay is well-known for its excellent walleye fishery. Anglers from all over visit Green Bay to experience the thrill of walleye fishing on the bay.
2. Are walleye abundant in Green Bay?
Yes, walleye is one of the most abundant fish species in Green Bay. The bay offers a perfect habitat for walleye, making it a prime location for fishing enthusiasts.
3. What are some popular fishing spots on Green Bay?
Some popular fishing spots for walleye on Green Bay include the Fox River, Bay of Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, and tributaries like the Oconto River. These spots are known for their walleye populations.
4. What techniques are commonly used for walleye fishing on Green Bay?
Anglers often use a variety of techniques for walleye fishing on Green Bay. Jigging, trolling, and using crawler harnesses are popular methods. Some anglers also use crankbaits and plastic baits to lure walleye.
5. Is hiring a fishing guide recommended for walleye fishing on Green Bay?
Yes, hiring a fishing guide service is highly recommended for beginners or anyone looking to enhance their walleye fishing experience. A knowledgeable guide can provide valuable insights and increase your chances of success.
6. When is the best time to fish for walleye in Green Bay?
Spring is the prime season for walleye fishing on Green Bay. The fish are often more active during this time, making it easier to catch them. However, walleye can be found in the bay throughout the year.
7. What are some common baits and lures used for walleye fishing on Green Bay?
Anglers typically use live baits like minnows, crawlers, and leeches when targeting walleye on Green Bay. Jigs and crawler harnesses are also popular choices. Additionally, some anglers prefer using artificial baits such as crankbaits.
8. Are there any other fish species that can be caught on Green Bay?
Yes, besides walleye, anglers on Green Bay can also catch perch, bass, whitefish, and smallmouth bass. These species provide additional variety to your fishing experience.