Pymatuning Summertime Walleyes

PYMATUNING’S SUMMERTIME WALLEYES

By Jeff Knapp

Pymatuning Lake has been under the close scrutiny of walleye anglers the past couple of years. Marginal returns from springtime fry stockings of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has equated into lower overall walleye numbers, particularly of smaller fish. Larger walleyes, however, are in good supply, though they tend to be more difficult to catch than smaller, more competitive walleyes.

Last summer Pymatuning’s walleye fishing was excellent. I caught good-sized walleyes on every trip. So far this year, the story has been pretty much the same. Not big numbers of walleyes, but quality-sized fish up to 26 inches. Though a portion of the walleye population will be using the weed-covered shallows, a good number of fish will be found in the deeper main-lake basins, feeding on the abundant forage found there. Precise trolling tactics are one of the best ways of duping these fish.

Trolling has long been recognized as one of the best ways of both finding and triggering fish. You can cover water quickly and efficiently as well as present lures in zones where it is difficult or impossible through casting. Weighting systems, many of which have been developed or refined through walleye tournaments like the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail, have made the tactic even more effective. Locally, Lenny Szuba has been a force in popularizing modern trolling tactics on Pymatuning Lake. Szuba runs the Duck and Drake, a bait shop/general store located along the western side of the lake near the Birch landing. “Leadcore Lenny” is one of the best sources of fishing information on the lake.

Two weighted trolling systems are leadcore line and inline snap-on weights. Ted Takasaki, a veteran tournament angler from Brainerd, Minn., employs both of these systems in his fishing.

“I use leadcore primarily when the water is colder, or the fish are in a negative or neutral mood,” said Takasaki, who is also the President of Lindy-Little Joe Tackle, a company that specializes in tackle geared for walleye fishing.

Leadcore line, as the name implies, features nylon braided over a lead inner core. It is color coded (changes colors every 10 yards) to assist the angler in knowing how much line has been let out. The line becomes a sinker, allowing lures to be run at depths not possible with conventional un-weighted monofilament or superbraid lines.

Another innovative weighting option Takasaki uses is that of inline snap-on weight. Utilizing a release clip similar to ones used to affix planer boards, snap-on weights come in sizes ranging from under an ounce to up to six ounces. 1 _ to 3-ounce models are most commonly used. After the lure or bait is let out 50 feet or so, the weight is snapped on to the line. More line is then played out until the depth you want to fish is achieved. Off Shore Tackle has been a leader in the development of inline sinker components.

Both snap-on weights and leadcore line can be used to fish on or near bottom, or for walleyes suspended in the water column. Variables such as the length of line out, lure design, boat speed and weight size will determine the depth at which a lure will run. Crankbaits are commonly used in conjunction with these weighting systems. Many anglers also used spinner harnesses with snap-on weights for suspended walleyes.

Snap-on weights come into play more in Takasaki’s gameplan during the summer months, when the water is warm and the walleyes are active.

“The single point weight of the snap-on sinker tend to give the lure more action, which tends to be a good thing when the fish are active,” said Takasaki. He explained that due to the “single point of weight” of snap-on sinkers they respond quicker to changes in boat movement and speed. The reaction of the weight is passed on to the lure behind, giving it more action. This can be a strong trigger when the fish are feeding. Leadcore, since it is spread out over some distance, commonly 100 feet or more, is much slower to react. This translates into more stability for the lure, which is a plus in colder water or when the fish are in a funk.

A variety of hard lures are used in conjunction with leadcore and snap-on weights. Subtle action lures include stickbaits like the Rapala Original Minnow and Husky Jerk. Rapala Shad Raps and Cotton Cordell Wally Divers fall into the category of medium action baits, whereas Hot-N-Tots and Wiggle Warts are high action lures, putting out lots of movement. Higher action lures tend to be the order this time of year, thought with walleyes, it always pays to experiment.

Rod and linecounter reel combinations are ideal for presenting trolled baits via weighting systems. They allow for methodical experimentation, as well as the ability to precisely duplicate the set-up when success is realized. Set rods in quality rod holders, which the drag set loose enough to slip when a bite occurs. Setting the reel’s clicker to the on position allows it to indicate a “fish on.” Though not a necessary, the speed feature provided by a Global Positioning Unit gives dead-on readings, upping the accuracy of your trolling efforts.

Many Pymatuning anglers are having trouble catching walleyes using tactics that worked on smaller fish, partly because presently the large numbers of smaller fish are no longer there. Employing these trolling tactics could up your catches on the lake in the coming weeks.