Drifting along Oak Lake, adjacent to a rock-faced wall my
wife Ginny noticed a pictograph from some ancient aboriginal
tribesman. The pictograph was telling a story about fishing
or hunting on Oak Lake in Ontario. Oak Lake Lodge is nestled
into the hillside along the western edge of Oak Lake. It is
owned and run by John and May Naimian. The name might be a
little deceiving because it is on the English river and it
is more of a river system than it is a lake. Armed with this
knowledge Ginny and I decided to approach fishing on this
lake like we would a river. Lake walleyes often suspend, and
they are very inclined to concentrate at certain depths. It’s
different on the river. River walleyes are bottom fish. Always
make sure your bait is tight to the bottom. If you aren’t
losing baits, you are fishing too high. The speed of the current
is one of the major elements of the river walleye’s world.
They want some current, but not too much. They don’t pay as
much attention to light presentation, seemingly, as lake fish,
and will hold in one foot of water at times if the current
is right. Walleyes live in a variety of aquatic environments,
although they are usually found near rocky points, in places
where the lake bottom changes from mud to gravel, along weedlines,
near reefs and in areas with current. The trick is learning
where walleyes are likely to be located throughout the year
and to focus your fishing efforts in those places. Walleye
fishing success is determined by water clarity and temperature.
The clearer the water, the tougher the bite, although clear
lakes often have the largest walleyes. The best times to fish
in clear lakes are dawn, dusk and at night. In stained water,
walleyes will bite throughout the day. In northern rivers
and lakes where food is limited and the growing season is
short, walleyes will aggressively follow lures to the boat
even on sunny days. By summer, walleyes start moving to deeper
structure from five to 30 feet depending on water clarity,
sunlight, wind and wave action. Try the edge of dropoffs along
long points. If the waves are up, look for feeding fish on
top of the structure. Mid-lake humps, sunken islands, cabbage
weeds and mud flats all hold summer walleyes. In the evening,
you may find feeding fish in shoreline shallows. Many types
of artificial lures work for walleyes, but most fish are caught
on live bait. Most anglers prefer to use minnows in the spring
and again in the fall. Leeches and nightcrawlers are used
during summer months, and will catch fish throughout the season.
Remember, big baits often equal big fish. If you are looking
for a trophy use the largest minnows, leeches, or nightcrawlers
you can find.
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When fishing with live bait it's tough to beat a Lindy
Rig. Keep your bail open and a finger on the line as you
slowly troll. When you feel a pick-up, drop the line.
The slip sinker rig allows the fish to take the bait without
feeling any weight. You can vary the size of your sinker
and hook, and change the length of the leader to match
conditions. Use a floating jig to lift your bait off the
bottom. Since walleyes are usually found on or near the
bottom, lead-headed jigs tipped with bait are consistently
effective, especially when the water is cold. As the water
warms and walleyes become more aggressive, twister tails
and grubs can be used without bait. Carry a selection
of 1/4 and 1/16 ounce jig heads painted in fluorescent
colors, black and white. Yellow, green, white and black
twisters and grub bodies will cover most situations. Stock
a few crankbaits in your tacklebox, too. Deep-diving,
sinking and floating minnow cranks are all effective.
In the spring, trolling #5 perch Shad Rap along sandy
bays is a great way to locate fish. |
During the summer try casting near inlets and other walleye
structure at dusk with large, floating crankbaits. Don't be
surprised if you tie into a trophy. As you can see from the
pictures this lake had walleyes that were of different colors.
The walleyes on the western end were lighter than the ones
on the eastern end where the water was darker (stained). Needless
to say every picture tells a story and there are a lot of
stories coming out of Oak Lake. For more information about
fishing Oak Lake contact John on his website at www.oaklakelodge.com.
Or contact him at the toll free number 1-800-248-4666 or direct
at 1-807-768-4086. The Winter address for Oak Lake is: Oak
Lake Lodge, PO Box 23104, County Fair Postal Outlet, Thunder
Bay, ON P781KO, Canada
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