Fishing the Slave Lake area

[nabors-roughie]

Hey everyone, well once again fishing season is in full swing and I hopelessly try to catch walleye. I've lived in Slave Lake almost a year now and am still trying to figure out how to catch these Walleye. The only way I seem to be able to catch them is with a pickerrel rig and leaches. Don't get me wrong at least I'm catching a few here and there, but, sitting in the boat or river bank for hours just waiting is a little boring to me. Any advice on good spinners or types/colors of jigs would be great. I don't mind the hours I put in on the lake or river but I enjoy the casting/retrieving aspect rather than sitting.

Also what is a good starting depth to try to locate these fish? I was told 30+ feet is way too deep. I know it has to do with conditions but general guidelines would be great. For example 15 degree overcast day should I start about 15 feet of water or is that too deep? Not deep enough? 28 degree day start around 30 feet depth? I know I'll ask 100 people and get 100 different answers but any advice is better than none.

Hopefully someone can steer me in the right direction. If I at least get some advice on lures/spinners then I could figure the rest out.

[fishing101]

When it comes to walleye always start on a winding shoreline. The wind is usually harder to fish, but the walleye love the wind. Also, gold colour spinners work well and orange. Anything that is bright and they can see. Once you catch one toss out a bouy marker and just keep circling that area for a bit. Another place to look is open water humps. If your driving in the boat and all of a sudden your in 30 feet or what and it comes up to like 10 feet there should be walleyes all over that. Try drifting it and trolling around the outside. I forgot to mention the deep you should be fishing start when you can't see bottom. If the water is dirty start in like 8 feet and move out deeper. One other thing if you fish a spot for like 15 - 20 min without a bite move and try another spot. The walleye will be aggressive some other place don't want around because they can move from day to day.

[Red Sky Shane]

Since Slave is so big, go where the other boats are. At least until you get used to the fishy habits and figure out water depth.

Minnows on jigs with bright heads usually work just off the bottom, but everyone will tell you something different.

You'll find with time that Slave Lake has an unpredictable bottom with sand dunes and shelves along the bottom. You'll be nailing fish at 15 feet, slowly drift a hundred yards away, not notice, and be wasting your time in 45 feet. Watch the depth finder, but don't get too frustrated.

As the 'pros' at the tourney this weekend can attest, it's not easy to catch big ones, but if you want some tasties that'll fit in your pan and your mouth just keep trying.

All the campers at my campsite without boats get sent to the weir. We had an old couple from the deep south up last week, and they caught a ton of 40-48 cm fish in the river, but no huge sows.

Good luck fella.

[bearbait]

green double tailed jig and a minnow sit on a ledge in 12 feet of water and bounce it off bottom..they love that bottom disterbance..works for me...pink was on fire this spring up there..also look at creek mouths...faust has some great shore fishing off the dock with 5 #ers a norm..

good luck
rob