How to ? Fish for walleye and sauger ?

[fishboy1]

Want to start walleye/sauger fishing once deer season closes.
Probably be old hickory and maybe Center Hill if I can find a ramp.

I have seen boats jigging minnows in the deep holes during the cold part of the year. (Dec/jan)

Not looking for anyones honey hole but want to start learning the process you go through to locate them during the colder months.

Trolling?
Drift with jig and minnow?
Drop offs?
Points and bars?
Creeks?

Where do they congregate at different times of year and why?

Thanks for any tips.

 

[ShaneHallum]

Come to Rock Island state park, and fish the Blue Hole. You can walk down the trail to the water. I use yellow grub worms with jig heads for walleye.

 

[GRAMPS]

I don't fish those lakes, but I think you could use the same methods I use on Cherokee lake in East Tn. In early spring, I fish for them in the Holston River that feeds into Cherokee as they make their spawning run. I cast jig and minnows, minnow lures such as Rapalas, and Roostertails.

In the summer, I jig off rocky points at night with spoons. I have also caught a lot at night on spinnerbaits while fishing for smallmouths. A lot of fellows fish for them differently on lakes like Watuaga and South Holson at night. You might contact Fence Post for his methods.

In the fall, I find them schooled up in creek mouths chasing shad along with white bass. We catch them then on Roostertails.

I don't fish for them in the winter.

Hope this helps.

 

[stik]

1 oz.(or bigger depending on current) jigs tipped with a minnow jigged over sandbars. a trailer hook is recommended.

 

[fishboy1]

Thanks guys!

So correct me if I got this wrong.

Cold water (Jan-march or april) Up creeks and rivers that feed the larger bodies of water. Look for deeper water and gravel.

Warmer water (march-summer) Main body, drop offs, gravel bars, flats.

Warm water (hot summer months) Deep water holes, gravel bars and points leading to deep water.

Fall (transition time) Points and bars near creeks and rivers. River and creek mouth areas.

 

[turkeyhunter64]

sounds about right.

 

[jeff]

Here's a great site with lots of saugers info,it covers all of tennessee lakes,with up to date fishing reports.

http://saugercentral.freeforums.org/

 

[fishboy1]

Here's a great site with lots of saugers info,it covers all of tennessee lakes,with up to date fishing reports.

http://saugercentral.freeforums.org/

Latest post was in October.

 

[eyeseeker]

I fish below Old Hickory all winter...I could put you on some fish ! The best fishing is actually after everyone stops sauger fishing in March....start fishing further down the river. April and May are the only months we can consistantly limit on walleye and sauger in the same day.

 

[fishboy1]

So it looks like I need to learn how to fish below the dams ?

How close to the boils do you need to get? I have been through all kinds of nasty on the ocean but for some reason, fishing below a dam gives me the heebie Jeebies.

 

[Living2Hunt]

So it looks like I need to learn how to fish below the dams ?

How close to the boils do you need to get? I have been through all kinds of nasty on the ocean but for some reason, fishing below a dam gives me the heebie Jeebies.

see my forum on oh dam. we do this every year

 

[bowhunterfanatic]

Check the site again fishboy. It's confusing to navigate, but the newest post was today. Quite a few recent reports have been posted on the site.