Wind Driven Walleye (on Lady Evelyn Lake)
Having a good “walleye chop” is a term commonly used by anglers to describe the windy conditions which allow walleye to feed more actively. After spending countless hours on the water over my last three seasons guiding on Lady Evelyn Lake, I'd agree that wind direction is one of the most important factors in locating and catching walleye.
The importance of wind direction in locating walleye all starts down at the bottom of the food web. Phytoplankton and Zooplankton are driven by wind created currents in the water into the windward areas of the lake. They are often followed by other aquatic invertebrates and baitfish looking to feed. Once schools of baitfish start gathering walleye will not be far behind. These schools of baitfish often appear on fish finders as a large round mark suspended in the water column, finding these “bait balls” can be just as important as marking walleye themselves.
Good locations to find walleye are the windward sides of islands, main lake points, humps, rock piles, weed beds and drop offs. Taking the time to chart these areas with your sonar is extremely important in locating what depths walleye are feeding in. Typically, you can expect to find fish shallower in the spring, targeting depths of 10-15 feet. By summer most walleye will move slightly deeper to the 20-30 foot range, and even as deep as 40 plus feet by September. Many of the main lake structures on Lady Evelyn Lake will produce fish all year long but it is important to adjust the depth you fish based on seasonal patterns.
Fishing in the wind is not always easy, with boat control being the most important factor. Trolling motors equipped with spot lock or anchor mode features can make it easier to stay on a spot in the wind, if you’re in a boat without one the best strategy is to back troll. Back trolling is done by positioning the stern of the boat into the wind, and then using the motor to hold your position by shifting into reverse at low idle. I’ve had many days where one hand is constantly on the tiller arm back trolling, and the other constantly grabbing the net!
A strong north wind can often be associated with cold front conditions. The best thing to do in a cold front is slow down your presentation, live bait can also be key on these days.
The best days of walleye fishing I’ve experienced have been after a sustained wind direction has been established for multiple days. This can position large numbers of fish in predictable areas. Use the weather forecast to your advantage when planning a trip to predict where the fish will be feeding based on wind direction. Even on flat calm days with little to no wind, it can be helpful to find out which direction the wind was last blowing as structures in these areas may still be holding fish.
Keep these ideas in mind on your next trip to Lady Evelyn Lake and spend less time looking for fish and more time putting walleye in the boat.
Evan Burrows
We are proud that Evan has been our guide at Garden Island for the past few years. He has become quite an expert at catching fish here on Lady Evelyn and his quality fishing tips in articles like this are greatly appreciated. Next trip to Garden Island, let Evan take you out fishing for a day and enjoy some awesome catches!