Underexploited Fly Rod Fodder

I've grown a deep appreciation for walleye over the years, an appreciation for their habits and their looks, more so than their taste. When anglers talk about walleye they're most inclined to talk about how good they taste. Their fight is mostly tossed aside, and that is forgivable given the most common techniques used to catch bigger walleye. And on the whole I find fisherman tend to undervalue a lot of the other aspects of walleyes that endear them to me. I think a significant part of the reason walleye got under my skin, here, in CT, a place without the sort of "walleye culture" that exists in paces like Lake Erie or parts of Ontario and Manitoba, is the tool I use to catch them. See, I don't particularly care to catch a walleye trolling, or even on a spinning rod and jerk bait or jig, or even through the ice for that matter. That's all fine and dandy but it isn't for me. I like to fish for walleye, and every other species of fish, with a fly rod.

And, not to toot my own horn, but I've gotten pretty good at it.

Spring is the time I most look forward to for seeking out trophy walleye. They venture shallow and big egg laden females become targetable. There are still a lot of secrets you will have to wait for me to reveal as far as these fish go, because locally I seem to be the only one dialed into the fly tackle stillwater walleye game. Connecticut may not have a great walleye fishery compared to the midwest, but what we have is pretty decent and under-exploited, especially by fly rodders. I may only catch a few trout over 20 inches a year and I fish for trout a bit more than walleye. But when the conditions are right I can reasonably expect to go out and catch at least one walleye like this: 

You can say all you want that walleye don't fight worth a damn but until you've pulled on one of that size with a 5wt, your argument is invalid. They pull pretty hard in shallow water and on the right tackle. And, frankly, even if they didn't I'd still be out there after them because they are impressive looking creatures with a beautiful color pattern un-matched by other species in the area. Nothing else looks like a walleye here. We don't have sauger or zander, but I can't wait to catch those close relatives of the walleye too. 

Of course, one of the bonuses of my springtime walleye fishing is the excess of bycatch. This big crappie is one of a number I caught this season while fishing for big walleye.

Now crappies... honestly they don't do much on the end of a line. They really aren't hard fighting fish. But when my little woolly bugger gets inhaled by a big 'eye, well, I know what I've got. 

With the early season winding down substantially my opportunities to catch really big walleye will become isolated to certain weather windows. I'd like to break the 30 inch mark and have seen fish well over it already this spring. I'm hopeful though not confident that I've still got a shot. 

Until next time,

Fish for the love of fish.

Fish for the love of places fish live.

Fish for you.

And stay safe and healthy.

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