They say 90 per cent of the fish occupy 10 per cent of the water. So when walleye anglers are confronted with a large water body, the hunt for fish holding water can be intimidating. Anglers can shorten the odds by keeping in mind that walleye love hanging out around structure.
Walleye, like this Battle Lake, Alberta beauty love hanging out around underwater structure
While word of mouth and experience is one way to go about finding fish, for the angler arriving at a lake for the first time, a little pre-planning is a good thing. Lake profile maps are an invaluable tool. Pay particular attention to concentrated conture lines indicating a steep drop off. Also pay attention to mid-lake humps and bumps and target fish on the edges of this structure. Finding these variances in depth is best achieved with a boat-mounted sonar which not only displays the changes in depth but also bottom clutter indicating weed growth. Avoid these areas because walleye appear to prefer sandy, vegetation-free bottoms. It’s the 10 per cent solution to 90 per cent of walleye anglers' problems.