The weed warriors

If your favourite walleye lake has weeds growing in it and you’re not fishing in them, the boat has most likely left the marina without you. Why? Most days, in most lakes, fishing in the weeds is your strongest possible pattern. After all, locating fish is 75 per cent of the battle, and with walleye, when you find the weeds you’ll find the fish. Otherwise, you’ve missed the boat. Just ask the pros.

Take Big Jim McLaughlin, for example. He may be better known for his 28 bass tournament victories, including two CFT Canadian Classics, but Big Jim also helped write the book on weed walleye in the 1970s and ’80s. And the gentle giant says the pattern is even better today than it was back then. “If a lake, or a portion of a lake, is shallow enough to support weed growth,” McLaughlin says, “I’ll take the time to find the fish.”

Ditto for tournament pro Frank Pugelj. He’s made a name for himself in southern Ontario’s weed-filled walleye factories, winning three Canada/U.S. Walleye Championships. “I don’t care where I am fishing in the country,” Pugelj says. “As long as I can find the right conditions, I am totally confident I’ll catch walleye in the weeds.”

So, what are the right conditions, and how exactly can you take advantage to catch more walleye? Check out the articles below to find out.