Do you yearn to catch the biggest walleye of your life on your next Northern Ontario fishing vacation, but you're not sure what tactic to employ? Or maybe you'd love to catch a trophy size walleye, but would enjoy targeting other species as well.
Have I got the recipe for success for you.
Go bassin' for walleyes.
It is what I've been doing for years, but for some strange reason that is still stumping me, it is working better than ever this summer.
Honest truth, in eight of the last ten trips out on one of the myriad of waters that dot my Northwestern Ontario Sunset Country neighbourhood, I've caught at least one eight pound or better walleye while bass fishing. On several of the trips, I've hooked half a dozen or more giant 'eyes while casting for bass.
To get in on the fun, about the only thing you need to change is your mind set. By that I mean, if you're fishing for walleyes and enjoying less than stellar big fish success, instead of moving the boat out to ever deeper water, try shifting shallower.

Again, case in point: the two biggest walleyes I've caught over the past couple of weeks - both giants nudging 31-inches in length and 11-pounds in weight - were swimming in water that was so thin I was amazed that I didn't spot their dorsal fins and backs poking through the surface.
It was only ankle deep.
Now, you are probably wondering, why in the world would a species of fish that so many anglers view as being a dweller of mid- to deep water be found so shallow in the heat of the summer?
Well, the answer is always the same - food.
Indeed, the next time you pull your boat onto shore to enjoy lunch on a pine- draped island or take a dip in the lake to cool off, look into the water and I bet you'll spot an abundance of fish food. In some cases you'll see schools of shiners flickering on their silvery sides. In other lakes the predominate forage is young-of-the-year yellow perch. In still others, it is crayfish. In most, it is a variety of all three items.
In other words, a veritable seafood buffet.