Shallow flats fall into several categories: bays, main lake sloping shorelines, main lake shallow flats without much cover, main lake flats with cover, and featureless flats with nothing to concentrate fish. In general, an angler fishing a drop-off looks for relatively distinct physical changes, whereas someone fishing flats often searches for subtleties that may not be readily apparent on a depthfinder or to the naked eye.

Common Spring Conditions When Walleyes Use Flats:

• When smelt, shiners, perch, or shad move into back bays or onto shoreline flats to spawn.

• In clear lakes and reservoirs where walleyes move shallow at night.

• In lakes with significant weed- or woodcover on the flats.

• In farm country lakes or reservoirs, stained water flowages, prairie lakes with dingy water, and large, windswept, shallow habitats where walleyes live a shallow-water lifestyle.