Zigzagging Search -- Drilling holes in a zigzag pattern is more easily accomplished with two or more anglers. Predetermine the general area you want to search and drill two holes 15 to 30 yards apart. Again, determine hole spacing based on water depth and clarity. When you're ready to try a new hole, for instance, simply move ahead of your buddy in the general direction agreed upon. Then when your fishing companion wants to try a new spot, he moves ahead and to the left or right of you. When one of you catches a walleye, the other should consider moving to the nearest hole or drilling more holes near the hole that produced.
Pinwheel Search -- This search tactic works best with multiple anglers and multiple augers. It works similar to straight-line or zigzag searching patterns, but multiple anglers and augers allow you to work together to spread out and search north, south, east, and west at the same time, eliminating unproductive water faster.
For instance, five anglers split and agree to work a different direction in a straight line or zigzag pattern. Eventually, if the angler who went west starts catching fish, the other anglers can use the hole that produced as the hub of the wheel and continue the search.
SELECT BAITS
Baits that vibrate and flash are favorites on flats and in basins. Flash lures, even bladebaits, may not look like what a walleye would eat. But they create lots of flash and vibration, and they fall somewhat like an injured or dying minnow, things roaming walleyes key on to find food.
Select a bait you can feel vibrate when jigged (or ripped upward) and one that doesn't foul on the fall. Super-action flash lures like the Acme Little Cleo, Blue Fox Tingler, and Bay de Noc Do-Jigger produce lots of vibration and flash. Bladebaits, like Heddon's Sonar or Reef Runner's Cicada primarily create lots of vibration, which seems to attract most fish and trigger active fish, but it also seems to entice neutral or negative fish to strike. If fish are inactive, we've found that aggressive tactics can, at times, trigger more strikes than finesse tactics with livebait. It's the opposite of traditional thinking, but heavy, vibrating lures seems to excite neutral and negative fish
Until recently, swimming lures really weren't a good option for attracting fish on flats or in basins of stained lakes, because their traditional thin profiles and subtle action simply didn't have the attracting power of flash lures or bladebaits. But a few years ago, Nils Master introduced the Jigging Shad, the first larger-profile swimming lure. Due to its size, it's easier for fish to spot from a distance. And being made of lead, the bait is heavy enough to keep the line taut, which makes it easy to stay in contact with the bait, work the bait, and detect strikes. The Jigging Shad and Jigging Shad, Jr. are two of my favorite walleye baits.
The Salmo Chubby Darter (introduced late last season) is currently the largest swimming lure made, yet both big and small fish take the bait. Not only does the bait display a realistic profile, but it also swims with a lifelike action on the upstroke and on the fall. On the upstroke, the tail moves from left to right, which creates vibration (similar to a bladebait) and sends the lure swimming forward. On the fall, the bait settles with a realistic baitfish motion back into place.
This year, Salmo introduces two smaller sizes, Chubby Darter, Jr. and Mini Chubby Darter. Both exhibit similar swimming and vibrating qualities, and the smaller sizes likely will attract more anglers. I've fished the original Chubby Darter for two seasons now. So I know that most fish-big and small, predator and even panfish-aren't afraid to investigate and strike the larger bait.
