I have a really close friend of mine who's like family to me. He’s caught mostly panfish and done a little saltwater fishing but not someone who fishes more than 5-6 times a year. He was invited by an old school friend to fly into a northeastern Ontario lake north of Cochrane - which other than a 2-fish slot limit, is totally catch and release. The lake is a little over 400 acres in size with a rocky bottom and maximum depth of 30-ft. They have 2 small boats available but without electronics. According to what he's been told the primary fish sought are northerns and walleye. He doesn’t care that much about northerns but really wants to catch walleyes. Since they’re flying in they are restricted to what they can carry in which including tackle - so I’m trying to help him come up with a selection of lures that would best cover general walleye fishing in that area the last two weeks of August. They will be accompanied by their spouses - and in my friend's case, his spouse (new) has fished very little - so the objective here will be more numbers and less trophies so to speak. With two boats he won't be always able to depend on his friend for help or guidance.
I told him I would do a little research and put together a little tacklepack to take with him. His friend told him all he needed for both were “medium Mepps and Dare Devil spoons” - while I respect tradition, I think there’s more available such as soft-plastics in bright to subdued crawfish colors on 1/8-1/4 jigheads, which could also be attached to medium “safety-pin” spinnerbait. I assume that traditional inline spinners would also work - so Mepps “French-blade” spinners in size 2 or 3 and Rooster Tails in 1/6-oz to 1/4-oz sizes. Since it will be typical northern stained lake water, I assume that gold blades would be preferred over silver. I’ve got 2”-3” soft plastic grubs in brown-red-orange-yellow and combinations between plus some crawfish plastics in similar but darker shades. I’ve got 2/0-3/0 1/8-1/4 jigheads in various colors including gold. Looking for advice from someone who has walleye experience to advise me. If I’m all wrong in my assumptions, you won’t hurt my feelings telling me so, but if I need to get other items, I need to hurry.
ADDITIONAL NOTE ADDED: Limited to single hook, barbless. No fishfinders as batteries are a weight issue and the small outboard motors are pure manual start no alternator charging. No electricity at camp sites.
Please no judgmental comments just steer me in the right direction as to lures plus any advice that would make his trip more enjoyable given the limited resources available to him.
Thanks much.
Last edited by Offshoreman; 07/27/22.
