Walleyes easier to catch in evening
Walleyes don't slam the bait. The angler will feel a slight tick on the line.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
STOCKTON, Mo. -- Les Jarman was down to his last hour of daylight to fish.
But he wasn't complaining. As he watched the sun start to sink, he knew that prime time was fast approaching.
When you fish for walleyes at Stockton Lake, the last hour is often the best hour.
"This is when you want to be out here fishing for walleyes at this time of the year," Jarman said as he cast a stickbait to a rocky bank. "A lot of times, you're wasting your time out here in the middle of the day.
"The fish just suspend over this deep water, and they can be tough to catch. But the last hour or two of the day, they move shallow on these rocky banks.
"This is that enchanting hour everyone always talks about."
Jarman laughed, then made a long cast with his Rogue. He jerked the bait several times, causing it to dart erratically through the clear water. When he paused and allowed the bait to suspend for a few seconds, he felt a slight tick at the end of his line.
When he pulled back, he felt the heavy weight of a walleye.
"That fish just barely touched it," he said as he fought the walleye. "But that's how they'll hit.
"Some people miss them because they're expecting the walleyes to slam it. They don't do that.
"Most times, you barely know they're there. But they'll fight once you hook them."
The walleye stripped out line, digging for deep water. But it wasn't long before Jarman was guiding his catch into a landing net held by his fishing partner, Ken White.
Admiring the golden fish attached to his lure, Jarman said, "That walleye will go close to 4 pounds. Good fish. But there are bigger ones out there."
Early birds
Jarman, a longtime guide, has proved it. Every year, he is out on Stockton long before most fishermen even get their tackle out of storage, casting for the early birds of the fish world.
When the walleyes start to think about spawning, Jarman starts to think about fishing.
The toothy gamefish often start by staging along steep, rocky banks, feeding up before they head in to spawn. That's where Jarman often casts his stickbaits, hoping to catch a trophy. And few years go by when he isn't successful.
Looking for some proof? Visit the Buck 'n' Bass shop in Stockton, where a mount of a 10-pound, 4-ounce walleye Jarman caught six years ago is on display.
Or take a look at pictures of some of the trophies Jarman and his customers have taken over the years, including the 8- and 7-pound fish Jarman has already landed this year.
He caught his latest big ones in early March, when the fish were in a pre-spawn mode.
By now, the spawn has started. But that doesn't mean big walleyes can't be caught.
"Once the fish are spawning, the big females get tough to catch," said Jarman, 54, who runs Specialized Guide Service for Stockton Lake. "They're not feeding; they have other things on their mind.
"But they don't all spawn at the same time. Some of the walleyes are still in that pre-spawn phase while others are in spawning.
"I catch most of my big fish in February and March. But I've taken big walleyes in April, too."
Reliable pattern
Jarman follows a reliable pattern to catch those fish. He concentrates on rocky banks with a 45-degree pitch that are close to deep water. Then he positions his boat a long cast from shore, so that he won't spook the fish.
He casts a suspending stickbait, a lure more often associated with bass than walleyes. He catches trophy bass in the same areas. In fact, he already has landed six largemouths weighing more than 6 pounds this year, including one that weighed 81/2 pounds.
But the bait also is a killer for walleyes.
"That start and stop action -- and the way you can suspend it in front of them -- is what gets them," Jarman said.
"It's ideal when the water is 40 to 45 degrees. The fish are sluggish and they're not going to really chase anything. But if you pause it in front of them, they'll hit."
Jarman was reminded of how effective the lure can be Tuesday. Not only did he catch the 4-pound walleye, he landed two other keepers.
And he and his two partners -- White and I -- also reeled in 15 largemouths and seven white bass on stickbaits, spinnerWhen searching for walleyes, Jarman often concentrates on the rocky banks and points near the dam. But he finds success almost lakewide at Stockton, providing he can find the 45-degree banks near deep water.
baits and grubs.
"We'll catch a lot of walleyes later in the spring, after they've recovered from the spawn, and even in summer," Jarman said.
"But this is the time of the year when you have your best chance of catching a big one."