08-05-2020, 08:40 PM
(08-05-2020, 06:34 PM)Cowboypirate Wrote: I know that bushy area. It has been perch friendly to me this summer too. No walleye? I know the DWNR planted some sterile ones a while back to help reduce the successful breeding of the illegally introduced ones - wonder how that is working?.The good thing about this time of year on Echo is that the baby perch use the sparse flooded brush as shelter...and that concentrates them. That, in turn, concentrates the bigger perch and other predators near the groceries...the young perch. But as soon as the water level drops below the remaining brush the young perch disperse or go deeper to escape the predators and the predators spread out throughout the lake. Right now you can have some fast catching. In a month...not so much. And under the ice you usually have to drill a lot of holes while searching for perch.
As I was vertical jigging for those perch, I was wondering if that might be a known venue for you. Easy access off the highway and plenty of good fishing within a few feet of the cobble shoreline. Some of my better fish came within 20 feet or so of the bank. But that won't last much longer, with the water levels falling fast during the warm part of summer.
Walleyes. No info on the overall affect of the sterile walleye plantings on the population or spawning of resident non-sterile walleyes. But there are walleyes in the lake and anglers in the right place at the right time DO catch them. There are a few Echo walleye specialists that have them figured. Heard a reliable report of a 12 pounder that came on a big crank bait fished close to the bank after dark last year. Also have a reliable report of some GOBs (good ol' boys) catching the heck out of 20 inch walleyes while soaking worms off the bank for trout or perch...during the May post spawn period.
On this trip I made some cruises out over deeper water and watched the sonar for "evidence". I found two areas in 30 feet of water with multiple suspicious looking marks right off the bottom. But...as is typical of walleyes...they did not vote for any of the silly stuff I presented to them. Probably full of small perch snarfed up during the full moon of the night before.
If inquiring minds wanna know, I will make some indiscreet inquiries to see if there are any "official" findings on the walleyes in that pond.