The author, Bob Vogel with his first 10-pound walleye.
A year ago, in March, I had the pleasure of introducing some of the members of the Michigan Outdoor Hall of Fame to attendees at the Ultimate Outdoor show in Grand Rapids. Two of those hall of famers are Denny Geurink and Mark Martin. Both are also in the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. I overheard them talking about a recent ice fishing adventure and the ten-pound walleye they guided through the ice. When these two are talking about fishing, it is best to listen.
I was embarrassed when I confessed to Mark that I had never landed a ten-pound walleye. Mark is often called the original champion for winning the inaugural national walleye fishing tournament. He normally fishes for walleye in the northern lakes of Michigan. I, on the other hand, fish in southern Michigan on the small inland lakes or on Lake Erie. I complained to Mark that our waters did not have walleye of the size he was used to.
When he said, “Here is what you need to do,” He had my full attention.
Mark’s advice was simple. He said to go out as soon as the ice is safely out, the first or second week of open water. “Fish are in shallow water, and fish with someone who knows the lake and the lake’s structure.” “There are big walleyes in Lake Erie, and first ice out is the best time to catch them.”
A friend of mine had just spent a tough day on the ice searching for walleye. Five hours of effort had resulted in only one fish. He was ready for a change in plans. I shared the advice I received, and my friend reached out to Captain Mark Kornosky—a weekday auto worker who runs Treble Maker Fishing Charters on weekends. Mark is widely recognized for catching big walleye in Lake Erie and muskie in Lake St. Clair.
On a chilly Saturday in late March, we set out from a public launch near Port Clinton, Ohio, at dawn. Despite temperatures in the mid-thirties, the weather was pleasant as we slowly portaged into open water under calm winds and morning sun. The weather on open water was unpredictable, with temperatures shifting by over 10 degrees as clouds and wind changed rapidly.
Once in position, we set up four planer board rigs with various lures, each at a different depth and color. In the first hour, we experimented with depths, speeds, lures, and colors. We decided to start fishing at 12 feet, then move deeper to 30 feet. We tried to stay in slightly cloudy (dirty) water using light colored bandits. We trolled slowly at 1.5 miles per hour or slower. When the first fish was netted, I knew we were in the right spot, with the right set, and with the right guide. It was not a feeding frenzy; we worked hard for the fish. However, for the next four hours, we consistently caught large walleye every 10 to 15 minutes. The four of us caught our limit (6 fish per person) in about 5 hours. The fish averaged over
seven pounds. We netted one ten-pounder, one nine-pound fish, and several 8-pound walleye. The
fish were large, healthy, and hard fighters.
To have a successful fishing trip, know where your target fish are in the lake for that season. Know what bait attracts the bite, and the presentation of that bait. I will be the first to admit that I needed expert help in figuring out that riddle. Mark Martin’s advice, and Mark Kornosky’s knowledge is exactly what I needed to satisfy my dream of catching a ten-pound walleye.
Captain Mark’s tip was, “When you are looking for big fish, you don’t have to go where the other boats and people are; you need to go where the fish are.” His theory, “Think outside the box, experiment, trust your senses and your equipment. If your fish finder tells you there are fish in the area, there are. Do not leave fish to find fish.”
It was a physically tough day of fishing. Mark’s 24-foot Skeeter boat took a pounding from 4-foot waves. Often, the temperature dropped into the mid-twenties. Cold spray from the waves and wind kept hands, feet, and faces cold. Standing to fight and land a fish needed balance and sea legs. Removing the planer board from an incoming line required patience and skill. Netting the large fish was challenging and usually took several tries. However, I would rate it as one of the better days of fishing I have ever had. I was extremely impressed with Mark, the fish we caught, and a day on the water with friends. If you want to catch big, hard-fighting walleye this trip and the formula may work for you. It did for us, and I hope to do it again one day.
