Wading Long Lake

[fishenrg]

The wind was too crazy on opening day for much fishing around Traverse City. Luckily I got to go out wading Long Lake yesterday and hooked into a couple of decent walleye. Great way to start the season.

My thanks to the nice gentleman who was a fellow wader last evening. He pointed out some good areas to cast to and showed me a good lure to use.

Jeers to the two dudes in the boat who decided to set up shop right where we were trying to fish. Unless we both had invisible waders on I don't think it was to hard to figure out you were parked where we were trying to fish. Its only the largest lake in Grand Traverse county and you had to be right there? Even if you could make the argument that the north shore was the best place, there is many miles of north shore. Some consideration should have been in order.

[Wardo]

Just out of curiosity, where did you go in at? I don't have a boat and I was planning on doing some wading on Thursday. I figured they would still be in shallow.

[fishenrg]

Hi Wardo. I went to that public beach on the north end of the lake. Just across the street from the Long Lake Grocery. They are still pretty shallow from what I could tell. I had good luck wading out as far as I could, you can see the drop-off to deeper water, then casting out along that drop-off. I don't have a boat either, that's why I was bummed that the people with the boat thought they had to be *right* there.

[whitee22]

Yeah, they must still be in shallow, because we didn't find them anywhere else in the lake haha. I was out yesterday in my friend's boat and we were fishing anywhere from 10-30 fow, drifting with lindy rigs with minnows and leeches. Had a few strikes, but no hook ups....might try to get out wading later this week. Were you using live bait?

[fishenrg]

Yeah, they must still be in shallow, because we didn't find them anywhere else in the lake haha. I was out yesterday in my friend's boat and we were fishing anywhere from 10-30 fow, drifting with lindy rigs with minnows and leeches. Had a few strikes, but no hook ups....might try to get out wading later this week. Were you using live bait?

I had a pyramid sinker rig with a leech out, but had no activity on that at all. Me and the guy next to me both caught ours casting relatively shallow running crankbaits. I was using an orange (crayfish) colored rap...one of those new minnow raps? The guy next to me didn't even remember the name of his lure...it kind of looked like a small reef runner (long, skinny banana shape) with a big circle lip on it.

[Wardo]

Allright, thanks for the tips. I'm planning on being out there Thursday afternoon if I get a turkey thursday morning. Hopefully there will be a few fish around!

[fishenrg]

Allright, thanks for the tips. I'm planning on being out there Thursday afternoon if I get a turkey thursday morning. Hopefully there will be a few fish around!

Good luck with the turkey and the fish! I won't be there thursday, but I plan on a little bit on Wednesday evening. That lake is so clear that I find it very difficult to catch a walleye until the sun starts going down.

[sfw1960]

Don't forget your X-Raps!
;)

[whitee22]

Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated. Maybe I'll see you out there one of these evenings. Good luck!