Houghton Lake Walleye Opener

The 2007 Houghton Lake Walleye Opener was unlike the past years of sorting pike and walleye. We fished two and a half days and didn't put one walleye in the boat.

Over the weekend we fished the north side in 8FOW with 55F water temps the south side along the Elks club in 7FOW with 51F water temps the East Bay and other random spots we have marked on our GPS and only produced pike and bass.

Depending on weather condition early in the year we use a few different methods for catching walleye on Houghton Lake.

• Jig heads with leeches and half of a Berkly Gulp body. (Used around structure areas)
• Jig heads with only Berkly Gulp. (Used around structure areas)
• Trolling with 3" Bomber on North Shore 6 - 7 FOW. 1.8mph 70- foot back 8 lb test.
• Dragging Storm Deep Storm ThunderStick 20 - 30 foot of the side. (Used when drift is .7 to 1.3 mph)
• Trolling North Shore off the edges of the old river bed. Use a variety of body baits, but Rapala Tail Dancers are the best.
• Slip bobber with leeches or minnows and then casting crank baits when fish are located.
  

After visiting and revisiting many of my favorite fishing locations and only landing pike I started using my Aqua View camera to locate new fishing areas. During my observation times I only viewed two small walleye which made me rethink my fishing plan for my next trip. Along with our bad luck the other two boats in our fishing group did not catch a single walleye either.

I love fishing Houghton Lake and it's by far my favorite lake to fish walleyes on in central Michigan. I'll be back on Houghton Lake Tuesday after work and will report back.