balsam lake first try

[salmonslayer]

never fished balsam lake before so went out with friend on sunday started at 8 started by grand island on daniels point side trolled harness along 13-15 foot edge got a few perch and 1 small mouth then tried around corner of longpoint hit another smallie and perch switched to beetle spin went over to greeny side of grand island and hit 3 smallies along shore lost a nice one. was hoping for some walleye for supper but not to be, i thaught sturgeon was bad for boat traffic but balsam was like washing machine. just hope next saturday is nice day to try again a few different spots and looking forward to possibly bring home a friend or 2 for supper its really different than fishing sturgeon or rice lake. not alot of action but better to be on the water than on the couch watching tv any pointers appreciated for this place. i hope to have a report next weekend of good things

[crappeeeman]

Saw your post on the last time you were on sturgeon. Balsam and sturgeon are my two favourite lakes. I will send you a PM maybe give you a little help with balsam. Not my very best spots mind you, but an area where you can expect to get a walleye or two. I hope anyway. I will look pretty stupid if you don't get one. But you should if they are hungry.

[flexkk]

I have been getting a few with worm harness 10 to 12 feet. Locating cabbage weeds seems to be the best . Use a split shot above top bead cast out and retrieve slow over the weeds. West wind and overcast are best of coarse.

[salmonslayer]

thanks for the reply if you need any help with sturgeon or rice just give a shout hoping to give your advise a try

[Woodfarmer]

During the day jig a black twister right on the edge of the weed beds. I like to troll the edge of the beds with a Rapala or smithwick rogue. Trolling at night was always my most successful.

[Woodfarmer]

SS, do you have some suggestions for Sturgeon?

[salmonslayer]

For this weather right now mostly worm harness early morn try to keep speed below 1mph after about an hour or two then I switch for bass at this time of year if I can remember will send you pic of harness hard to find but has worked great all year so far

[Jerkbaiter]

I don't usually fish mornings on Sturgeon (or anywhere else for that matter), so my best times for walters there were midday (12-2 pm) and then late afternoon (6-8 pm). Lots depends on the weather and wind. Noons are very hot now so I usually go after 3 pm if it's too hot .

The fish is very active now and variety of baits will take them if you know where they are. I also use worm harness /spinner rig (casting), deeper diving cranks and also shallow jerks (for late day shallow weeds). For weed walleye I normally pitch/snap jig short plastic worms 4", plastic leeches and also 4-5" paddletails (like swammer or keitech swing impact or similar ones)

Good luck!

[fishermarky]

I own a cottage on Balsam, definitly evening bite is better for walleye. pm me for more info