“We still have a great walleye bite right after ice-out through May,” said Retherford. “The guys are pulling body baits in the shallows then and doing really well, and a lot of that happens after dark. But there’s also a daytime fishery in June, July and August that we haven’t had in the past. Most guys are pulling Reef Runners and other diving crankbaits. They’re catching them on meat, too, on harnesses with crawlers or Gulp Shads and crawlers off boards. It’s really a tremendous fishery.”

Retherford said the key to finding summer walleyes in Thunder Bay is to locate sparse weedbeds scattered throughout the bay.

“Weeds are the key,” Retherford stated. “Use your GPS to locate the weeds, and then put out a spread of four to six inline boards and troll.”

Retherford said the walleyes could be scattered throughout the bay from 15 to 40 feet of water. Retherford’s advice was to find a good chart and then do some scouting. Prime locations are near North Point, Sulphur Island and around the reefs located off Scarecrow Island. These areas produce consistent fishing for ’eyes that occasionally top 10 pounds.

Retherford said that a “sleeper” walleye fishery is developing north of Alpena’s Thunder Bay at Rockport.

“There are more walleyes than people think off Middle Island and Presque Island,” confided Retherford. “The walleyes are in 40 to 60 feet of water, so no one is really targeting them.”

To get a firsthand lesson on how to catch Thunder Bay walleyes, contact Capt. Ed Retherford at (989) 356-9361, or visit his Web site at www.troutscoutcharters.com. For details on lodging, amenities and accommodations in the area, contact the Alpena Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-425-7362, or online at ww.alpenacvb.com.

BAYS DE NOC
“The walleye fishing has been good on the Bays de Noc,” offered Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit fisheries supervisor Mike Herman. “But there seems to be this perception that the walleye and perch fishing isn’t as good as it used to be. Our data doesn’t seem to substantiate that. The fishing has remained consistent, and there’s a huge population of walleyes in the bays, especially Little Bay de Noc.”

Tagging studies that have been done in recent years seem to substantiate Herman’s claims.