The heat of summer can be a tricky time for anglers to catch walleyes, especially those in small, shallow lakes. However, Mark Martin says you can catch them this time of year, and lots of them, if you just look in the right places.

The highs and lows

A walleye has the highest temperature tolerance range of most any fish. They can survive in water temperatures so cold that it freezes, to temperatures tickling the 100-degree mark. But, they are also one of the first species to succumb to a sudden drop in oxygen levels.

And, where you’ll often find fish this time of year in small lakes and reservoirs can depend on where in the water column you find the most oxygenated water.

I can see it!

Did you know that you can see low oxygen levels on a high-quality sonar? I have the sensitivity on my Lowrance sonars set higher than most anglers. I not only want to see fish, but baitfish, plumes of phytoplankton and zooplankton and even water density.

Why the latter?

Water with little to no oxygen is very dense; so much so that you can see it on the screen. Ever go over a deep hole in a small lake—say, 35 feet—and notice the bottom 5 to 10 feet show up very cloudy on your sonar? Well, this is very dense water, with a lot of silt and other debris wafting about, and more than likely has little to no oxygen in it.

Fish will not be bellied up to bottom in these areas. They may, however, suspend directly above the dense water, or can be found amongst the oxygen-giving weeds in shallower water.

Cover me; my lure’s going in!

Covering as much water as possible to locate fish is crucial this time of year. One of the best ways to do this is by trolling.

In small bodies of water, I like to troll with shallow-diving crankbaits, as well with ‘crawler harnesses.

Some of my all-time go-to lures when trolling in small lakes are in the Rapala Scatter Rap family. Scatter Raps have a unique bill that not only have the lure running with the perfect Rapala rhythm, but also adds a sudden shudder to the left or right, enticing more strikes over a bait running at a constant waggle.

If the lake I’m fishing has a defined weed edge, I’ll concentrate pulling Scatter Raps along the outside edges. In water 10 feet and under, I’ll use the Scatter Rap Minnow, Scatter Rap Jointed and Scatter Rap Shad (regular or Glass). If the water’s depth is in the low teens, I’ll use the Scatter Rap Husky Jerk and Scatter Rap Tail Dancer. And 10-pound-test Berkley Trilene XT monofilament is perfect for pulling crankbaits of any kind, with the lure attached to it via a Berkley Snap.

Another must-try for me is a Northland Rainbow Spinner Harness, with size 3 blade. I’ll either use a whole, live nightcrawler on this rig, or a Berkley GULP nightcrawler—the latter is best if pesky panfish are poking at your live ‘crawler and stealing it.

A ‘crawler harness is a great choice in very weedy lakes, as you can get the bait running just over the weed tops without snagging up. A small split-shot pinched on about three feet ahead of the hooks will not only keep the harness running just under the surface, but will catch any weeds your line may get pulled through, keeping the rig spinning free. Again, 10-pound-test monofilament is a good choice for trolling harnesses, but this time I’ll use a Berkley ball-bearing snap swivel to connect the harness to the main line.

And no matter where I’m trolling, I almost always use in-line planer boards to get my lures out from the boat’s path, with Church Tackle’s TX-12 a great device for smaller baits. But, even smaller planer boards have a lot of water resistance to them; thus, I recommend using rod holders instead of holding rods in your hand. A Cisco Single Adjustable Short Cradle Rod Holder is all it takes to keep rods in place, causing less fatigue on the arms.

Even the most seasoned angler can learn something new. Check out the next issue of MidWest Outdoors, available now at the newsstand or by subscribing on our website.