Leesville Walleyes?

[blueheron]

Interested in hearing any stories you guys have of catching walleye on Leesville either intentional or unintentional.  Time of year, approx location, method of fishing etc.

[Shadslinger]

Ive striper fished and catfished there all my life and my Dad did too and never caught a walleye. I know some are caught in the spring throwing plugs to the banks from the dam up to goat island at night

[dogsbestfriend]

i caught 1 in late winter, jigging a 1/2 oz with a 5 in white fluke in 35 ft of water, just outside of old womans creek.

[bigjon]

I've caught 2. One in the spring throwing a crankbait in a cove just above goat island and one in June casting a fluke at goat island about an hour before dark. Both decent size fish.

[SlightlyInsane]

I've caught quite a few during springtime in Jaspers on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and have jigged some up on a hopkins spoon off the old roadbed in Old Womans, and at night have caught them on redfins and flukes off the left side mountain walls above Goat Island, including a couple of citations over the years.

Spring time seems to be the easiest time to catch them during daytime, just by throwing crankbaits up to the banks. Most other times they stay real deep, and prefer to feed at night. I'm no expert on Walleyes, but that just my general experience with them at Leesville. I don't target them specifically, so all my catching is either by accident or dumb luck.

I know one thing for sure, they sure are a tasty fish. If you can catch enough to "stink up a pan", do it.

[piper]

Thanks for the info on these guys. My dad is from up north where the walleye is highly sought after. I want to take him out I was under the impression they are an excellent cold weather fish and plan to hit them up this fall/winter. They are nocturnal feeders so at success at night makes a lot of sense. I tell you tis interesting..the number one bait up north is a simple ol night crawler..they kill em.

[blueheron]

Yes, thanks to all for the replies and anyone else who has info please keep it coming. I am originally from PA and grew up fishing Lake Erie for Walleye, Smallmouth and Yellow Perch. We always trolled crawler harnesses for them up there. They concentrated over stone pile reefs in about 25-30' of water up there. The green/chartruese willow leaf blade with two crawlers was my favorite rig. We also pulled Bomber Long A's on planer boards. I don't think these tactics will work in Leesville but you never know. Intersting to hear what you all have done. Seems like most hookups are accidental and no-one really targets them despite how tasty they are! If I can catch Walleye, I will gladly leave all the stripers and largemouth to you all! LOL

[bigjon]

There are two brothers in Altavista that used to target them a few years ago. I'm not sure if they still do. They would fish from a tiny boat with a trolling motor and pulled the bladed rigs with night crawlers between the dam and goat island along the rock walls on the right. They claimed to have done good with them and they must have been catching something because they sure did go a lot. They only showed me walleye once but they had two.

I did catch one more drifting shad in the stretch between the dam and goat island. All I remember is it was cold as heck outside.

[Gator]

Not too sure about Leesville ,but I have had really good luck on Philpott fishing Walleyes. Have caught many fish in the 22"-26" range. Best time is at night in the later part of Spring. I ,usually, throw a Rapala X-Rap and they crush them. These tactics should work on Leesville too I would think. Best eating freshwater fish in my opinion.

[grasscutter]

Years back....say 10 or more....most any where on the right bank between the dam and goat island I would catch some on crank baits....my best one was 4 1/4 pounds and came just above tolers bridge....huge rock face there.... He was right in that river channel and it was late fall..... I may be wrong but at the time leesville was on a stocking program and there were some good numbers of them....I haven't got one the last 2 years I've fished.....white perch doesn't give anything a chance hardly at a crank bait lol

[Shadslinger]

Yr before last I had the opportunity to help Dan Wilson with the sampling on leesville. We didnt get big numbers of walleye but there were some pretty good sized ones. Come October work the points between the Dam and Tri County. Day or night I couldnt tell you. All I know is the nets went out one day and were pulled the next...and the fish swam in there in between.

[mytoyzfishing]

There is a member on here that has taken up targeting them lately. Send Gotcha a pm he might have some info. Last I talked to him they were using crawler harness's. He was fishing philpot and leesville. I know there a quit a few guys who fish for them on a regular basis down on philpot and last heard from Dan Wilson they were still stocking it.

[Gotcha]

Philpott! I never been on Leesville yet! If I go to Leesville it won't be for a walleye! I'll be looking for that next state record striper!

[blueheron]

I also helped Dan Wilson back a few years ago on Leesville with a fish study but it was electro-fishing and it was done around the shoreline in the spring. I believe this is done primarily for bass but we had numerous walleye and several were what I would consider in the trophy class for a southern reservoir. We had multiples taken in the back of one small cove in particular, where the water was not that deep. In fact if memory serves me correct we had more incidental walleye than stripers that day. Some were taken on points and some in coves. I guess this shows that in the spring, walleye are primarily on the banks in Leesville. I'm thinking during the daytime in summer they head more into open, cooler, deeper and darker water. I'm thinking I might try some slow trolling from dam to Old Woman's and back past the rock cliffs. Crawler harnesses to start and then move to some perch or shad body deep runners. Maybe try some leadcore and bottom bouncers too. If anyone is interested in teaming up or sharing notes let me know.

I've heard good things about walleye on Philpott but never been. Since I live on Leesville now I plan to focus on it for now and try and master at least one specie. I should be able to give you all some reports on the shad, birds and striper activity as well.

I have a few last detail repairs/modifications to make on the boat and then I should be hitting the lake pretty regular. Hoping to finish them up this weekend.

[Shadslinger]

Yea Blue they shock in the spring and gill net in the fall, I was supposed to help him the following spring but with short staff and state cutbacks he didnt do any sampling last year or this year. I do alot of trolling for stripers on Leesville. I use deep diving redfins, Bomber Deep Long A's, Stretch 25's and Umbrella rigs. Trolling can be real aggravating with all the trash in the lake. Never caught a walleye trolling. Caught a few catfish though and stripers of course. Good Luck. I'll be out there Saturday probably just swimming mostly. Might pull some rigs. Blue and White tri hull with a 70 johnson. Gimme a holla sometime