Many of the best walleye lakes across the ice belt are expansive bodies of water, making them intimidating to the naked eye. Fortunately, modern ice anglers have sophisticated tools that make finding walleyes on big lakes quick and easy. Avid ice angler and long-time ice fishing guide Brian Brosdahl shows the simplicity of quickly breaking down large bodies of water with modern-day technology.
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Brosdahl uses detailed digital mapping to find key walleye-holding structures. Digital maps have become essential ice fishing gear and allow anglers to interact and manipulate the map. Maps that offer custom depth-highlighting and 1-foot contour intervals make this process a breeze, as offshore points and humps stick out like a sore thumb.
Once he chooses a spot, Brosdahl uses 360-degree sonar to review bottom composition differences, such as hard spots on the structure. You can drill holes accurately over various structures with a built-in GPS on the MEGA 360 Imaging pod. Having this terrain map eliminates the need to drill tons of holes. In summary, employing technology is about efficiency and finding unpressured walleyes away from the crowds.
When fishing walleyes on large lakes, it’s often crucial to use erratic jig strokes to call fish in from a distance. Brosdahl feels that this separates him from the rest. While most people go subtle mid-day, Brosdahl makes his presence known. Additionally, lures with abundant action and flash extend the strike window further.
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