Numbers problem

I have been fishing a lake for the last couple weeks and I get 1 or 2 walleyes every night but have anywhere from one dozen to 2 dozen following the baits. they will come several feet off the bottom an won’t eat. Most the fish we have caught have come on buckshot jigs. They hardly even look at a shiner on just a hook. The only way I have been able to get them to eat is with really aggressive jigging. They chase chubby darters all over but won’t eat them. Buckshot jigs tipped with minnow heads or waxies has been the best.

Any ideas on how I can increase the number that bite? Am I missing something obvious?

Eric

Downsize bait – or make bait much larger.

You are in the zone but need to make a slight adjustment to trigger. Usually it is one of the two.

Dog.

try flyer spoons and switch up sizes and color

These could be what I call “Chaser” fish. Fish that will only bite on the run. The only way to tell is to take the bait away from them. Its probably one of the hardest things to learn. As the fish approaches start raising it up, if the fish comes faster, you pull away faster. Obviously you have to slow up sooner or later.
There really is a finesse to it. Each scenario is different. If a walleye appears to lose interest, send that spoon straight for the bottom and tap it around a bit. Then raise it up again to provoke a chase scenario again. I’ve had fish that will do a really fast chase up and down over a dozen times before I get it just right.

I had a very similar situation earlier this year on a small single basin lake. we were catching a few walleyes a night just off the weed line 3 fish was a decent night, but they were bigger 23-26 inches. marking a bunch of fish in between, putting a camera down showed they were perch.

I would keep pulling it away as well. Make sure to break your jigging cadence with a pause (this works for all species). Also like has been said, drop it hard to the bottom, lift a foot, shake and pause before jigging/lifting again.

I usually like to go with the jigging Rapalas,Nils Master jigs & Blade style baits,going with a more aggressive approach.The fish seem curious & are just lookers which appears to me they might have too much time to check out your offering.These style baits can trigger a reaction bite instead of a easy meal offering.I like to drop these lures to the bottom & pound them on bottom a couple times which creates a stir.Then lift 6″-1’& hold for about 5 secs.Snap jig up about 8″-12″ & hold – pause for another 3-5 count.Sometimes a little 2″ nod-drop or bob-lift when bait returns to center after snap can invoke a strike.Keep mixing up different jigging methods or cadances until you find one that get them to commit.I like fishing the aggressive approach as I cant stand to sit & watch a fish play sniff & look games. I will usually move on to another hole after 8-10 jig strokes while slightly changing cadances looking for more aggressive takers before I will just park it & watch this kind of follow about looking-sniffing response.My take is if the bait has to sit still for more than 5-6 secs the fish are neutral & I will move on looking for takers.Otherwise I might as well just leave a dead stick while sitting back & drinking my favorite beverage which would usually be my final option. Best of luck fishing.