Cass Lake, in central Minnesota, is part of a sprawling chain of lakes created by the damming of the Mississippi River, consisting of 16,000 acres. The lake can be a little intimidating due to its water clarity and complexity, but it’s absolutely loaded with walleye, and to uncover its secrets, we sit down with area guide Will Pappenfus.

Favorite areas Pappenfus likes to cover are weed beds along the biggest flats on the lake. No matter the conditions, you can find walleye in the weeds on Cass Lake, says Pappenfus, and the areas that hold weeds are plentiful. Aside from weeds, many sunken islands and rockpiles also hold fish. Simply put, if it looks fishy, there’s fish there with the population density Cass supports. With clear water, these fish tend to be spooky, so distance is critical, and forward-facing sonar is a beneficial tool for targeting fish at a distance without breaking up a school.

Some of Pappenfus’s go-to techniques are a live bait set up with either a bobber or a plain jig, depending on the mood of the fish. Jigs help fish commit when they want something moving, whereas bobbers are good when they want an easy meal. Glide baits like the Northland Pitchin’ Puppet Minnow or Rapala Jigging Rap are big-time fish catchers on Cass, too, especially when the fish turn negative to neutral as they provoke reaction strikes. Pappenfus remarks that a good rule of thumb to follow on Cass is that when the wind blows, walleyes favor minnow profiles, while crawlers and leeches shine on calm days.

Put some time in on Cass, and you’ll find endless areas holding walleyes. If you keep a few specific strategies in mind to account for Cass’s clear water, you can catch fish with ease.

Book a Cass Lake Trip with Will: https://www.facebook.com/EyeCrazyGuides/

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