Are you familiar with the term “SNIPE HUNT”? That is a lot like walleye fishing through the ice in Utah. I am sure a lot of those RMA guys DO like to fish for walleye through the ice. But, they are slow to admit they never catch any. I know them and I know how often they catch one through an ice hole. Almost never and it is usually by accident while they are fishing for perch or trout.
Starvation would seem to offer about the best opportunity for anglers to catch walleyes through the ice. It has the largest population of walleyes of any of our Utah lakes…except maybe Utah Lake. And, the wallies there are generally active and easy to catch…during warmer water conditions.
It may be possible to catch a lot of walleyes through the ice at Starvation, but it has not happened yet…for many people. There are a few longtime regulars that have their GPS spots where they have taken a fish or two in the past, but anybody who claims to catch walleye through the ice at Starvation whenever they want…well, they will lie about other things too.
Starvation is VERY DEEP, and has countless deep channels and rocky ledges where winter walleyes drop to the bottom and just remain semi dormant for long periods of time in the winter. When they lay on the bottom, they are invisible to sonar at those depths. I don’t know anyone who has actually sent down a camera with a long enough cord (80 - 100 feet) at Starvation, but I have seen video of fish at Deer Creek in 60 feet of water doing just that…laying there with their jaws wired shut. I am only guessing that they act similarly at Starvation…and the water is deeper.
**In the Great Lakes and other walleye hangouts in the midwest, anglers are able to use live minnows for bait for walleyes. That seems to be about the only thing that will get any response during the winter when the walleyes are not as active. Of course we can’t use live minnows in Utah. And, dead minnows will catch northern pike and big perch, but the walleyes do not hit them as well. **
They will also hit lures tipped with crawler or perch meat, but again it is usually a matter of them occasionally hitting an offering meant for other species. Those who fish purposely just for walleyes are often disappointed…or go home with a few perch or trout rather than walleye.
Ah, the good old RMA guys.