"These smaller lakes are full of panfish and they'll eat the bait up, but you'll catch plenty of walleyes between those bluegill and perch bites," he said.

It's all about getting into the zone before you drop the bait, according to Roach.

"Those humps and saddles aren't that big, so I don't even drop a bait until I know I'm over fish," Roach said. "I motor around the edges of that structure with one eye glued to the sonar, and when I spot some fish below, I send down a leech. If a panfish pops the bait, I move a little farther looking for walleyes. When I hook into the one I want, I sit on that spot and catch some more. You can waste a lot of bait dragging through schools of panfish while trying to find the walleyes."

If there was one topic all of the experts agreed on, it was that if what you're doing is not working, try something else. And if every trick in your bag strikes out, move.

"I've been on Mille Lacs," Courts said, "when the wind was blowing, boat control was tough and we couldn't get the walleyes to go on anything, even bobber rigs. We pulled the boat out and headed to a nearby lake and caught lots of fish. I won't give up until I'm on my way home."

Roach doesn't give up easily either.

"There've been plenty of times for me where the third lake was the charm," Roach said. "I'm lucky that I live near so many good walleye lakes, but here in Minnesota, you can hardly throw a rock and not have it land in a good walleye lake."

See you all at the boat landing!

Find more about Minnesota fishing and hunting at: MinnesotaSportsmanMag.com