I've been bass fishing exclusively for quite a while and i would like to spend a couple trips targeting walleye.  There is a reservoir nearby with an excellent diversity of species and in addition too some great bass being pulled out of it, some in the 9 pound range (which is great for NJ), i've heard of walleye in the 8 pound range being hooked in there.  I have begun reading some articles but I trust what most of you guys have to say and would like a couple tips if you got em.  Basically what I'd like to know is what parts of a lake they generally relate to and what key baits to use.

I'm certainly no expert, but I have hooked a few and done some reading about walleye. They appear to be a more difficult fish to catch, relating to certain points, dropoffs, etc at various times of the year. I guess they will hit on a variety of baits but the simple nightcrawler harness seems to be one of the preferred baits. Most people on our nearby walleye lake troll for them in or near old river channels. Shore fishing appears to be rather ineffective, at least for me. I believe the strike is rather light so it takes a little experience to know when you have one on. They tend to spit a jig rather quickly. Two other baits I've seen mentioned alot are long minnows like Smithwicks and vertical jigging spoons. I recently saw about 6 boats all clustered around bridge pilings, it seemed like most everybody was vertically jigging a spoon. Cloudy days seem to be preferred weather conditions due to the sensitivity of their eyes to light. Also,

I've heard some moderate wave action, referred to as "walleye chop" is also preferred.

Funny this should come up today because I am going to try to get out today and see if I can get a few 'eyes. I'm going to start of with the nightcrawlers and worm harness. My only problem is I'm shorebound, so we'll see how it goes.

2 and 3 inch Mr. Twister tails, 1/8 to 14 oz. jig heads, cast and very slow retrieve while giving it a few pauses and short easy hops here and there. Water chop is a plus.

You might try targeting the edge of weed beds where the bottom may be rock or sand, especially evening feeding time.  I also am no walleye expert, but A friend of mine is to an extent and he has been "coaching" me this spring and early summer.  Good luck, I find them very elusive for me too.  As was stated, the bite is normally very lite and subtle, simular to a bass. 

Phishin,

Walleye feed most actively in low light. You will have your best chance from dawn for an hour or 2 and around dusk. During the day if it is over cast with some chop. To find the walleyes concentrate your efforts on outside weed edges in 10' to 15' depth. I would recommend backtrolling a lindy rig with crawlers, leeches or minnows. Leave your bail open with your index finger on the line. Once you feel something grab your line release your finger,put the motor in neutral and watch the line. If the line moves close the bail take up the slack and set the hook. I would then start hitting the area with jigs tipped with live bait or grubs. When you find one you've  found a bunch.

I have caught hundreds of walleye, but from non-typical habitat, namely, the shallow, murky waters of the Erie Canal, and wouldn't have a clue how to catch them in lakes. But at the canal I fished with grubs on jigheads and a wide variety of crankbaits and they readily took both.

Thanks, great advice so far.  I assumed my best bet would be dusk or dawn.  So it seems like like bait would be best?  So to be a little more specific as to what i have available to me: I'll be fishing from a kayak in a reservoir in northern new jersey called the monksville.  Here is a contour map:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/lakes/monksvl.pdf

As you can see there is a 40 foot hump west of the southern boat launch.  My initial plan is drop weighted leeches right on it.  There is also a very rocky shoreline along the north side of the bridge on greenwood lake tpke.  Across that shore line is a weed bed that leads into a large area of sunken trees:

http://photos.jpgmag.com/1275064_50019_56af4afa99_p.jpg

I'm thinking possible swimming the mister twisters along this weedbed.  

Is this a decent game plan?

hey firefightin, is that the same 3 tap rule that LBH explains in that episode of lunkerville?  the first tap is the fish, the second he lets go, and the third is me on your shoulder askin why you didn't set the hook?

I have found gulp alive minnows to be great rigged on a 1/4 oz jig head and just hopped along. As for places to find them, looking at your map there is alot of depth changing. I would start at the wind blown side and try drifting through one of the steep inclines and hop the jig up the side. And then turn the trolling motor on high and work back the other way, and just continue to do this moving down the shore, watch your graph for little differences that make it different from the other inclines.

well that'd be easy if i had a graph or a trolling motor.  unfortunatly im in a kayak

hey firefightin, is that the same 3 tap rule that LBH explains in that episode of lunkerville? the first tap is the fish, the second he lets go, and the third is me on your shoulder askin why you didn't set the hook?

Yup, but in the version I got from ILH, the third tap is one on the back of the head for not setting the hook on the first one. ;D

I don't have much experience, but did some good walleye fishing up in canada last year. from what we did, and what worked, they only took live bait for us. since they were in such big schools, when we caught one, we dropped the anchor, and just fished straight down off the boat at the bottom (about 20-30 feet down). The bite was VERY soft, they didn't run at all. They took the hook, and stayed still. So at first it was tough to know when s0mething was on, because besides the slight tap there was no indication they were on untill they saw they were a few feet from the boat and started running. you feel a slight movement, set the hook! we were pulling in 18-24 inch walleyes (plus some smaller ones) and i've hooked a 4 inch sunny that put up more of a fight. until they see the boat!  before they got close to the surface, they felt like you picked up a clump of weeds.  could tell something was on there, but it didn't feel like a fish.

Well i've been putting off my walleye excursion for a few days now, but i'm gunna make it tonight.  I'm gunna hit that reservoir from the shore cause you can't have boats in there after 8.  I'm gunna try drifting leeches and mister twisters. i'll let you guys know how it turns out.