Elusive Walleye, What am I missing?

Out on Sparrow this afternoon on spot known to produce. Lost a heavy fish last week at the same spot, same time of day (almost to the minute). Today I was teased for a half hour by likely the same jack-assed fish. finally, he grabbed my minnow and took it for a swim; my light drag setup wizzing loudly. I gave him some time to taste it before I went for the hook set! Nothing. Pulled the minnow out of his mouth. Before this I was trying to set the hook at the slightest sign of nibble. Nothing. I thought, patience being a virtue and all, that maybe I need to give him time with it before I go for it.

What's the secret?! I must be doing something wrong. The fish are there, and that at least keeps me excited to go back. At least I'm getting some action!

A suggestion for you. Use a slipfloat , depending on size of minnows you are using will determine what size of float to use. This will allow you a bit more time before setting hook, as the fish will feel no resistance as he swims away with your bait. You are problably setting hook too soon or fish feels resistance and lets go of bait. Goodluck

Just wondering what the snow us like on Sparrow. I've got a cottage 5 minutes down the highway from Sparrow and was wondering how/where people access the lake during the hardwater season. PM me if you like...

Not trying to be a smart a##, but are your hooks sharp? Can make all the difference.

Use a stinger hook. You'll see a big difference

My thought as well.

Ensure you have laser sharp hooks.

if you have and stil missing bites, then adjust time for hookset, ie wait until you fell weight of fish and hammer it home.

By your decsription it sounds more like a pike bite, but jus guessing on that one

Thanks for the tips folks! Next week, I'll look into slipfloats, I'll sharpen my hooks (I read one guy on this forum sharpens his from brand new) couldn't hurt. And I've never seen a stinger hook. I google imaged it. You mean a second, trailing hook? Would that likely 'snag' the fish?

Sparrow snow conditions: Last week there was 6-8" of slush, under a few inched of drifting snow, on top of 6 - 8" of solid black ice. But now it's all frozen solid. I drill through 4" of snow and the next 10" - 1' is solid ice. At least where I was. I know there is a current running through spots and I haven't ventured out to the center of the lake.

Longshank, I would believe it could be a pike. The fish I lost there last week was really heavy on my line. Thought it might have been a pike or a monster Walleye. I would have got him in but I was running two jig hooks and the top hook (a few feet from the lower hook got caught on the ice under the hole! He and I played tug of war for a minute before he broke the line from the top hook down! Good fight though! Love the action. Just need results.