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Sam's Tip
A river walleye unlike lake walleyes have to fight current all of their lives. Therefore, the walleyes in the rivers have adapted to be in areas that offer current breaks so they don't have to fight the current all of the time. These current breaks are anything that diverts the current and allows slack water. The slack water areas are found below the dams where an eddy is formed by the water being drawn over the dam and rushing downstream causes a slack water area on each side of the dam. Other obstructions cause slack water might be below wingdams, behind rocks, a depression in the floor of the river, a stump or fallen tree, or man made obstacles such as bridge abutments.
The key to locating walleyes in the river in the fall and early winter starts with locating a series of obstacles and then allowing your bait or lure to present itself in a natural manner so the walleye can race from behind the obstruction to acquire the offering and then race back into the slack water area to digest his meal and await another
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Sam's Tip
Nature can also throw a curve at the walleye fisherman. A cold front, riding strong winds from the north, can take the zip out of the fish. I have seen walleyes lodge their heads between boulders and won't move until you touch them and then they simply swim away as if being brushed aside by another fish. They seem dead and lifeless when the cold front arrives.
The technique for fishing these fish is to move as slow as they do. I might anchor or hover over the top of a school of walleyes and slow down my presentation by using a light jig and light line. The light jig allows the rate of fall to be much slower and the light line will give me less water resistance and a slower rate of fall also. Sometimes I might even use a plain hook tipped with a nightcrawler and split shot on the line. Again this takes time to allow the bait to sink and it should be placed right in front of their nose, because they certainly aren't going to move very far.
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Sam's Tip
Once walleyes are found in weeds, choosing the best presentation can be quite a frustrating experience. Remember to always choose a presentation that can put the odds in your favor. Bottom bouncers are not considered by most anglers as a presentation in weeds, but they remain one of the most effective for me. The bottom bouncer ( I like the Bottom Cruiser from Lindy Little Joe) is great to use where there are a lot of snags. This wire-legged device can be used while trolling or drifting, with speeds as low as 3/4 or as high as 2 1/4 mph. All you need is enough pressure against the spinner blades to keep them rotating or enough resistance against a minnow imitation to get a wobble out of your lure. |
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 Sam's Tip
If the walleyes are deeper than the crankbait I have selected will run I then add additional weight to the line. The quickest way to add weight is to attach a rubber core sinker to the line about 18 to 20" up the line. Another way is to add a bottom bouncer that keeps the lure off the bottom yet also keeps the line and lure close to the bottom without getting hung up. Or you can add an inline weight system like lead core line spliced into the monofilament. This will enable you to get the lure down to where the fish are, instead of trolling at a much shallower depth. Forward trolling is trickier than backtrolling, because the boat's position and the lure's position don't coincide; even their paths behind the boat are different. Besides being able to cover a lot of water quickly, forward trolling also lets you run a number of lines to cover a wider area and different depths. Adding inline planer boards can spread lines even farther apart. In the fall I like to cover a lot of territory to find the aggressive biting fish. The crankbait I prefer is the Storm Lightin' Shad and I like it because it has the bulk and wobble of a fat minnow. Walleyes will want this crankbait because it gives off a vibration that calls fish from a long way. The natural colors represent the food forage the walleyes are feeding on and the forward trolling allows the speed for aggressive walleyes to catch the offerings. |
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Sam's Tip
To catch walleyes in a funnel area there are many presentations an angler should consider. Rainbow spinners with a crawler harness, or a live bait rig are two great ways to start to look for walleyes. Minnows are at an all time high in the fall of the year and the offering that you provide for them should be something different. Stick to crawlers and leeches or artificial baits that resemble big minnows. The bigger the minnow bait the more the walleyes will be interested in it. This time of year walleyes want to fatten up for the upcoming winter months and they look for the largest food source they can swallow. Minnow baits like Storm Lightin, Shad have a large body and give off a lot of wobble that transmits to the walleye that this food source is large and lazy. Try also to get these minnow baits in colors that represent the food source the walleyes are feeding on. Shad colored baits and crawdad color baits have been dynamite for me this year. |
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Sam's Tip
Fish are unusually spooky along wingdams and noisy gas engines will spook the fish. I prefer to use quieter electric motors, like my bow mount MotorGuide The key element here is presentation, to keep the bait in front of the fish. Point the bow into the current and "slip" down at about current speed. Keep baits in the strike zone longer by sweeping the baits across the structure allowing the bait to fall at a slow rate to naturally present the bait to the fish. It is essential, to slow down your drift with the electric motor as you go over the structure and watch your depth finder for "breaks and barriers". You might have to run your big motor or a kicker motor in reverse to slow the presentation down even more if the current is increased. If the fish are shallow, you might want to anchor and use your bow mount motor to swing your bait and change your position on the face of the wingdam. |
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Sam's Tip
Remember, live bait will normally put more fish in the boat than artificials. The walleyes are coming off an iced up period of time and they are looking for large amounts of food and minnows provide the most nutritional value over leeches and nightcrawlers. Besides it is more of a tasty morsel than a hard body crankbait. Think of times when you are extremely hungry. Would you prefer to chew on a piece of hard candy or sink your teeth into a juicy steak? I think we all would agree that the more natural the bait is and the more inticing that it looks the better your chance of success on early walleyes. Fishing slowly is a key to catching these inactive fish, allowing the bait to move at a snails pace along the bottom. Visualize the bait inching along, wiggling in front of a walleye's face. This gives inactive fish time to look over the offering, and it may trigger a bite. Sometimes, several passes through the area may be necessary to trigger a fish, so patience is a constant factor. Most inactive or nonaggressive walleyes are not going to chase or immediately chomp on an offering. However, if you keep your sinker stationary while the minnow continues to struggle in front of the walleye's face, it may be too tempting to resist. Quality live bait provides natural appearance, odor, feel, taste and action. |
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Sam's Tip
When fishing with live bait it's tough to beat a Lindy Rig. Keep your bail open and a finger on the line as you slowly troll. When you feel a pick-up, drop the line. The slip sinker rig allows the fish to take the bait without feeling any weight. You can vary the size of your sinker and hook, and change the length of the leader to match conditions. Use a floating jig to lift your bait off the bottom. Many types of artificial lures work for walleyes, but most fish are caught on live bait. Most anglers prefer to use minnows in the spring and again in the fall. Leeches and nightcrawlers are used during summer months, and will catch fish throughout the season. Crayfish and live frogs work, too. Remember, big baits often equal big fish. If you are looking for a trophy use the largest minnows, leeches, or nightcrawlers you can find. |
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Sam's Tip
To slow down your lure presentation a little use a jig tipped with a minnow. But don't get stuck in a slow pattern. Utilize extremes. Rip the jig back to the boat on one retrieve, then work the jig slow, bouncing it along the bottom on the next retrieve. My favorite jig in this situation is a 1/4 ounce Fuzzy Grub jig tipped with a minnow. I prefer the Fuzzy Grub because it is round and I can easily attach a stinger hook to the minnow and up my chances of catching a finicky walleye. When in doubt if you have contact with the bottom, increase the size of your jig and minnow. You might get hung up more, but you might also have a wallhanger on your hands. |
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Sam's Tip
The key was a slow and silent approach to my presentation. The outboard was shut off and the MotorGuide trolling motor was lowered into the water. I replaced my terminal tackle from walking sinkers and spinners to a single hook and split shot with a #8 hook. The hook was baited with a nightcrawler and allowed to dangle so that the tail of the nightcrawler could float off the bottom. I released about 45 yards of line and I backtrolled, back and forth, with this long-line presentation. The long line reduces feel but allows time for the boat to pass overhead and for the spooked walleyes to regroup. When the boat finally passes by the fish, they hit it with a subtle gentle tug, rather than smashing the bait. |
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Sam's Tip
On any given cover the fish that are the most active and aggressive will be adjacent to the specific cover and will attack the bait as it comes close to the cover. When walleyes hold tight to cover because of change in barometric pressure or fishing pressure the angler has to change or modify the presentation. A perfect example of this is when you stop catching walleyes on a Hatchet Harness and have to switch over to a light Fuzz-E- Grub and a bobber combination to dabble in the weeds, instead of running a contour course on the weed edge. In fact, that is one of the ways that I like to catch walleyes is with a jig and bobber combination. Walleyes are always getting into the deepest weedbeds or floating timber and by attaching a bobber to a light jig I can get back into where the walleyes are located. |
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Sam's Tip
Start off fishing an area with jigs. If crappies are the quarry, try the 1/16 oz. size -- 1/32nd and 1/64th ounce jigs will be good for 'gills and sunfish. Lindy jigs are my favorites, because of the marabou tail that provides attraction and vibration. Tip them with a tiny waxworm or grub, or if the fish are active, plastic actions tail. The plastic action tail will stay on the hook longer, which means less re-baiting and more fishing. Use the tinier jigs for bluegills and sunfish below a small slip-bobber, and add splitshot if necessary. Work this rig around vegetation, logs and any trees that might be in the area. |
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Sam's Tip
Once fish have been located and the crankbait bite falls off, I will offer them a selection of light jigs. I usually start off with 1/16 or 1/8 ounce Fuzzy Grub, tipped with a minnow, leech or a nightcrawler. As the fish tend to move deeper I will switch to a live-bait rig or a Hatchet Harness Spinner attached to a Bottom Bouncer so I tick the bottom and stay out of the rocks. |
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 Sam's Tip
Perhaps the most frustrating experience on the water is losing a good walleye next to the boat. This happens more often than anglers are willing to admit. I believe that this problem can be corrected. The two-fold key to landing more fish is to increase hooking ratios and to practice proper execution at boatside. You might be amazed evenveteran anglers disregard some simple tips and continue to lose fish. You have probably seen some fisherman on T.V. go overboard setting the hook. Some even set the hook two or three times. It might look good but it won't add more fish to the livewell. The common term "setting the hook" is really a misnomer. If you don't believe me try rehooking a fish with you hands. It's not easy. Actually the fish sets the hook, not you. Instead of "driving" a hook into the lip of a walleye try "lifting" the fish off the bottom with your rod. What you want to do is excite the fish to produce a head shake. In so doing, it opens its mouth to exhale the foreign object. That critical head shake is what burys the barb into the tough tissue, not that macho rod ripping hookset. A fish thrashing on the surface can also be a problem. Try keep the fish underwater until you are ready to net the fish. Most walleye fisherman know that netting a fish head first is the only way to go. The angler leads the fish toward the net as the netter scoops it up. If you discuss landing techniques ahead of time you will have more success. Just as important, is communication. Netting the fish takes teamwork and no one is a mind-reader. No one can avoid losing a few fish. But these pointers should cut down the loss column appreciably, forcing you to come up with other alibis for coming home empty-handed. |
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Sam's Tip
To catch shallow fish, I use my bow-mount MotorGuide to get as close to shore as possible. I face into the current and cast upstream so the bait moves downstream. This is essential because 90% of all fish in a river face into the current in order to feed. When I make my first cast it is critical to present the bait to the feeding fish in a natural life like manner. I will cast upstream as close to shore as possible, then I point my Quantum rod directly at shore. This gives my crankbait a direct downstream run. By extending my arm and using a long 7 foot rod I can get as close to shore as possible. As the bait starts down river I will use my wrist to jerk or flick the bait causing it to dart and dive representing a wounded minnow. As the bait approaches the boat I will also take in as much slack as possible to allow myself better feel and better hook setting leverage. My next couple of casts are going to be deeper. Here, because the water tends to be deeper, I will change my presentation to more traditional casting. My cast will be ahead of the boat and I will retrieve the lure with a bait bumping approach. My next cast might be even deeper to see if the walleyes have moved out, but again it will be a normal cast and retrieve method. Under low-light conditions or in darker water, walleyes will be shallow 1 to 7 feet. But it it's bright or there's a lot of boat traffic, they move deeper. When I am fishing along the riprap I use a method known as "slipping the current". Basically this method allows the operator of the boat to stay in one spot or to drift downstream slowly by using the electric trolling motor. I set my bowmount MotorGuide to match the speed of the current and occasionally I will increase the thrust to move up stream to new water. Your electric trolling motor is important for you to use in this situation, because it provides a quiet approach to fishing fish in the shallows. Where as a gas engine is likely to spook the fish and the method of staying in one place to combat the current with a gas engine is difficult at best. |
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Sam's Tip
The "Fishing Opener" 'is just a few days away. Many of us anglers are counting the days and some of us have taken the time to get things checked out before that magical time comes. Others are still wondering where they put their rods and tackle boxes from last year. Regardless of where you fit into the spectrum of being ready, there are a few things that we can check over. Make visual inspections of all your equipment. Clean and replace all parts of the equipment that you feel will not make in through another season. Have you changed your line from last year? Remember that sunlight and heat can destroy the line quicker than a large fish stretching the line. If you replace your line remember to take your old line to a dealer and will recycle that line. Inspect your reel. Take it apart and re-lube the gearing in your reel, check to see if your drag can be set, and if it is set to the tensile strength of your line. If you don't feel comfortable with setting your drag take it to the dealer and have him test it for you. Most dealers would be more than happy to have you come in and bring your rods and reels with you. Who knows you might be even want a new Quantum Energy reel to replace the old one. |
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Sam's Tip
Chartreuse is a good color for fall walleyes in the weeds. If the water is a little on the dirty side slip a chartreuse Fuzz-E-Grub body on an orange jig head. Purple and black Fuzz-E-Grubs have also been good. When the fish are real active, try an action tail body, like a twister body and work it with quick hops. Chartreuse is a good color for fall walleyes in the weeds. If the water is a little on the dirty side slip a chartreuse Fuzz-E-Grub body on an orange jig head. Purple and black Fuzz-E-Grubs have also been good. When the fish are real active, try an action tail body, like a twister body and work it with quick hops. |
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Sam's Tip
On any given cover the fish that are the most active and aggressive will be adjacent to the specific cover and will attack the bait as it comes close to the cover. When walleyes hold tight to cover because of change in barometric pressure or fishing pressure the angler has to change or modify the presentation. A perfect example of this is when you stop catching walleyes on a Hatchet Harness and have to switch over to a light Fuzz-E- Grub and a bobber combination to dabble in the weeds, instead of running a contour course on the weed edge. |
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Sam's Tip
When walleyes are holding tight to cover because of a change in water temperature or barometric pressure, or because the water has suddenly risen or fallen, it is essential to fish the walleyes in a vertical motion. The problem may be that they are tight to cover and usually shallow, with adjacent deep pockets or holes near by, but not enough to position a boat over the top of them. Therefore, a vertical presentation with a Thill float might do the trick. It will allow the presentation of the bait over the top of the walleye (something that is important to remember is a walleye always feeds on food that is in front of them and just slightly above them). The float should be set so that it will present the bait in a suspended offering, and once you find the depth you can work the shoreline around structure like stumps and points. |
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