Early Season Walleye

 

We've waited long enough and the season opener is upon us. The boat is ready, you've gone through all the tackle but the choice of where to fish is the big question. I have one answer for you…weeds.

Even though the ice just went out, that warming sun is doing its job to bring the oxygen-bearing weeds into their rich, green color. Find the weeds, find the walleye. A few rocks in the area won't hurt either.

 

You can talk to 10 anglers and get 10 different approaches to these fish. I'm here to tell you, it's simple. A jig and a minnow. Period. It's time-tested, proven every year and you don't have to move around a lot. Allow me to lay out a workable pattern for you.

 

First, remember the weather will have something to say about how successful you'll be. Walleye depend on water temperature for spawning in spring and you'll want warmer conditions. Clear lakes will hold the ice longer and that means colder water. Check the smaller dark water lakes for patches of weeds and get ready for a good run.

 

Grab your map and find the rocky areas adjacent to the weed beds. In almost every body of water you'll discover fish in these areas. In pre-spawn temperatures, usually around 50-degrees, the fish are mostly females and active. If males are around, they're fairly small, but hungry. I'm an active jig and minnow angler and prefer this method to most others, especially in the spring. Because you'll be working in vegetation, a weedless presentation is necessary. For that I recommend one of Jack's Jigs. This Milwaukee company perfected a slim, weedless design I've used the last several years with great success. The skinny profile slices through the cover and allows you to present the bait (medium fathead) unobstructed. Using six-pound test on a medium action, 6'6" rod, you'll feel the bite a lot better than with a lot of other conventional weedless jigs. I suggest the 1/16-ounce size, with a #2 hook. Cast it into the cover, just outside or anywhere in between and use a gentle pulling retrieve, but NOT with your wrist! This is the key. Allow your forearm to become part of the rod and you'll notice a huge increase in feeling strikes. It also promotes a better hookset. A couple short (about two foot) pulls and pause followed by a couple shorter pulls. Some experience here will help you distinguish weeds from bites, as you'll be able to feel the jig travel up the stem of a weed, offering slight yet constant pressure. A nibble will pull back on you. Don't make quick movements…just long retrieves mixed with a couple pumps. This is a deadly combination with these jigs and a method you can perfect with crawlers and/or artificial lures too. The added bonus here is a tangle with a muskie! These fish go for smaller baitfish and if you hook up, hold on! Don't allow any slack at any time and odds are you can have a nifty fight on extremely light tackle.

 

This is truly finesse fishing and once you get the hang of it, all panfish and bass will fall prey to your prowess. Discovering the feel of the fish is everything. Determining what's a bite and what isn't will allow you to master the technique in a short amount of time.

 

See you on the water...