Walleye fishing can shortly get sophisticated and technical. That is principally as a result of walleyes have a tendency to hold in deeper water, typically away from apparent shoreline construction. More often than not you want a ship, dependable electronics, and a stable understanding of walleye conduct to even find them.
However the challenges of walleye fishing are nicely value taking over. As a result of whenever you do get into a faculty of feeding walleyes, the motion will be quick and livid. Plus, walleyes are one of the best consuming freshwater fish on the planet (not less than within the opinion of this Minnesotan).
That will help you put extra walleyes within the livewell I’ve compiled the information, techniques, and kit from a bunch of Out of doors Life consultants, digging deep into our archives. I’ve additionally caught my share of walleyes over time and can share a few of the issues I’ve realized on the water.
Whereas this can be a information for novices, protecting the very fundamentals of walleye fishing, there’s additionally some skilled data tucked into this overview, so anglers of all expertise ranges can get one thing out of it.
Fast Walleye Fishing Ideas
Picture by Alex Robinson
- Understanding walleye conduct is essential to discovering these fish within the large lakes and rivers they love. As a broad generalization, walleyes will hand around in shallower water (suppose sandy flats and close to rocky shorelines) in spring. Then they migrate to mid-lake buildings in the summertime (suppose sunken islands and off-shore drop-offs). Within the late summer season and fall they arrive again close to shore (suppose deep rocky factors, deep weedlines, and typically even shallower weedlines).
- Within the early spring, walleyes will doubtless be present in hotter water (relative to the remainder of the lake) and in summer season they’ll be present in comparatively cooler water.
- Walleye fishing will be powerful through the canine days of summer season. The best bites are often in spring, early summer season, and fall.
- Walleye anglers love breeze and cloud cowl. As a result of walleyes are usually low-light feeders, these situations often contribute to extra constant feeding.
- It’s vital to launch the most important walleyes. Huge walleyes of 20 inches or longer are usually simpler breeders and extra vital for a waterbody’s walleye inhabitants total. So, throw the enormous outdated fish again. The very best tasting fish are smaller anyway. Relying on native laws (many lakes have walleye slot sizes), 15- to 19-inch fish are excellent keepers.
- Load up on reside bait. Whereas there are tons of nice walleye lures on the market (and we’ll get into the main points of lots of them later within the story), leeches, nightcrawlers, and minnows are key on the subject of placing walleyes within the boat constantly. These reside baits will be fished with jigs, spinner harnesses, or slip bobbers.
- Don’t horse large walleyes as much as the boat such as you may struggle a bass. Since you’ll typically goal walleyes with lighter deal with, you need to play them extra conservatively, whereas nonetheless protecting constant strain.
- Don’t be afraid to fish aggressively. Whereas numerous walleye fishing depends on finesse techniques, do not forget that walleyes are nonetheless predators. They may smash fast-moving crankbaits and rip jigs after they’re in the best temper. Fishing sooner will assist you to cowl extra water and discover extra fish.
- Study to make use of electronics. Commonplace fish finders will assist you to find good backside construction and supreme water temperatures. If you happen to’re prepared to step up in value, forward-facing sonar will assist you to discover off-shore, roaming fish that had been beforehand practically not possible to focus on (watch this video to see how that’s achieved).
Walleye Gear Ideas
Assume Mild Sort out and Line
Most walleye fishing is finished with a spinning rod and spinning reel. A rod that’s wherever round 6 toes 8 inches to 7 toes in size and has a medium or medium-light energy and quick motion is an effective all-around alternative. Reel sizes within the 2000 to 3000 vary are supreme. Typically talking, you’ll need to run lighter line for finesse techniques, suppose 4- to 8-pound check and comparatively heavier line for extra aggressive shows, suppose 10- to 20-pound check. Lighter line makes it simpler to detect refined bites and in addition forged gentle lures.
Don’t Overlook Braid
Quite a lot of walleye anglers like braided line as a result of it’s so stiff and responsive. However the important thing to utilizing for walleyes braid is so as to add a pair toes of fluorocarbon chief to the top. This chief might be invisible to fish, even in clear water. You may tie your braid to your chief with the wonderful FG Knot, the Alberto knot, or the double uni knot.
Slip Bobbers Make It Simple
The nice outdated slip bobber is a simple and efficient solution to catch walleyes in shallow and medium depths. Slip bobbering, or corking, is efficient as a result of it hangs reside bait proper in entrance of a walleye’s face. This tactic is tremendous efficient at night time when paired with a lighted bobber.
However you can too take this straightforward tactic and get extra technical with it by pairing it with aspect imaging or ahead dealing with sonar.
Boat Management Is Key
Whether or not you’re drifting, casting, trolling, or vertical jigging, the place of your boat and the velocity at which it’s shifting are vital to catching fish. That is very true for drifting and trolling, however the factor is, you’re in all probability not going to know precisely what velocity the fish will like immediately. So pay shut consideration to the finer particulars and alter up speeds in case you’re not getting bites. If you do begin getting hit, keep in step with that velocity.
Have a Web Prepared
Walleyes will not be recognized to be ferocious fighters like smallmouth bass or muskies. However they may spit your lure with headshake, and so they’ll often do that proper on the boat. So whenever you do work a pleasant walleye up, don’t fiddle with him boatside. Get him in the net with one easy, calculated scoop. Wait until the fish is almost to the floor and inside attain and web him headfirst. Rubber nets are finest.
Troll Simple
There’s a ton of trolling-specific gear on the market. However in case you’re simply getting began, you don’t must throw down for trolling rods and planar boards. Merely run a heavier rod and a deep diving crankbait behind the boat to troll deep weedlines and breaks. Many people don’t love trolling as a result of it may be a bit boring. However in case you discover that trolling matches your fishing fashion, then you possibly can dive into the precise gear required to troll like a professional.
Walleye Fishing Lure Ideas
Study to Love Jigging
Jigging is a walleye fishing staple. It’s a good suggestion to replenish on a handful of jigs starting from ⅛ ounces as much as ⅜ ounces. The ¼ ounce jig is a go-to for normal walleye fishing. Jigs will be tipped with any number of delicate plastics or reside bait like minnows, leeches, or night time crawlers. You need your jig to bounce off backside construction with close to fixed motion. Typically, lighter jigs are utilized in shallower water and heavy jigs in deep water.
Nevertheless, one tip I realized from Dick Grzywinski — referred to as “the Griz” and considered a walleye fishing legend in the Upper Midwest — is that heavy jigs are helpful for feeling the underside when fishing rivers. Once I fished the Mississippi with Griz, we used ⅜ ounce jigs though we had been focusing on walleyes in solely 8 to 12 toes of water.
“Any consumer can really feel the underside with a heavy jig like that,” Griz says.
Cowl Extra Water with Jigging Raps
A extra aggressive jigging tactic is to throw a jigging rap. You forged this lure out after which rip it again with aggressive swings of the rod. The lure darts and flutters like a wounded baitfish and generates response strikes from walleyes. The tactic means that you can cowl open water a lot sooner than you’d have the ability to with a jig and reside bait presentation.
Make the most of Trailer Hooks
If you happen to’re working giant minnows or night time crawlers, including a trailer hook to your jig or spinner rig may also help flip extra bites into hookups. Merely embed one of many hooks from the trailer into the tail of your reside bait after which even nips can flip into landed fish.
Get Particular with Crankbaits
Professional fisherman Ross Robertson’s favourite all-around walleye crankbait is the Reef Runner, which will be trolled or forged.
“Many walleye anglers are shocked that the Reef Runner will be sluggish trolled at .8 mph through the cool water intervals or successfully fished at speeds nearing 3 mph in the summertime. It is likely one of the few lures that simply at all times appears to work,” Robertson writes in his overview of best walleye lures. “The curved physique and lip design trigger the bait to hunt, making a inbuilt chew triggering motion that catches fish. Nevertheless, this does come at a value, and the Reef Runner tune must be checked steadily. Whereas the unique 800 is the preferred, you can too purchase a smaller 3 ½ inch model. Each sizes are also provided in a shallow mannequin for casting or when much less depth is required.”
Run a Lindy Rig Like a Professional
A go-to tactic for catching summer season walleyes is to pull a reside bait rig or crawler harness tipped with reside bait. Rigs just like the Lindy Rig have put innumerable walleyes within the boat. Right here’s Nick Linder on every thing it is advisable learn about Lindy rigging.
Downsize Throughout a Mayfly Hatch
One of many hardest occasions to catch walleyes is throughout a major mayfly hatch. To extend your odds right here, use what guides name a mayfly rig—a small spinner with a portion of an evening crawler on a small hook. Forged the rig out and rely it down, then retrieve it slowly, experimenting with depth till you discover the strike zone. Walleyes typically hit mayflies as they’re on their solution to the floor to emerge. Maintain the rig small; mayfly larvae are hardly ever longer than an inch. —Bob Gwizdz
Think about Presentation Over Lure and Jig Colour
Many anglers obsess over lure shade. Whereas selecting the best lure or jig shade may also help with success in sure conditions, there are much more vital components to contemplate. Based on the Griz, how your bait is being introduced (velocity, motion, angle) and its place within the water column are vital factors. So in case your buddy is catching walleyes however you’re not, attempt to determine what he’s doing otherwise along with his presentation somewhat than merely blaming it on a special shade jig.
Flip Up the Quantity in Soiled Water
Including rattles to jigs or utilizing crankbaits with sound chambers will increase the percentages the fish will zero in on the lure when fishing soiled water. So will growing its dimension: If you happen to fish with spinner rigs or crawler harnesses, use bigger spinners. Hammered metallic blades work nicely if it’s sunny; in any other case, use brightly coloured blades. If you happen to fish with jigs and bait trailers, a plastic curlytail grub physique will add bulk. Brilliant colours, both fluorescent or multi-hued, are an added attraction, as are glow-in-the-dark jigheads. Scent (both scent-impregnated baits or a spray-on product) is useful. —Bob Gwizdz
Crank the Weeds
When fishing round weeds, shad-imitating crankbaits, just like the Shad Rap or Flicker Shad, are lethal on shallow walleyes, significantly in low gentle or heavy wind. Add quite a few twitches together with your rod tip on each forged or trolling move and your buddies will marvel why you’re catching essentially the most fish. Smaller baits, like the dimensions 5, are finest in shallow areas, however deeper-running 6s and 7s are higher on the outer edges of the weeds. —Steve Pennaz
Tactical Walleye Fishing Ideas
Picture by Jake Dahlk
Goal Walleyes within the Weeds
Basic walleye construction is really easy to search out with right this moment’s insanely good GPS mapping items that top-producing areas in most lakes get fished each day. Walleyes reply to this strain by shifting off the construction to secondary areas, the place fewer anglers goal them.
A share of the walleye inhabitants in a given lake might by no means transfer to mid-lake construction, significantly if the lake provides good weed development.
These fish are usually shallow and usually relate to weeds. In stained lakes with poor visibility, look in 4 to eight toes of water, even in mid-summer. In clearer lakes, the prime depth zone in June is 8 to 12 toes. Weed flats, significantly these near spawning areas, are finest early within the season. Fish in these areas are spooky, so use your trolling motor to maneuver in otherwise you’ll blow walleyes out. Count on walleyes to be scattered throughout the flat however grouped in small wolf packs of 4 to eight fish. The secret’s utilizing baits that assist you to cowl water quick–and which means artificials. These areas are practically not possible to fish with conventional walleye shows just like the live-bait rig. Mild jigs–1/32-, 1/16-, and ¼-ounce–are powerful to beat, significantly when tipped with a small swimbait or a 2- to 3-inch swimming grub, like the unique Energy Grub from Berkley. —Steve Pennaz
Hit River Mouths and Shallow Reefs at Night time
When walleyes transfer to river mouths in fall, nighttime is the best time to money in. On this situation, it’s powerful to beat an extended, skinny stickbait, largely resulting from its versatility. These baits will be fished near the floor or all the way down to roughly 8 toes, and you’ll forged them or troll them. Goal the perimeters of deep holes or eddies the place baitfish can relaxation out of the present. If there’s a pier or breakwall with lights shining within the water shut by, that’s typically the jackpot as a result of gentle naturally attracts baitfish. I’ll begin by casting a stickbait behind the boat on a spinning rod after which slow-troll it with the electrical motor. Each on occasion, I’ll reduce the motor to let the lure pause, or snap the rod to make it dart ahead. This can be a nice solution to find a focus of feeding walleyes, and as soon as I do, I’ll cease the boat and fan-cast.
On smaller our bodies of water that don’t characteristic any bays or river mouths, walleyes usually migrate to shallow reefs come fall. This presents a perfect situation for casting lipless crankbaits. Very like whenever you’re bass fishing, forged the lure and work it again from deep to shallow till you pinpoint the holding depth of the walleyes. As soon as I begin getting bites, I reposition the boat so I can forged parallel to the reef, which permits me to maintain the lure in that key depth vary from the start of the retrieve to the top. If you happen to discover the fish holding on the deep edges, letting the lure sink after which working it again in a collection of sharp rod pumps will be very efficient. Often pausing after snaps causes the lure to flutter down like a wounded baitfish, and that’s typically when a fish will strike. Fall reef fish have a behavior of being spooky, even at night time, making a silent shallow-water anchor a significant benefit. —Ross Robertson
Troll Rivers
Vertical jigging might be the most efficient method for walleye fishing in rivers, however excessive winds or rains that soiled the water can put the fish off the jig chew. When water situations change for the more serious, attempt trolling close to backside. Use a three-way swivel and tie a sinker on a 6- to 12-inch dropper, or use a bottom-bouncing rig and path a floating/diving minnow. Troll upstream and cross-current. Don’t be afraid to make use of a sinker of as much as 4 ounces on deep, fast-flowing rivers. —Bob Gwizdz
Be Versatile
The rule of thumb for walleye fishing is to make use of minnows in chilly water and nightcrawlers, leeches or soft-plastics because the water warms. However Mark Martin, a prime veteran professional, says you’re making a mistake in case you don’t take all forms of reside bait with you. Though leeches and crawlers could also be arduous to search out within the winter, they’ll typically outproduce minnows in chilly water, particularly if it’s soiled. Different occasions, even within the warmth of the summer season, fish need minnows greater than different choices. —Bob Gwizdz
Don’t Get Caught on the Backside
Walleye fishermen often consider the underside, however typically essentially the most energetic fish are suspended within the water column. When trolling, fluctuate the depth of your choices by altering your diving bait or including weight to your strains if trolling with spinner rigs. Generally the ‘eyes are out on the prowl, foraging on minnows or shad which can be schooled someplace between the highest and backside. Watch your depth finder for clues to their whereabouts and fish accordingly. —Bob Gwizdz
Go Deep After a Climate Entrance
One of many hardest bites walleye anglers face is straight away after a climate entrance passes. With a excessive, clear sky, the fish typically sulk within the depths. The secret’s to focus on deepwater construction and fish with reside bait, both slowly trolling or drifting round humps and breaklines, often proper the place the underside begins to flatten out. —Bob Gwizdz
Catch Nighttime Walleyes from Shore
Catching large walleyes from shore is usually a critical problem in summer season, however on fall nights, the boatless angler has a critical higher hand. Piers, break partitions, and marinas typically have simply sufficient lighting and supply simply sufficient of a present break to attract in a great deal of baitfish. Relaxation assured, the heavy ’eyes might be there too. Many of those areas are so shallow {that a} boat couldn’t get in shut sufficient in case you wished it to — or not less than not with out spooking the fish. To extend your odds of hitting a foot-patrol trophy, don’t be afraid to throw on some chest waders. Getting within the water means that you can fish productive areas the blokes on shore can’t attain, or to current lures at angles they will’t match. Use an 8-foot spinning rod to increase your casts and stroll softly. Be stealthy together with your actions till you get in vary of the fish. —Ross Robertson
Hit the Huge Basin
Construction is nice, however there’s additionally a fairly good “basin chew” in a shocking variety of walleye lakes, often these with plenty of deep, clear water and never a lot in the way in which of drop-offs, rock piles and the like. In such lakes, tullibees are sometimes plentiful and walleyes relish them. However tullibees are cold-water roamers, so walleyes will pursue them in open water.
The method that appears to work finest is trolling Rapala Shad Raps or different skinny, deep-bodied crankbaits at a depth of 20 to 30 toes over a lot deeper water. When the basin chew is on, each different tactic is often a waste of time. If you’re armed with forward-facing sonar, you could find and goal fish out in these basins a lot sooner. —Dick Sternberg
Discover Transitional Backside
If you happen to’re fishing a lake with plenty of delicate backside, then rock pile will doubtless maintain walleyes. Even in a sandy lake, a rock pile will often produce plentiful fish. On the flip aspect, in a deep, rocky “defend” lake in northwestern Ontario, rocky backside often doesn’t imply a lot (as a result of the whole lake is rocky).
One midsummer day I began out fishing some rocky midlake humps the place I assumed the fish can be. After casting jigs and crankbaits onto the highest of the humps and dragging bait rigs across the edges, I noticed I used to be losing my time. Motoring down the shore, I observed one thing completely different: a sandy seaside with bulrushes rising proper subsequent to shore. A better look revealed some scattered cabbage in deeper water, so I tossed out a curlytail jig and retrieved it alongside the outer weed edge. That did the trick. For the subsequent two hours, I bought bit on nearly each forged — nothing big, however I caught loads of fish within the 2- to 4-pound class.
When fishing a rocky defend lake now, I make it a degree to search for any form of sandy construction, whether or not it’s a sandy shoal, level or hump or only a shallow sandy bay. Walleyes are drawn by the baitfish that take cowl within the few weed beds that exist on sandy backside. A naked rocky backside often provides little in the way in which of meals for walleyes. —Dick Sternberg
Closing Ideas on Walleye Fishing
The great thing about walleye fishing is you could you possibly can goal them with whichever tactic matches your fashion. You may forged crankbaits, float reside bait, jig, troll, and fish day or night time. The very best walleye anglers are nicely versed in all of those techniques and match them to the situations and time of season. However as you’re simply moving into the sport, it is smart to zero in on one or two of those approaches that make sense on your own home water after which begin refining your expertise. You’ll be taught essentially the most about walleye fishing by spending time (and many it) on the water.
