TackleTour

Anyone here like to target walleye?

Bass doesn't open here until June, but walleye and pike are open pretty soon here. I am going for walleye next weekend and was wondering what's a good technique for walleye?

I wasn't very successful wen it comes to walleye, but this year I plan to give it a good try.

I know most people here tell you the same "generic" bait is the good ol fashion grub on a round jig head or the jig tipped with minnow, and to be honest I've caught some walleye with the grub but not as good as result I was hoping for.

This year I picked up some keitech easy shiners in 4" and plan to hook it with a 1/8pz jig head. I know bass love these things but I'm hoping walleye do too, I heard from a few ppl out there that walleye will hit these easy shiners.

Aside from the mentioned riggs above, I'd love to hear what your walleye technique, baits, rigs would be.

What waters are you fishing? I've fished of the pipestone chain (SW Ontario) specifically in deep, clear, and cold water (mainly boulder rock bottom).
If you're intending to catch them artificials only you may want to bring some live bait rigs (or troll hardbaits) to find them first and then test what works. In my limited experience walleye fishing, the key is finding them and triggering a strike. Electronics help (if available). Once you find a pattern you can really get after them. It helps to contact some locals if you're traveling and get a general depth where you can find them.
I'd guess that they're still not spawning (44-48) so you can probably get away with casting plugs too. If you're looking to adapt bass lures in hand, stick to what works with smallies. Get started looking for lines (thermocline, weeds, breaks, points, water clarity lines) and just throw the book at them. I've been having great luck this spring fishing really small (1/15 oz ned head w/ Iovino jig trailer). Throwing that rig around where minnows are stacked up and swimming it has been crazy. Way more successful than my bro in law with actual crappie minnows. I can imagine a setup like that slaying walleye (either swimming or vertical jigging). Another larger profile bait I've had success with is the strike king rage twin tail grub swimming on a jig head. Plenty of colors to match the forage (cisco maybe)?

Rapala Rippin Rap is a good lure. In semi clear to clear water, I like to use jerkbaits as well.

In the summer, I will sometimes fish weeds in about 8-12 feet of water with a Texas rigged worm.

drewlesch wrote:What waters are you fishing? I've fished of the pipestone chain (SW Ontario) specifically in deep, clear, and cold water (mainly boulder rock bottom).
If you're intending to catch them artificials only you may want to bring some live bait rigs (or troll hardbaits) to find them first and then test what works. In my limited experience walleye fishing, the key is finding them and triggering a strike. Electronics help (if available). Once you find a pattern you can really get after them. It helps to contact some locals if you're traveling and get a general depth where you can find them.
I'd guess that they're still not spawning (44-48) so you can probably get away with casting plugs too. If you're looking to adapt bass lures in hand, stick to what works with smallies. Get started looking for lines (thermocline, weeds, breaks, points, water clarity lines) and just throw the book at them. I've been having great luck this spring fishing really small (1/15 oz ned head w/ Iovino jig trailer). Throwing that rig around where minnows are stacked up and swimming it has been crazy. Way more successful than my bro in law with actual crappie minnows. I can imagine a setup like that slaying walleye (either swimming or vertical jigging). Another larger profile bait I've had success with is the strike king rage twin tail grub swimming on a jig head. Plenty of colors to match the forage (cisco maybe)?

Good info, My buddy booked a rental boat were going to be fishing on Moon River. Going in blind as the boat he rented doesnt have any electronics lol so it's going to be a "wing it" kind of day.

ccass wrote:Rapala Rippin Rap is a good lure. In semi clear to clear water, I like to use jerkbaits as well.

In the summer, I will sometimes fish weeds in about 8-12 feet of water with a Texas rigged worm.

Looks like I'll be bringing a few jerkbaits lol

Well if you're river fishing blind (or possibly at the mouth in woods bay?) I would bring some crankbaits and troll locations where the water changes temp or clarity. I'd probably bring some heavier live bait style jigs and bounce them off the bottom while drifting too. You're far enough south that there might be spawn happening so you might have to annoy them enough to forget what they're doing. The guys at in-depth indoors tv just did a similar trip to the mouth of green bay, and they have a youtube channel you might find interesting. I know the mississippi pool 2 fishes great this time of year south of the ford dam as everything pushes up for spawn and warm water run off. Though I'd imagine that the water conditions are different.
Flukes should work too!

leggomye990 wrote:Anyone here like to target walleye?
Bass doesn't open here until June, but walleye and pike are open pretty soon here. I am going for walleye next weekend and was wondering what's a good technique for walleye?

Can you guys catch and release bass until June, or what would DNR do to you if you let say trying to catch pike and bass bites instead?

We have very few walleyes in our lakes and rivers and they occasionally bite crankbaits in spring. Besides that folks who target them use a live bait.

Cracker wrote:

leggomye990 wrote:Anyone here like to target walleye?
Bass doesn't open here until June, but walleye and pike are open pretty soon here. I am going for walleye next weekend and was wondering what's a good technique for walleye?

Can you guys catch and release bass until June, or what would DNR do to you if you let say trying to catch pike and bass bites instead?

In Minnesota the DNR states it's illegal: • Intentionally fishing for a species during its closed season.

So pretty vague. The way I understand the rules are if you are fishing for species in season (there is no season for panfish) and incidentally catch a species out of season you must immediately release that fish. If you are busted with out of season fish in your possession OR if you are fishing with a lure which the DNR rep busting you deems to be targeting out of season fish you can expect a fine (at least) or suspension of license.

Here in AR we have a freezing cold river system that holds them well, no season for them either. I caught a 9lb on a crank, but 90 percent of them are like forearm sized.

Most of the Walleye I catch are on dropshots... If I am dropshotting a small darker natural colored Roboworm or a small baitfish imitation dropshot I will probably be detaching and throwing more than a few walleye back.

drewlesch wrote:Well if you're river fishing blind (or possibly at the mouth in woods bay?) I would bring some crankbaits and troll locations where the water changes temp or clarity. I'd probably bring some heavier live bait style jigs and bounce them off the bottom while drifting too. You're far enough south that there might be spawn happening so you might have to annoy them enough to forget what they're doing. The guys at in-depth indoors tv just did a similar trip to the mouth of green bay, and they have a youtube channel you might find interesting. I know the mississippi pool 2 fishes great this time of year south of the ford dam as everything pushes up for spawn and warm water run off. Though I'd imagine that the water conditions are different.
Flukes should work too!

Thanks alot of good information. I'm not 100% sure if we will be near Woods bay. I think the area we are going to launch is closer to Arnolds Bay.

The techniques I had in mind were the typical round jig head with some kind of trailer like a 4" grub or easy shiner or something along those lines. A drop shot with some kind of minnow style bait, and my buddy he is a live bait guy, so as much as I try to avoid using live, I might dabble into that a bit depending on how things go. If all else fails, I'll just start chucking and winding everything I got in my tackle bag lol.

I love walleye fishing, but it's only a spring time, night time, top water/wake bait bite for me. Lasts a little while, then they go back deep and I don't mess with them any more. It's always nice to get some packed away in the freezer this time of year! The occasional striper shows up in the mix and a lot of quality LMB and SMB, but those ALL go back in to swim away

I'm fishing Green Bay Wi and over here we get alot of trophy walleyes. During our melt down the jigs and keitechs are my go too's but not the easy shiners but the 3.5 swing Impact. Other lures to try out is the Zman Streakz on a jig head because there elastic they float and imitate a bait fish. Also check out another lure called Evolve Vibra Grub and some days I use my own Diy stinger hooks when the bite is really settle. During the Fall runs where there's alot of shad, top water or wake baits are also great producers. Original Rapala float, Jerkbaits, Bent minnow and spybaits are killer at these times. Oh yeah scrounger heads with a smaller fluke work well too. I want to try this fall the mini chatters from Z and D-coy cup ring with a fluke at the end. Man thats going to be a killer lure

bronzefly wrote:I love walleye fishing, but it's only a spring time, night time, top water/wake bait bite for me. Lasts a little while, then they go back deep and I don't mess with them any more. It's always nice to get some packed away in the freezer this time of year! The occasional striper shows up in the mix and a lot of quality LMB and SMB, but those ALL go back in to swim away

Cool! Where you catch them like that? Big G?

Jigs with leech and worms, bottom bouncer with harnest, and crankbait are my way to go.