spring walleye

[fishinjosh98]

For opener what do people like to use to catch them walleye on?

[tunrevir]

Wow a pretty open ended question depending on where in the state you fish. I like to cover water with cranks on the river early, picking off aggressive fish by both trolling and casting shorelines. If the river is down where I fish and the water a bit warmer like this spring, I'll abandon spawning shoals and look for the first drop offs in deeper water that are nearest to the spawning shoals and work a jig and minnow or slow troll cranks again, letting the fish tell me what they want. I think alot of folks get hung up on where to fish rather then why to fish an area. Knowing the water temps, relative to prespawn, spawn or post spawn can really help you to find active fish. As a general rule, walleye spawn at +/- 5 degrees of 50 degrees. If the spawn is in progress the shallow water areas with gravel will have fish on them early and late in the day and the fish will move out to the first break or deeper water nearby as the sun gets higher in the sky during the middle of the day. Water temps at or above 50 degrees will find walleyes in the post spawn(usually opener in many areas of the state) and the walleyes will migrate to slightly deeper water from the areas where they spawn but the availability of baitfish may prolong the shallow activity around the spawning shoals with a few fish sticking in close and others drifting out to slightly deeper water. I always like to target shallow water first and work my way out deeper untill I contact active fish and then work an area with the best presentation to find more fish. Once I catch one, I'll refine and try other techniques and try to determine if the fish are tightly schooled or spread out, and again will go to a presentation that allows me to work the area I am fishing thoroughly or decide if covering ground is a better option. Early season water temps can give you a good indication of where fish are or might be and then it is a matter of either covering ground or refining from there.

Tunrevir~

[Stick in Mud]

I just bobber fish in shallow at sunset. But I'm lazy.

[OnAFly]

Lightest jig I can get away with. Usually 1/8th trolling around spots slowly casting and dragging.

[RiverFish]

Jig and a minnow here in the spring, usually. But as Tunrevir stated, you have to be able to adapt to other techniques if your not catching them.

I think I might even try some crawler harnesses this weekend if fishing gets slow (WI river has a year long open season on walleyes).

[tat2jonnie]

Whether I am bobbering or lindy rigging in the spring, leeches are my choice of live bait.

[Purpledescent]

Mr.Twister & Jighead!

[Fish Head]

Generally I'm using a jig and minnow, but this year I'm going to be mixing it up more. I'm definately doing more bobber fishing off my dock in the dark too.

[james_walleye]

Fish head I was just thinking about the bobber fishing off the dock this year on V. How long does that bite last on a normal year? Just curious what the early spring might do to that.

I normally find myself lindy rigging minnows on opening morning. I've always been a lindy rigger over a jigger. Evenings will call for a change. I'll go to pitching cranks n plastics shallower as well as mixing in the lighted bobbers and leech.

[Fish Head]

I purchased the cabin in July last year, so I don't have a history to give you. I can tell you that my son caught a 25 1/5" off the dock with a bobber and minnow last July, so the bite doesn't totally shut down real early. I do a fair amount of rigging too, but I usually jig more.

I'll be on the dock at 12:01 with a lighted bobber. I can't wait for the season to start!

[james_walleye]

I can believe that. In august last summer I was trolling shads in 10-12' in the evenings catching nice eyes. How much better does it get though catching eyes right off the dock!

Where is Ur cabin by the way? My wifes folks built theirs 2 years ago in big bay, right around the point from bayview.

[Fish Head]

I'm on an Island just off Moccasin Point. This will be my first opener at the cabin. Last year I stayed at Bayview for the opener.

[james_walleye]

Oh ok. I have done pretty well in that area around opener before.

[paceman]

Opener will find me lindy rigging a shiner along a shallow weedline...

[fish hawk kris]

In most of Minnesota's premier walleye lakes I would bet it is 75% jig n' minnow (for those in a boat), and the all of the other tactics for the remaining 25%. At least during a normal spring.

Mille Lacs is the exception, with rigs or floats starting from day 1.

Where are ya headed anyway?

Regards,

FHK

[Boar]

slip bobber'n a leech during prime time on sandy shorelines in as shallow as 4' out to 10'

[toddb]

#5 or #7 Shad Rap or a #6 Floating Salmo Hornet 1.3 to 2.1 mph for me. Maybe a flicker shad but not the first choice...

[Finlander]

Been doing real good on the Shallow Shad Rap #5 in Hot Steel color! Also the Purpledecent color is good too!

[Tommy1990]

I used to go up to Cass during opener and we always did better with Lindy rigs than jigs.

[james_walleye]

I always do better with lindys as well.

And that hot steel color is awesome.

[northernsportman]

You'll find me with a fireball and a spot tail on the end of my line come opener for a month or so.

[leechlake]

we always start with either fireball jigs/shiner or lindy shiner. I always bring some crawlers since every few years the crawlers will produce over shiners, not often but it's something to try if the fish aren't cooperating.

Slip bobbers are a great way to fish off docks and to get the bait away from the boat in shallower water. For some reason, even for adults when a bobber goes down it's exciting, must bring out the kid in all of us.

[Purpledescent]

X2 on the Purpledecent! Hammered the eyes pulling them last year.. Can't go wrong with the classic Firetiger either. If you can't catch them behind the boat throw on some planer boards.

[Neutroz]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned bottom bouncers with four foot leader - plain hooks, spinners, or half crawler and slow death.

[james_walleye]

Hey purple, the bleeding pearl shad is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Give it a try....