Walleye Fishing Methods

[RJT]

New guy here. I am a avid walleye fisherman that is looking to broden my horizon's. I spend all my time fishing the metro detroit area. Here are the methods that are the most productive for our area:

Verticle Jigging

Trolling with bottom bouncers (crawler harnesses or minnow baits)

Hand lining

Whipping

I am interested in the most productive methods you all use in your region.

Ryan

[Stratosman]

Probably #1 around here is live bait or lindy rigging, verical jigging as well, along with slip bobbering, and trolling plugs. Most top presentations change with the time of the year.

Oh yeah and welcome.!!

[Team Otter]

Before this thread goes any further, please define "whipping".

[Mike Walerak]

"Whipping" is a variation of 3-way rigging done from the anchored position with a very short bait casting rod and crankbaits. It is a method only done in rivers. For the bait tie a 6-8 ft leader to a crankbait. Where legal you can add another crankbait by attaching another leader to the rear hook eye of the crank so that it basically looks like two minnows swimming in a straight line, imitating a school of baitfish.

The technique is to drop the rig over the edge of the boat and let the current do the work or you can pump the setup letting line out with each pump of the rod so that it works downstream and away from the boat.

Once a fish is caught you reel up to the 3-way and hanline the fish in.

Sounds simple don't it.

The first time I have seen this done was on the fishing float at Alma, WI years ago. My personal success has been limited with it. But I hope to give it another try this spring as I have been doing some homework and experimenting.

On to my favorite methods:

#1 Casting Jigs

#2 3-way rigging live bait

#3 Lindy rigging structure

#4 Trolling Crankbaits

[RJT]

You nailed that one Mike. Heres a good picture! We use Rapala's and pencil plug's of all sizes. Usually two pencil plugs then a floating rap.

Can you explain 3 way rigging and working structure with lindy rigs.

[Mike Walerak]

3-way rigging live bait is just a 3-way rig with usually a plain hook or a spinner. I like to work the current seams and breaks. Also the channel edges. I only do this in rivers.

In lakes, I enjoy lindy rigging near structure is just a simple lindy rig and fishing it over humps, rocks or anything that can hold fish. Most people call it a live bait rig.

[Team Otter]

Thanks for the explanation Mike. I have to think several people were interested in that type of presentation.

My favorite methods are (in no particular order):

1. Casting Crank Baits

2. Lindy riggin'

3. Pitching jigs

4. Corkin' in the timber

5. Trolling crank baits

6. Draggin' blade baits and jigs

[RJT]

While three way rigging, we found that gulp's 4" turtle back worms work wonders and keep "junk" fish away. In our region live bait is rarely used. Plastics and body baits and spoons produce for us all year long. Are you fellas fishing the mississippi?

[Muddog]

There is a lot of Walleye fishing on the Mississippi river all year around near Red Wing (Pool #4- upper end of lake Pepin). The Pool #4 area at this site would be a good place to look for river Walleye tactic.

From what I've seen, hair jigs tiped with a Fathead have been working as of late.

[andrew chadwick]

slip bobbering

[rms]

TO,

I don't see pullin' spinners on your list

[BobT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't that rig have to be altered to some degree to make it legal in MN? We aren't allowed to use multiple lures on the same line. Or are there areas where this would be permitted?

Bob

[hanson]

Quote:

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Or are there areas where this would be permitted?

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Border waters where 2 lines are legal. Mississippi & St Croix between MN and WI. Red River between MN and ND.

Most folks also never think to ice fish with 2 lures on 1 line either. But if you are a hole hopper who only uses 1 rod, why not add another lure to the presentation to take advantage of the 2 line law.

[PerchJerker]

Hanson - that's an interesting idea about 2 hooks on 1 line for ice fishing. Can you clarify if you know for sure that multiple hooks on 1 line is legal - I know 2 lines are legal, but I'm a little fuzzy about the 2 lures on 1 line idea for ice fishing????

But ...... I've done some surf fishing the last few years and those guys have some brilliant rigging options figured out that should lend themselves really well to ice fishing, if you can indeed use 2 baits on 1 line.

BTW, I completely agree that 2 baits on 1 line is legal in border waters in MN, for example a 3-way rig with a crankbait and a jig for the weight.

[hanson]

Quote:

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Hanson - that's an interesting idea about 2 hooks on 1 line for ice fishing. Can you clarify if you know for sure that multiple hooks on 1 line is legal - I know 2 lines are legal, but I'm a little fuzzy about the 2 lures on 1 line idea for ice fishing????

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Hope we didn't open up a can of worms for major discussion here.

Best I could find in the fishing regulations was this:

"Anglers may use only one hook. An artificial lure is considered one hook. A treble hook, when not part of an artificial lure, is considered three hooks and is not legal. The exception is three artificial flies may be used when angling for trout, crappie, sunfish, and rock bass.

Its the 3 artificial flies part that I was thinking of for crappie and sunfish. Reason this came to mind was the recent In-Fisherman did an article with Tony Boshold and he referenced the Michigan rig in the article, essentially multiple flies on one line.

I think this idea needs a little more investigation.

[TrophyEyes]

Now someone told me if you connect a bead or some sort or artificial attractant above a treble hook it made it a lure and you could use it in MN. Is this grey area or is this legal. Let say someone put a glow bead above a treble hook through the back of a shiner for a tip up, is that legal or illegal in MN. I am looking at using tip ups this winter and I want to be sure I am following the law.

[PerchJerker]

TrophyEyes

What you're saying about a bead would make the treble hook a "lure" so it would then be legal. A small spinner blade, like the plastic flipper that comes on Swedish Pimples, would work too. But without something like that to make it a "lure", multiple hooks and live bait (ie. a minnow on a treble hook or a crawler on a 2-hook harness with no beads or spinners) is not legal.

This topic comes up every year in the Ice Forum. There are lots of different opinions on what is needed to make a hook into a lure. You should post your question there or search the archives, there will be a lot of posts about it.

[BobT]

I think this would make a good discussion to be moved to another thread rather than stealing this one. I'm interested in what Hanson has to say on the subject.

Bob

[Team Otter]

That's my bad. How could I forget?