River Walleyes On Ice

[TKA6213]

Just need some help on where to start? What to use, Where?

[TKA6213]

Thanks

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ohhhhh boy. TKA- great to have you with us and welcome to the iceleader/fishing minnesota.com family.

Where to start? Drill a hole!.. Each lake has its own little personality. Some lakes night fishing is key.. But URL, and LOW, the night fishing is dang near not happening.

If I had advice, fish one of those 2 lakes, it will give you your best shot. If you dont want to drive that far, talk to Paul at Appledorns on Mille Lacs and I would be willing to bet he will put you in a good spot.

As for lures, Spoons, Jiggin raps, plain hooks, Chubby darters..ect, they all catch fish.. its the location thats most important.

And that location changes depending on weather and time of the winter.

[Northlander]

I believe we are talking river eyes Dietz. No docks in this game.

I like just above or below deep drops or lips of deep outside washouts. Come dark I will move up onto flats close to that deep water and find dead weeds and or rock/timber. This is for walleyes. For crappies I like back bays, inside bends with some timber and or where the weeds were in the early fall. I seem to find them shallow 1st ice and deeper mid winter than shallower late ice.

You should be scouting in the boat for your 1st ice spots right now. The fish are staging up by the 1st ice spots. This year is wierd up here though. It seems like we are at least 2 weeks behind even though water temps are what they should be. The fish just havent been in the usual late fall areas yet.

[RiverFish]

I fish the Wisconsin River during hard water season. I catch most of my eyes in backwaters during low light or dark.

During the day I catch most of my walleyes up against dams or deeper holes. The WI river is darker water, I use a lot of minnows on tip downs and jig with a darter, buckshot, etc to bring in eyes.

Dietz,

URL is very productive at night, I have done well there most nights I have fished, I don't think I have not caught a fish at night.

[Snake River King]

Always take extra caution when out on rivers, believe me there can be 15 inchs in one area and 3 inches about 15 yards away thats on a shallow flat.

Fishing for river walleyes can be fun, it can be tough tho also, If im in current I like to set up tip ups and drop down a floater jig or a plain hook and put on just enough weight to keep your stuff on the ground in the current. The current will try to push you jigs to the bottom of the ice if you dont have enough weight

[ec30_06]

Heavy jigging spoon in deep holes or slack water areas next to current. Rock or other hard bottom is best. Be very careful on river ice!

[TKA6213]

Thanks for all the info. I hope it all works out this year. Cant for the ICE!!

[NAMASafetyDirector]

I spend quite a bit of time fishing the Rainy on early ice and early spring. Spend alot of time on 4 mile bay in the evenings catching the eyes coming out of the river channel heading for the shallows to feed. It can be awesome at times, esp. early in the year. Same thing, heavier spoons, jigs, depending on the current. I'll jig with a dead shiner on one line and typically set up a bobber line with a fat head. Sometimes one or the other works better for whatever reason. If there's spots on a river that where good for you in the boat late in the fall, that's an excellent spot to start with on first ice. Good Luck!