SPRING HAS SPRUNG AND SO HAS WALLEYE SEASON!
Fishing many spring walleye tournaments over the years the biggest factor and most important thing on your list is what is the water temperature.
By spending so many days documenting all my pre-fishing, guiding, and all other days on the water it has saved me so much homework for each year going forward. Not only do you save money on gas going to the right areas first but you up your odds on more successful days before you even get a line wet.
KEEP A DIARY!
When the water is super cold and the year is late my first thing I do is try and find the warmest water I can. This will often have more forage and of course more active fish. Documentation is the most important thing for success. I don’t want to sound like a broken record but as much as we might have good memories it’s impossible to keep it all in the back of your head. I can’t stress it enough this simple technique saves you so much time and effort in the long run.
Write everything you can about the day and the patterns emerge with similarities. Although every lake is different and every spring is different walleye have their key spawning areas which they will be in.
KEY AREAS
River Mouths / Channels / creek mouths are all key areas, especially in late springs. When things are behind, and the water is under 50 degrees Fahrenheit these areas are often the number one spots you want to key in on. My first choice in colder conditions is to go with a jig and minnow. If the current is mild and or if there is no current at all slip bobbers and leeches work super well. No matter how negative they are it’s only a matter of time before they can’t take the movement of the leech anymore.
It is important to make sure your leech is swimming properly and change them often in the cold water. We fished a tournament for years in Alberta and if it was a late spring 75 -80 percent of the boats would be in front of one creek. Despite the pressure almost all the fish came from that area. These areas can maintain good fishing throughout the spring and hold fish for weeks on end of the water and weather doesn’t warm up to fast .
ROCK FLATS AND SHOALS
Shallow rock flats can be amazing areas and depending on the spring it might be the only area holding fish. Low water years where walleye can’t access creek mouths properly to spawn these are the best years for the rocks. These fish will stack up and the action will be non-stop!
Again jig and minnow fishing slip bobber and leeches are key techniques especially if the water is still cold and the walleye are negative. But always let the fish tell you what’s up. I’ve found it can be great for spinner rigs and crank baits as well when you see more 50-60 degree Fahrenheit water.
WIND DIRECTION
One of the huge keys is to understand which way the wind has been blowing for a period. If the wind has been blowing to the east side, you want to set up on the far west side and vice versa. That’s where all the bait fish and feed will be piled up.
I typically slowly troll these areas and mark out the bigger fish and where the feed is. If the fish are negative or more of a jig situation I set up right over top of them. If it’s five feet of water or less I stay a short cast away from them to not spook them with a boat. If you do it’s usually game over for that spot for the day.
SHALLOW BAYS WITH PENCIL REEDS
These are areas that will hold a ton of small immature walleye but can also hold some real sows as well. Sometimes big hens that aren’t quite ready to spawn will be in these areas. It’s often the warmest areas in the lake this time of year. I have landed many big walleye that still hadn’t spawned and of course, a pile that had already spawned.
Often these areas are shallow and calm so stay back a ways and cast to the edges of them. Boat shadows and noise can spook these fish so fast you never would have known they were even there. Again jig/minnow slip bobbers and leech if it’s cold early and or negative.
A bit later in the spring when the water warms up in the 50s to 60s the fish in these areas can get real active. Then I’ll troll shallow lipped crankbaits and spinner rigs with ¼ to3/8 egg weights 3/5 feet above your spinner rig to keep it down just enough. And always use planer boards to get your lines further away from the boat.
These are your keys area for spring walleyes. I’ll say it again and again and again a document everything.