Finding Walleye

Structure such as weeds, rocks, timber and manmade cover will attract and hold fish, both predators and prey. Walleyes will often relate to their choice of structure, holding along the outer edges while feeding on baitfish. They'll continue to maintain this position as long as they're not overly pressured. As angling activity increases, the fish will usually drop back within the heavy cover and become inactive. Some structure, like rock, is fairly snag-free unless the lure becomes wedged between them. Other types like timber or weeds may require modifications to the lure. For example, to permit penetrating and working within the structure, hooks may need to be made weedless or partially protected from hangups. The position of fish in cover will often determine their aggressiveness and the approach needed to catch them. Active walleyes holding along the outer edges are relatively easy to reach with a variety of presentations. However, when they drop down into the thickest areas and are reluctant to strike, slow and careful finesse-style probing techniques will become necessary for bites. Live-bait presentations are generally a must in these cases. If walleye anglers have a weak point, it's normally a reluctance to work thick cover with snag-resistant methods. Walleyes that suspend in open water or are relating to deep humps, points or other types of structure are easier to locate than those holding tightly to cover. Most moderately priced electronics today are capable of detecting the presence of suspended fish. Furthermore, open water is easier to work and is less restrictive due to fewer snags. To make open-water angling even more attractive, almost all standard walleye-angling techniques will work at one time or another. Vertical jigging, live-bait rigs, jigging spoons, bottom bouncers, trolling, casting or any of your favorite methods will, on certain days, take an abundance of walleyes from open water. A decisively better presentation in the previous scenario would be slow-trolling large crankbaits with built-in rattles. The lure should be trolled slowly to allow fish to home in on it in the dirty water while the rattles add to the vibrations normally given off by crankbaits.