![]() You want the lure running a foot or so off the bottom, so make sure to choose your baits accordingly. When the fish are active, you can move these baits along pretty quickly, but when the water is still frigid and the fish are lethargic, you’ll want to take it nice and slow - with slower pulls and longer pauses. Fish them with a slow pull-and-pause retrieve when the water temperatures are cold this time of year. Jerkbaits are another great lure for covering water during the spring. Swimbaits are easy to fish and they get bit. It’s a great presentation for fan-casting around your boat. The easiest way to fish this bait is with a slow, steady swimming retrieve with some intermittent pumps mixed in here and there. A 3″ paddle tail paired with a 1/8 oz jig head is a killer finesse presentation when the water is cold in spring. You can even downsize to 3″ when fish are being really finicky. We typically use 4″ paddle tail swimbaits for this presentation. Upsize from there as the water continues to warm throughout the spring, both 1/4 oz and 3/8 oz jigs work great. Use a lighter 1/8 oz jig head when the water temperatures are still quite cold or when the fish are inactive. Swimbaits are extremely versatile in that you can fish them very fast and cover water, but you can also slow way down and get bites from less active walleyes. Here are a few lure categories we like to use when we’re out on the hunt for spring walleyes: Some of our best days on the water this time of year have been casting a variety of artificial baits. And while this is an effective way to get bit, don’t let yourself become a one-trick pony. Most anglers tend to target spring walleyes with a classic jig and minnow presentation. You need to have an open mind every time you wet a line.īut what do you do when you finally know where they’re living? The weather might be great, but the fish may be sluggish and holding tight on the breaks. That said, you can’t lean too hard on any assumptions once you’re on the water. If nighttime temperatures were below freezing the night before and water temperatures drop a few degrees, the fish are likely going to be in a negative mood. If weather conditions have been steady and seasonably appropriate, there’s a good chance you’re going to run into some hungry walleyes. Sometimes, you can forecast the activity levels of the fish before you hit the water. Zero in on their location by idling over the break and marking them on your electronics. When they are inactive like this, you need to slow down and tempt them with subtle vertical presentations. When fish are in a less favorable mood, they begin relating to the stair-step contour changes on the edges of structure. Horizontal presentation can be extremely effective in these situations because they cover water quickly and trigger strikes from walleyes that are looking to bite. When fish are in a positive mood, they tend to spend their time up on top of structure, actively hunting for food. The fish can be found throughout these mid-depth food shelfs, though they may be relating to the structure differently based on their mood. These in-between areas may contain rock or emerging vegetation. Look for shallow water structure between those spawning grounds and some of your favorite main lake summertime spots. Here’s a couple graphics that will help you understand how walleyes move from their spawning grounds, to their post-spawn areas, and finally to their summer haunts: Walleyes tend to go back to their old spawning grounds year after year, so once you figure out where they’re dumping their eggs, you’ll have some valuable information you can rely on for years to come. Depending on the lake (or area of the lake) you’re fishing, walleyes will either spawn on main lake shorelines or in feeder rivers and creeks. This tends to be on some form of shallow water rock or gravel, and when I say “shallow”, I’m talking 3-6 feet of water. One of the big keys to finding walleyes in the spring is knowing where they spawned just a few weeks before. The exact number is going to vary from lake-to-lake, of course, but it will generally be somewhere between 44-48F. Walleyes spawn quite early in the year, typically when water temperatures are in the mid 40’s. The more you understand the seasonal movements of the fish you’re chasing, the better you’ll be able to stay on the bite. ![]() It’s no secret that fish are quite shallow this time of year, but many walleye guys just can’t seem to steer themselves away from the deeper structure. ![]() Most of the anglers that don’t have success with spring walleyes are generally fishing too deep. Spring Walleyes: Key Locations and Strategies for Success It’s an active style of fishing that keeps me engaged and excited all day long. Personally, I love combing the shallows in search of wandering post-spawn walleyes. For those of you that love fishing shallow, spring walleyes are probably your favorite. ![]()
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