Spring Walleye Tactics: Finding Quality Areas with Your Electronics. Behind these obstacles, there will be slack water, which the fish prefer as they are able to take a break from fighting the current. For example, I fished a small sandbar this year with a short pool that was one to two metres deeper than the rest of the river channel. I prefer a medium light rod for perch and walleye on the Mississippi river because we are usually jigging heavy jig heads or river rigs, sometimes over 1 oz. Such obstructions may be in the form of rocks, depressions in the river floor, fallen timber or bridge legs. What To Throw: Reservoirs often allow trolling, and that is the numero uno method for locating active walleyes. You will be sent an opt-in email to confirm that you would like to receive emails from us. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Once the visibility gets back to about 8 inches or as soon as you can see … You will be sent an opt-in email to confirm that you would like to receive emails from us. Columbia River Walleye, CJ Strike and Hells Canyon Sturgeon, American Falls Trout, and CJ Strike Crappie! Where, when and how to catch river-dwelling walleye. ( Log Out / You can fish for (and catch) walleye during any season in most of the rivers hosting a population of walleye. Think about it: A major river system undoubtedly has more surface area than most freshwater lakes you’d ever fish, increasing the odds it will also be home to trophy-calibre walleye. The other obvious place is on outside riverbends, where the current digs away at the bank and bottom as it’s forced to turn. However, this can cause problems for anglers as some spots, such as dams, become particularly crowded, because typically these are the places that the walleye will travel to when spawning. River & Streams Prime Locations: Tailwaters below dams will hold walleye from late fall into early spring. In general, you want to avoid such areas, especially if they look as though the water is boiling—they’re too shallow to hold fish. So, how do you locate deep pools? River walleyes are relatively simple to understand, they relate to depth, structure, and current based on the time of year and respective weather and water temperatures. Google Earth provides satellite images of rivers, often making it easy to identify structure and deepwater pools. There are no huge secrets when it comes to fishing for walleye in rivers. Likewise, I’m drawn to any structure in the river to investigate how it might also affect the current and attract fish. The targeted species is the Columbia river walleye and that can mean some tricky business. Simply find deep pools and changes in the bottom structure (often from gravel to sand or mud) and you’ll find fish. By signing up for our newsletter, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Columbia River walleye can school up certain times of the year. Structure can be broadly defined as a-typical, or ideal areas of the water body’s floor that transition in depth or consistency from the general make up of the lake. And some smartphone and tablet apps, such as the Navionics Mobile App, feature maps and hydrographic information—invaluable resources for anglers looking for productive spots. Simple tackle and tactics for luring in huge halibut. The pools are well defined and easier to locate, and rivers that are often silty throughout the summer due to spring runoff are usually clear by the time fall arrives. Colors are really helpful as well. The Top 5 Locations For Finding Spring River Walleye - YouTube We are finding Garnets in this video at the River Valley Garnet Mine in Ontario, Canada. Plus, the fish start to congregate in these deep wintering holes and the really big walleye magically show up from their summer hiding holes. ( Log Out / Crankbaits and More Can Catch Walleyes in Rivers. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I can only hope that sandbar will still be there after spring’s high water. Caught up instead with fishing lake structure, they don’t even consider rivers as hot spots. We have both a transom and bow mount and we have find that our transom mount is much more reliable than our bow mount. The best way to find productive spots is to cover a lot of water while watching your sonar. Follow us on social media and keep up-to-date with Canada's fishing and hunting authority. The sides of sandbars are also key areas. On remote, low-pressured waters with scads of structure in the form of points, bars, reefs and saddles, I can often catch walleye on the same spots during all three winter stages. Two of my favorite methods for finding river walleye that you saw in that video above are visiting forums and scouting the river in a boat. You never know in which portion of a pool fish will be holding, so it’s important to cover the entire stretch of water. Of course, there’s always lakes that can produce all day or all night but that’s where I start. Change ). If you’ve avoided rivers until now because you’re wary of moving water and the potential of hitting hidden structures in shallow areas, head out first with an experienced river angler to learn the ropes. Tracking down spring walleyes can be a difficult task, but by applying some new tactics, you’ll be likely to boat a few more hungry walleyes on your next trip. "There’s no more critical time for understanding flow and its impact on walleye location than late winter, leading into the pre-spawn and spawn periods. Therefore the best place to begin looking for walleye in winter is around those kinds of obstructions and underwater structure. The water flowing in scours out the bottom of the river and produces prime fish-holding habitat. Two of my favorite methods for finding river walleye that you saw in that video above are visiting forums and scouting the river in a boat. I hope the video gave you a quick overview of finding walleye in rivers and I know they work because we use them all the time. A bottom bouncer with beads and blades can also be used to efficiently cover a pool, as can crankbaits when you let the current pull them out and down behind the boat—and into the mouths of trophy river walleye. Current lines can likewise be telling. Forums that are active and discussing the river or lake you are going to be fishing, usually have a fishing report somewhere in that forum and you need to visiting that thing daily to see what people are catching the walleye on as well as where they are catching them. Take some time to look at Google Earth images and ask around for local advice. Before you ever head out to a new walleye lake or river, it is best to compile as much information as you can. And keep up-to-date with Canada's fishing and hunting authority! Medium-action rods and spinning reels spooled with Fireline are well suited to detect everything from subtle walleye bites to the composition of the river bottom you’re fishing over. In fact our bow mount has been in the shop so many times we could have purchased a brand new one. Finding the Walleye. On another note what are your thoughts on the new electric trolling motors by MinnKota? Touring around an island, for example, you might find a deep hole on its leading edge. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. These scientists have a plan to fix it. When the current flows through a deeper portion of the channel, however, it slows and relaxes. River Walleye Fishing – Tips and Techniques for the Beginners Start by searching for the confluence of two rivers, or where a creek or stream meets the main river. Similarly, when current is forced to change direction on the downstream end of an island, also known as the toe, it can create a pool. ( Log Out / In the spring and summer, I’ll also use dew worms and leeches. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Keep this in mind. Chances are, you’re within a short drive of a few decent spots. Here’s another Columbia River walleye tip: When searching for walleye or learning new water, casting to points and ledges is much faster. Starting at one end allows you to scout in one direction and when you are finished you can quickly go to the first place you want to fish. Finding walleye in rivers can be hard especially if you are fishing a huge river like the Mississippi or the Columbia. One of the obstacles we do deal with from time to time is the runoff in the spring. Finding walleye in rivers can be just as challenging, if not more, than locating them in lakes. However, walleye fishing is definitely a differ-ent deal now. Fish the eddies alongside the fast current; Wing dams makes ideal feeding areas from spring into fall. This difficulty can make rivers a second choice when lakes are easily accessible. I prefer Zone R Nuckle Ball Jigs, which are designed to cut through the current and stand your bait upright once they find bottom. 3 important "quick tips" for catching them in rivers: 1. River walleye fishing is a widely overlooked pastime. River Walleye Fishing. But remember, rivers are dynamic and always changing, so make sure your sources are as current as, well, the river’s prevailing currents. in weight. Both cranks and crawler harnesses can be effective depending on the day, so experiment with both … The fact that walleyes don’t receive a lot of angler atten- tion this time of year does not imply that they are uncatchable. If you have never seen the river I highly recommend you follow these steps found on this page and on some of the other links we will be giving you. Fishing a pool this way, you’ll quickly learn the sweet spots where the fish hold and feed. When it’s time to cover a new section of the pool, simply let out more anchor rope and let the boat drift downstream until you’ve reach the desired spot. And in order to do that, you need to anchor above the top end, or head, of the pool, so you can start fishing where the water begins to deepen. Blue Fish Radio: Freshwater species have declined 83% since 1970. Historically, the river has been an important walleye fishery for West Virginia. Another walleye rule of thumb in the wintertime is to fish shallow early and late, and go deeper during the day. Take this into account … That’s a big mistake. The Elk is an old favorite among Mountain State walleye anglers. While you can find walleye in moving water all season long, autumn is my favourite time to hit the rivers. These are just a few of the options that we have right now to get you out on the water this spring with us. For example, when water is forced through a confined area, usually shallows, ripples show on the surface. Walleye fishermen should approach a river in much the same manner as a summertime trout angler. The tip of an island might be productive one week, while the river channel below the island could be a hot spot the next. With a little homework and a lot of patience, finding that river walleye hot spot is well within reach. It just flat out catches fish, no matter the time of year. What are your thoughts? As for lures and baits, the best option is usually a jig tipped with a minnow or soft-plastic bait. As duck and goose hunting comes to a closure, the race to the Columbia begins. River Walleye Fact Finding. Finding current seams or slack water, warmer water (especially when the spawn is near), feeder creeks and structure/sandbars/gravel shorelines should be your main goals. New research shows that 2020’s travel restrictions were good—very good—for Ontario’s bass, Science proves that releasing big fish, and keeping only small ones, improves a fishery, 12 of the year’s best Canadian outdoor adventure photos. You can also set the depth alarm to ensure you don’t beach your boat on a hidden sandbar, but more importantly, it can help you find hidden fish-holding areas. Timing the spring bite takes a bit of guess work but once dialed in it’s fairly consistent from year to year. Targeting structure is the primary factor in finding Walleye. The fish prefer this relaxed water because there’s less flow and they don’t have to fight the current. Walleye are one of the most sought after fish in the Columbia basin, and we cant wait to be out on the river … When water levels drop or a river floods, the location and nature of pools can change—they can fill with sediment in slow-flowing water or become deeper in faster currents. Want to catch trophy walleye in the spring, our guides have some Columbia River walleye secrets. Aerial photos and analog maps can also provide a great starting point. On that note, it’s important to regularly check on your best locations to see if they’ve remained productive. The fish are here, but for some reason, they can be difficult to catch with this dirty water. Advertisement . I’m fortunate to live in the heart of winter walleye country, with scores of great lakes. Repeat the process until you’ve covered the entire pool and begin to drift back into shallower water. Catching More Walleyes in Smaller Rivers. Boating down a straight, fast-flowing section of the Athabasca River, I pointed to a sudden drop in water depth on the sonar. My fishing buddy Ray Kohlruss immediately turned the boat around, found the head of the pool and anchored. Binoculars are another great piece of fishing gear you should have so you can find out rather quickly if they are using jigs, blade baits, crawler harnesses, etc. How To Catch Walleye In Any River. River and reservoir walleyes are also very depth consistent, so try different depths along the channel (edges vs. bottom) and once you locate the fish, run that depth in other similar places. When you do locate these little gems in the same spot, you often encounter fish. His passion for the outdoors leads him across North America collecting incredible photographs and story ideas from the most wild places. In fact, this river was one of the first West Virginia rivers to feature a thriving walleye fishery. The mention of walleye will immediately bring trolling in mind to many anglers, but the thrill of casting for walleye on small rivers should not be overlooked. Walleye are extremely sensitive to light. When it is bright and hot outside, walleye will head into the deeper areas of the river, and find underwater structure to hide in and around. March is our official kickoff for our Columbia River Walleye season, and we couldn’t be more excited to chase these tasty and challenging fish. It’s no surprise that an article such as this comes from me. Fishing a jig below the boat on top of schooling walleye raises the fun meter. Brad Fenson is an avid outdoorsman. He works hard to learn new techniques and strategies to increase his knowledge as a hunter and angler, and then shares his understanding with readers and viewers. Walleye Fishing Tips – Biggest Tricks To Catching More Summer Walleye (2019) You want to catch more walleyes this spring and summer? Informative video that will give you some repeatable steps to finding walleye on rivers. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. There are several options for finding productive water and deep pools even before you hit the river. My absolute favorite tactic for spring river walleyes is to pitch a light jig into the shallows. "Whenever I have a first-time river angler in my boat, the first lesson I teach them is that finding river walleyes is all about current, which we commonly refer to as flow," says Frigo. The key is to set your sonar to high sensitivity to clearly identify bottom types and structure. Deep water can often also form next to the middle of an island, where the deflected current scours the river bottom. How to Fish River Walleyes. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, 6 brilliant bladed lures for big walleye, trout, bass muskies & pike, 5 far-out new numbers about fishing, hunting and conservation in Canada, The top tackle and lures for catching spring pike in current areas, How to pick the perfect hunting footwear for every adventure, An homage to Gore-Tex—saviour of many rainy-day outdoor adventures, 4 simple steps to restore your rusty cast-iron cookware, A veteran trapper shares tips for beginners heading out on the trapline, 12 must-have items for your fishing and hunting first-aid kit, Outdoor Canada’s 2021 Mother’s Day gift guide for outdoorsy Moms, Why we must always clean up after ourselves in the outdoors, Recipe & video: Scrumptious crusty walleye with a green citrus salad, Recipe: Bacon burbot combines two great tastes for a classic Canadian combo, Ice-fishing Friday: 4 simple fresh-fish meals you can make on the ice. For other walleye fishing tactics visit: http://www.riverwalleye.com