Fishing for Walleye

How to go fishing for and catch Walleye in the USA and Canada

Author: Ultimate Fishing Lures Online Store Date: 11th of April 2018

Walleye are arguably one of the best eating fish to swim in a freshwater lake. Found throughout the northern portion of North America, walleye prefer cooler water and are traditionally a river-loving fish, although they have been planted and continually stocked in many lakes throughout their range. As with every other species of fish, fishing for walleye can be as easy, or as complicated, as an angler would like it to be. Of course, success rates will vary, but there is no need to break the bank just to get started. Also like every other species of fish, walleye are in different places within the lake at different times of year and the patterns are not always predictable.

To start fishing walleye, live bait is probably the best option. While there are a great deal of artificial lures and baits on the market today that will work very well, nothing looks or acts like a live fish quite like a live fish! In the spring, minnows and fatheads are popular. As the water warms into summer leeches and crawlers seem to be more of a favorite with the angler (and fish) preference turning back toward the small fish as the water cools into fall and even winter.

Most anglers use live bait with a jig. A jig will allow the bait to get down to where the walleyes live and can be worked fast or slow, depending on water temperature. As a general rule, the warmer the water, the faster the jig should be moving. Twitch and hop it along the bottom with different retrieves until you start getting strikes. When you get a strike, remember how you were moving the bait and try to repeat that same cadence again. Often times this will be the difference between filling a limit and going home empty-handed.

Trolling for walleyes is another very effective method for catching these game fish. When trolling, an angler can cover a great deal of water and find fish quickly. With downriggers and side planers, anglers can adjust where their lures are both vertically and horizontally. Lead core lines allow anglers to use lures that would normally run shallow, at greater depths. There are many factors that can be changed up when trolling. Controlling the speed at which the boat is going is key. Some days the fish will want to lures to swim by faster, other days slower.

One day a certain depth may be perfect, but the next day catch no fish at all. Experiment with speeds, depths and lures to find the perfect trolling situation for a given day on a given lake. This is where the local bait and tackle shop can be a big help. They will often have a good deal of local knowledge and will be able to let an angler know where and how others have been having success recently.

Whether trolling or jigging or using a variety of any other proved walleye tactics, the chance at a delicious dinner keeps anglers coming back time after time. Dont be afraid to ask locals for help and make good use of the expertise you find in your local bait and tackle shops.

View more articles in our World Fishing Guide.