Early spring walleye are BIG at Lake of the Woods!
Hot Spring Patterns for Lake of the Woods Walleye
By Phil Rolfe
Spring walleye fishing can sometimes confound anglers, especially those that are trying a new area for the first time. It doesn't have to be all that difficult. In fact, this period can yield some of the best numbers and size, if you follow these keys to success.
In the area of the Woods where we fish, central and north sectors, there is very little river spawning, so what we are dealing with is main lake spawning. Knowing the fish's options can put you on the road to a successful fishing adventure.
Outside influences such as weather, forage, water levels and angling pressure all play a part during most seasons, but the for the most part walleyes are pretty predictable throughout most of the year.
Fishing opener for walleye is designed to protect spawning fish. Seasons theoretically open during the post spawn period, there by protecting the brood stock and insuring a good success rate. In some years, Mother Nature can throw a monkey wrench into the situation, producing a different set conditions.
Spring Location In a normal year, I would be looking for post spawn fish to be in the upper water column where the warmest waters are. Shallow flats near spawning sites, shallow soft bottomed bays with new or downed year old vegetation, and along rocky, boulder-strewn shorelines are keys. This is where the forage is; this is where the walleyes will be.
A key point to remember is that walleyes will have a shallow tendency, however, not all fish are doing the same thing at the same time. Even though there will be a great number of fish shallow, there will also be some at medium depths (to 30'), and some using deep water. Nonetheless, the majority will be either shallow or medium during the post spawn. Keep in mind that spring fish are scattered and wandering at this time.
I for the most part, don't concern myself with the deep fish. But if unusual conditions exist such as an extremely late spring, then this may be the best option, at least until the waters warm. In most years, this will not be the case.
Paying close attention to the surface temperatures as well as probing down to twenty or thirty feet can provide a great set of clues. If you are finding surface temperatures near fifty degrees with warming trends, shallow to medium depths will be your best bet. The fish will be active and feeding.
Spring Presentations In working shallow fish, I use two main presentations. My favorite presentation is casting artificials to shallow structure such as near shore humps dotted with boulders, rock and boulder strewn shorelines on the main shore or bigger islands, and to cover in soft bottom shallow bays (with deeper water in close proximity).
For this presentation, I like to cover water fast and thoroughly. Nothing beats a Rapala Husky Jerk for this in my opinion. Especially if there is a strong warming trend. I prefer large baits at this time of year. I know, I know, you've all heard that small baits work best in the spring. My feeling on the matter is that walleyes are keying on at least year old forage such as perch and shiners, bigger is better for me.
My favorite size is the HJ10 in Firetiger, Perch, Silver, or Gold. Along rocky shorelines, I like to use the Orange Crawdad, imitating the crayfish, which the Woods has an abundance of. This bait can be casted long distances with a baitcasting set up which I prefer over a spinning rod for this presentation.
Long casts are an advantage in that stealth is a real plus. If you can see the fish, they can see you. Approach your target cautiously, otherwise the ballgame could be over.
I use a St. Croix TC70LM; a long fast action rod with plenty of backbone coupled with the Shimano Calcutta 200 series, and spooled with 10 LB Fire Line. Slow, erratic retrieves are the ticket for this. Remember that the fish's metabolism is low and they will not make long charges to grab a bait.
Once contact is made, I know that I have found fish, and that there will be others in the area as well. Changing colors will likely produce a few more fish. After the action subsides, it's time to slow down and bring out the light jigs (1/16th to 1/8th ounces). My second favorite shallow presentation, but much slower, yet more thorough, in covering water. I use this exclusively after I have located fish.
Once again, long casts are needed. To accomplish this, I prefer a St Croix Legend LS70ML coupled with Shimano's Spirex 1000 RA. I like the reel's quickfire mechanism here for sure speed and ease of operation as well as the fighting rear drag. Six-pound Fire Line works great here, aiding making long casts and providing a very good sense of feel. The long rod takes has a nice give to it, thereby preventing ripped lips that is a problem with the no stretch lines.
I'll tip the jigs with a whole crawler and slowly work it back to the boat with frequent pauses. If the fish are aggressive, I'll try using a twister tail (2") tipped with a little piece of crawler or just plain. This allows me to work a little faster.
The key to spring walleye success is to cover water and not dilly-dally to long at any one spot. You have to cover a variety of spots and habitats, and keep moving. But, sometimes you can run into a mess of fish and score big.
Such was the case last year, when I happened to check out a sand-bottomed bay, which faced to the south and was considerably warmer than the surrounding water. I hit them real quick on the Husky Jerk, after some hot action the bite waned. Switching to the jig, I was able to land a release a bunch more. Never had to leave that spot for the rest of the day. And better yet, it stayed hot for the rest of the week.
The bottom of that bay was barren, not a sign of any developing vegetation, I was wondering what was drawing these fish to this particular spot. During the early afternoon while eating a sandwich and just drifting, I saw a big school of minnows (shiners) swimming by. Forage brings hungry walleyes.
The shallow presentations work best on warming days and in the afternoons. The reason for this is that many times during the early season, we have near freezing conditions during the night, the surface temperatures drop down four or five degrees. As the day goes on the sun will warm things up. Shallow rocks and soft bottoms tend to take on the heat the best, drawing the forage.
So what are going to do in the morning till things warm up? We are going to fish deeper, usually off the first breakline. My favorite areas for this are main shorelines and island shorelines with rock and boulder structure.
A bottom bouncer and spinner rig work great for this. Covering water is the key here. Another plus is that you will be able to mark fish on your depth finder, in fact, if you don't mark fish, move on and keep looking till you do.
I find that small spinners such as #3 Colorados in hammered nickel, hammered gold, pink, chartreuse, and orange work great. If the fish are particularly lethargic, then I will use just a plain snell. No beads, no spinners, just a big juicy crawler.
I find that snell lengths can be on the short side in our area of the Woods due to the stained water conditions. About 30" seems ideal. The longer the snell, the greater number of snags. Hook placement is also very important. I use three #4 hooks on my snells, placed two and one half inches apart. Any hungry walleye that bites into my crawler is going to get a hook in the mouth. Number 2 hooks present a viable option as well; a bigger gap can work better on the bigger fish.
I work this rig slow, using a 1 1/2 ounce Lite Bite bottom bouncer. When a fish is felt, I drop the rod back giving the fish time to get up the crawler, and then sweep the rod forward. High hook rates are the advantage of this setup.
My rod of choice for spring finesse bouncing is a St. Croix TC76LM with a very fast tip to feel the softest of bites, rigged with a Quantum Q6 3000 with a flippin switch to allow for precise depth control.
In my job as walleye pro at Witch Bay Camp, our primary objective is put our guests on fish. I don't have the luxury of taking a hit or miss approach, I need to score or face sullen guests at the dinner table. Personally, I like happy fisherman.
Unlike many professional guides or tournament anglers, they keep their hot spots to themselves and I don't blame them. My job is different. At Witch Bay Camp, my responsibility to put our guests on fish, giving them the best spots I have.
These methods have worked for me and could work for you. Good luck and good fishing.
