| Jig fishing for walleye is my favorite way to catch | | | | If the walleye are 3 feet off the bottom I set |
| them and spring is my favorite time of year to | | | | my rig about 1.5 feet off the bottom. I lift my |
| do it. | | | | rod tip up about 2 feet then lower it back down. I |
| I like to find a spot where a river or decent sized | | | | keep doing this until I get a hit. |
| stream is flowing into a proven walleye lake. | | | | You will find you usually feel the hit when you are |
| A fish finder helps put the location on good | | | | bringing your rod tip back up. The walleye are |
| structure and helps locate the walleye. You want | | | | actually hitting the jig on its way down. When you |
| to get fairly close to the river mouth but not so | | | | lift the rod tip up is when you usually notice the |
| close you can't set anchor. | | | | fish is on the bite. |
| You also want to get close to the drop off but | | | | As soon as you feel the slightest bit of resistance |
| not so close you can’t cast a few feet. | | | | you must set the hook, and I mean quickly. If |
| Weeds should be growing in the shallows before | | | | you don't set the hook immediately you are likely |
| the drop off. This gives walleye a place to hide so | | | | going to miss your walleye. |
| they can easily ambush their prey and hopefully | | | | There are all kinds of jigs on the market. Most |
| your jig or bait. | | | | work well but color does matter from day to day |
| Usually walleye feed right off the bottom but | | | | and even hour to hour. |
| sometimes they suspend above this area. This is | | | | The jig head color isn't extremely important but |
| another good reason to use a graph. You don't | | | | the tail color is. I like to use twister tails on a |
| want to waste time trying to figure out what | | | | normal jig head and a little walleye scent don't |
| depth the walleye suspending. | | | | hurt. |
| Once anchored up I like to cast toward the | | | | I find a 3/8 oz jig head works well in a fair |
| shallow side of the drop off and slowly reel in until | | | | current but if the current is somewhat swift I go |
| my line falls directly down beside the boat. | | | | with a 1/2 oz jig head. |
| Then I let my line drop to the bottom and reel up | | | | I often attach a spinner to the jig head. It seems |
| to the depth the walleye are suspending. | | | | to induce more strikes than a plain jig. But you |
| It's a good idea to see how much line one 360 | | | | never know if it's the daily special or not so you |
| degree crank on the reel draws up before you | | | | just have to try it and see. |
| get in the boat. If it brings in 1 foot of per crank | | | | Another jig that works great is Northlands’ |
| line and the fish are 3 feet off the bottom you | | | | Mimic Minnow. They come in different sizes. |
| slowly reel 3 times around and there you go. | | | | There is more information about mimic minnows |
| You have to slowly jig or lift your rod tip up and | | | | at the main website on this page: Fly In Fishing |
| down to display proper presentation as walleye | | | | Gear Checklist. |
| are real finicky about it. | | | | |