WU-301: Great Lakes Walleye Fishing Tactics - Part 2

by Dave Truett

Springtime - "Great Lakes Walleye Fishing Tactics" - Part two will deal with the springtime section of the pie chart.  On the first of March ( weather permitting) I launch my Lund boat (Pro-V 2025SE) at the Portage City Marina in Portage, Indiana.

Dave’s Lund is equipped and ready to roll.

Leaving the Portage City Marina for springtime fishing on Lake Michigan.

I then check all of the boat’s accessories at the marina, assuring that all is in working order, before traveling out onto Lake Michigan.  The water temperature is around thirty-six degrees at this time of year, and conditions can be rough.  Using common sense is a must during this time of year.  Don’t take unnecessary chances, if the water is too rough.  Venture out on the big lake only when it is safe, in your opinion.  The water is cold, so where will the walleyes be located in thirty-six degree water temperature?  Well, start looking for warmer waters, such as hot water discharges and the south sides of inside breakwall areas, where the sun is warming this calmer water more quickly.

Once warmer water is found, I shut down my main Mercury outboard engine and put my bow mount Minn Kota to work, utilizing my Garmin sonar unit to locate structure and fish.  When the areas looks right to start fishing, I grab my Rapala (RAP 5x3 combo series) jigging rods and reels ( 6 ½ - medium rod action) and start to work.  Using Fireline ( 8# test) with a swivel attached to a three foot leader of Vanish fluorocarbon (6# test) line is my number one choice for a good cold-water jigging line setup.

I always start out with chartreuse and white colored ball jigs (3/8 oz. size) doctored up with Berkley’s “Gulp” (minnow or worm) highly scented plastic superbait, tipped with a 2 to 3 inch live minnow.  This combination makes for a great jigging presentation.

Springtime jig fishing off of the Indiana shoals in Lake Michigan.

I never put any baits into the water without eyes on them, including jigs. Glass eyes work great and so do “Rattlin” buck shot shells and glow beads, attached to your jig. They will aid in attracting walleyes that are farther away from your bait. Anything to get their attention is your primary goal. Get them to bite your bait aggressively and establish a pattern.

A pair of walleyes caught using this presentation on the Detroit River

So you’re finally catching “eyes”, but they are not the larger, trophy size that you’re seeking.  Stop jigging, putting that entire presentation away, and get out your trolling tackle.  These larger walleye are most likely not far away from your jigging area, so start to look for drop-offs and bumps (not rocks) on the bottom of your sonar.  A series of bumps shown atop a gray line means fish are laying in the mud.  Start to rig your equipment to go after them.  Remember that it’s cold, so troll around .7 to .9 mph for best results.  I like using 3 ounce bottom bouncers with a 30 inch leader of Vanish 10 pound test line, doctored-up with a #3 Colorado Holographic blade, chartreuse  with a glass eye.  Also include glow and rattle beads attached to a number 2 Octopus VMC Fastgrip hook, either black nickel or fluorescent yellow.  A lively minnow hooked through the lips about 3 inches long, should pull these fish up from the mud.  Also, lock that minnow on with a Gulp/Grub plastic bait.  This will not only keep your minnow in place, but also will leave a highly scented trail behind your presentation.

You’re now catching decent quality fish, but all of a sudden the sun is warming things quickly and you see these fish, on your sonar screen, starting to raise up from the bottom.  What is your next move?  Using crankbaits is now the ticket.  So, ladies and gentlemen, get your slim-minnow baits out on deck and start your engines!

Dave’s favorite springtime Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerks

Springtime walleyes on Lake Erie can put a big smile on your face, too.

My favorite crankbait during the springtime is Rapala’s Down Deep Husky Jerks. A deep-diving version of the Husky Jerk, these Down Deep Husky jerks will reach depths of nearly 20 feet. when trolled, and will go deeper yet when 1 to 1 ½ ounce snap weights are added to the line about 25 feet from your bait. The colors I most often choose are Fire Tiger, Silver, Gold, Silver Blue, Tennessee Shad and Clown. Again, I use a Berkley Gulp/nightcrawler on the front treble hood of the crankbait, and I pinch it off so as not to interfer with the back treble hook. This not only will change the action of your minnow bait, but will also leave a powerful scent trail.

So, now you have my best Spring presentations in catching huge hens. These tactics work well all the way into June. However, when July begins to heat up, I then unroll different presentations for my continued success in catching walleyes in the ten pound and over class.

Questions and Answers

1. On the Great Lakes, especially Lake Michigan and Erie, what seems to be the best water temperature to begin fishing these two lakes?  The water temperature in these two lakes should be 36 degrees F and above to begin fishing.
2. What type of line set-up would you recommend when starting out jig fishing in this 36 degree F water?  Using Fireline (8# test) with a swivel attached to a 3 foot leader of Vanish fluorocarbon ( 6# test) line is my first choice.
3. Does Berkley’s new Gulp! highly scented, plastic super bait work equally as well in all three presentations mentioned in the spring section?  Yes, you can bet on it.  My percentage of catching fish last season greatly increased when I added a Gulp Superbait to it.  My successes at the PWT tournaments in 2003 at Dunkirk, New York and at Escanaba, Michigan where I cashed checks at both tournaments and was awarded  “Big Fish” on day 2 at Dunkirk, were a direct result of using Gulp/nightcrawlers.
4. How do you know where to place your snap weight on your line to get your crankbait down deeper to where you are marking fish?   I start at 25 feet from the crankbait when I attach the snap weight.  It is the distance from your planer board which regulates the depth of your bait. Speed is a big factor in the bait’s depth, too.