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Spring Walleye

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As soon as my river out near me thaws I'm going to try a couple of the local and popular wading areas for walleye. Primarily rocky areas below the dam's and bridge piling's. My favorite lure is simple a 3" white grub on a jig head, what's your favorite and most productive walleye lure?

I've always had good luck with a minnow on a jig head.  I've heard good things about leeches on jig heads as well.  

  • Super User

The XPS Static Shad is a good one to use. It's a suspending crankbait that I work much like a jerkbait. That bait killed it on the river in the spring last year for both smallies and walleyes. I caught my PB walleye on it last year which isn't gigantic but it's a big walleye for around here. 

 

  • Global Moderator

The XPS Static Shad is a good one to use. It's a suspending crankbait that I work much like a jerkbait. That bait killed it on the river in the spring last year for both smallies and walleyes. I caught my PB walleye on it last year which isn't gigantic but it's a big walleye for around here. 

 

Some big walleye headshakes going through that rod during the fight!

 

I catch more walleye on suspending jerkbaits each spring than on anything else. Rattle traps and 3" Gulp minnows on a jighead account for a bunch also. 

  • Super User

Some big walleye headshakes going through that rod during the fight!

 

I catch more walleye on suspending jerkbaits each spring than on anything else. Rattle traps and 3" Gulp minnows on a jighead account for a bunch also. 

Yeah it pulled pretty hard. The flowage I caught it on is one of those where you have the chance to catch a whole bunch of species and you really never know what you're gonna get. I didn't get a good look at it right away and I had no clue what I had on haha. We catch quite a few on lipless crankbaits during the summer.

I'm normally throwing a jighead with some type of plastic for walleyes in the spring (nothing against treble hook lures or live bait, just don't fish them).  3" or 4" Gulp minnow, 3" or 4" Gulp grub, 3" or 4" Rippleshad.  I just bought some Keitech Fat and Swing Impact baits to try this year too.  Various colors and I switch often.  River temp is still 36 degrees, but it won't be long now!

What kinda rod/reel setups are you guys using for walleye rigs?

The XPS Static Shad is a good one to use. It's a suspending crankbait that I work much like a jerkbait. That bait killed it on the river in the spring last year for both smallies and walleyes. I caught my PB walleye on it last year which isn't gigantic but it's a big walleye for around here.

is this on the Fox or a winne system river?
  • Super User

is this on the Fox or a winne system river?

Nope, it's out in the back waters on the Holcombe Flowage. 

My favorite is vertical jigging.  Typically when I fish it I'm in the Detriot River.  1oz jig head with a 3-4" dark colored worm.

What kinda rod/reel setups are you guys using for walleye rigs?

 

I typically fish an 1/8 ounce jig head with my plastics, sometimes up to 1/4 ounce if the river is flowing fast.  Casting jigs from the shore.  My rod/reel set up is a 6'10" ML/XF spinning rod.  Specifically a Loomis WPJR 821S GLX rod paired with a 3000 size Shimano Stradic CI4+.  10# Sufix 832 and 8# fluoro leader.

  • Super User

Jigs, blade baits & jigging spoons for vertical presentations. Jerkbaits for horizontal presentations. Walleye love bigger jerks like large size rapala husky jerks, smithwick rogues, LC pointers 100, 127 & 128's & rebel spoonbill minnows. Once the water warms they will hit crankbaits as well.

What kinda rod/reel setups are you guys using for walleye rigs?

For casting cranks, I like an 8' rod. Specifically a St. Croix eyecon. For jigging I use a ML/F Avid, 7 feet long. For fishing in weeds, I like a M/XF Avid or a MH/F Fenwick ETS.

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