I can always tell when winter is coming to an end because I put another new tackle box together. I spend hours figuring out inventory, and deciding what I need for the upcoming spring. Don't forget the time spent checking out the latest in new fishing lures at the sporting goods stores. I get the urge in February to find out what is new for the upcoming year, and spending a day wondering around the fishing department helps me cope with those winter blues. The one new item I noticed are jigs that are battery powered. These jigs light up to let fish see your bait, and I thought this would be something that could really help improve results. The disadvantage is that they run around $4.50 so you wouldn’t want to lose a bunch on logs, rocks, etc. After checking jigs, I walked over to watch the fish being fed and ran into Pastor Chuck who married my wife and me almost four years ago. As we were catching up on some of the happenings in our lives, we watched the fish attack the crawlers and minnows. I realized a couple of things; trout rarely miss the minnow, and fishing shouldn’t be complicated by not having enough batteries for your lures. I decided to stay with things that have worked so well for me during the first few weekends of the walleye season; basic live bait rigs and jigs.
Ever notice on opening weekend how many guys are speed trolling spinners and minnows? I have never understood this because all I ever see people catch are a couple of small, aggressive walleyes and endless two-pound slough sharks. This is great if you like pickled northern, but not great if you are trying to catch walleyes consistently. Here is a tip that has worked well for me every spring: SLOW DOWN!!! Go vertical and by this I mean use jigs and work the drop-offs and points on the lake you are fishing. The lake I fish early in the year is fairly shallow, around thirty feet deep. I fish the areas that start at about eight feet and work my way to down to around twenty four feet. If the lake you are fishing is a deeper lake going slow makes even more sense because the water is colder and the fish are less active. If the wind is light then I usually start out using a light jig like a 1/8 up to a 1/16 ounce fuzz-e-grub and tip it with a shiner. Some other jigs that work well for me are buckshot jigs, whistlers, and if the fish are biting real lightly then I try a fireball jig with a trailing hook. Colors that work well during this time of the year are the green, orange, and white. I never have as much luck with pink, blue, or brown. If you aren’t having success with the shiners then switch over to jumbo leeches and work them. Last year we switched over to leeches and it saved the day.
Most people know that most opening weekends in Minnesota are hardly calm, or for that case warm. If the wind is blowing hard and the jigs don’t seem to be working with either bait, then switch over to a live bait presentation. Depending on where you're graphing fish, you should key your floating bait to be just above the depth you're graphing fish. The key, again, is going as slowly as possible. There are a few ways to fight the wind and keep a slow presentation: anchor, drift bag, or back trolling. If I am catching a lot of fish in a certain area and depth, then dropping an anchor and casting out either lindys or jigs and slowly retrieving them over that area works well. Slips bobbers can also work well in these types of situations. Using a bag to slow down your drift is another option to keep your presentation vertical to the bottom. I also find back trolling with lindy rigs is a good way to work different depths while keeping the boat speed slow. If the wind is really howling then a combination of a drift bag and back trolling can really help slow the boat and keep your presentation vertical. These are ways that I use to help control the speed and the direction of the boat so I can keep working areas that I think will produce fish.
Fishing, especially early in the year for walleyes, can really be a challenge if the fish are inactive. The key is to get out and try different presentations to see what produces the best results. Every spring is unique because the conditions can change so much. Two years ago, it was a beautiful spring. But walleye opener brought cold, wind, and even a little snow. I headed out fishing in my duck waders and had my heavy hunting coat to help fight the cold. I remember thinking I would be lucky to boat one fish with the cold front, but ended up having a great day with different jigs and shiners. Last year was a cold spring, but the opening weekend weather was warm with some wind. The fish weren’t taking the jigs with minnows, but were all over the lindy rigs and leeches. If opening weekend has been tough for you over the years then try slowing down and using different jigs and rigs. For me, any day spent fishing is a good day and getting into walleyes can help make it a day to remember during these long winters. Tight lines!!!
