SLOWER SPEEDS for Spring Walleye Fishing – When spring finally arrives, it’s easy to fish too fast. Instinctively, you spray the water with casts and retrieve at break-wind speeds. The lure would spark if it weren’t for the water. Trouble is the walleye aren’t motivated to chase. They want to dine leisurely, to nibble. They need to hang onto lures.
Before discussing ways to cancel out the walleye’s lethargy, it’s necessary to first observe on the “where.” you see, not all lakes were designed with spring walleye in mind. Certain undeniable characteristics make some bodies of water more qualified
Having shallow sections in a lake is the first ideal characteristic. Lakes with sweeping shoreline zones – areas 15 feet and shallower – and maximum depth of 35 feet or less are favorable as well. They warm the fastest, especially if the water is stained and or loaded with sediments. Deep and clear lakes are out, too, at least for now. Save those for midsummer and fall.
Walleye fancy certain structure on “spring-oriented” lakes as well. Sand and gravel bottoms are of interest, as are emerging greens. Patches of deceased bulrushes also attract fish, as they house baitfish and sprout from promising hard floors. Add streams and the protected northwest corner of the lake and you’ve got an enticing menu of starting points.
You know the spots. They’ve been historically proven. All one has to do is pitch a jig to the bottom and ready the landing net, right? Well…not always.
To say the least, the lead-headed jig is the deadliest of all lures on spring walleye. They are and forever will be, but occasionally, conditions warrant the presentation of other styles, like spinner rigs, trolling crank baits, dragging live bait rigs, even supervising slip-bobbers.
Floats, yep, they’re the chosen ones under certain circumstances. Seldom used and often misunderstood, slip-bobbers are just what the walleye ordered in cold and sleepy springtime environments. Balsa puts the bait in just the right spot and holds it there, letting it swim, writhe, and tease. No chasing required.
Bobbers also fish exceedingly well over obstructions, such as rocks and timber. Weeds and moss are easily avoided too, as the bait passes safely overhead. But most importantly, slip-bobbers provide the means to deliver bait continuously to a precise spot. Rock piles offer a prime example such as; walleyes will pile into the windward flank of a wave driven reef; 90% of the fish might cling to 10% of the structure. In such instances, maintaining boat position is grueling, notwithstanding the evils trolling presents. Fish can get spooked if the hull passes overhead. Anchoring and pitching a slip-bobber is a far better option. Doing so yields control, as well as the opportunity to plant the boat strategically, never passing over the fish.
Effective bobber fishing must also entail correct rigging. Basically, there are two methods for fixing-up a slip-bobber; the first includes a plain hook and the other is end-weighted with a jig.
The second method is preferred, though, but oddly enough, is the least utilized. The end-weighted slip-bobber rig features a 1/32nd ounce jig with a long shank and wide-gap hook. The Northland Tackle Gum-Ball Jig and Glo-Ball Jig are the best overall lures for this application.
The jig achieves two objectives. For one, it, due do its shape and coloration, acts as an attractor, 
enhancing the bait’s inherent abilities. Secondly, the jig’s bodily weight holds the bait at the selected depth, yet is light enough to allow the bait some wiggle room. Too heavy a jig can render bait totally static.
Weighted and painted hooks, which are lures in-and-of themselves, perform similarly. The insect-looking Northland Ghost Grub® is a perfect example. It carries a broad gap Kahle hook, making it marvelous for slipping walleyes.
Unfortunately, though, a 32nd ounce jig alone isn’t massive enough to balance a walleye-sized bobber, let alone keep a larger and sprightly 
minnow at bay. So shot must be implemented, namely, Northland Hot-Spot Split Shot®. Pinch 1, 2, or 3 shot 6-inches to 18-inches above the jig. (How many and what size shot you use must be determined by first testing bobber buoyancy. Add or subtract shot until the bobber, with bait attached, rides just above the super glo panfish kit 200px surface but isn’t easily swamped.)
Hot-Spot Split Shot® – available in hot neon and phosphorescent attractor colors – operate in chorus with the jig as a temptation, especially in stained water and during low light conditions. The alternate slip-bobber package is founded on a plain hook, or one with modest flare, such as the Northland Super-Glo hook. Again, the jig program is superior, since it presents a bigger and brighter target and keeps the bait in check, but when the bite’s light, an old fashioned hook is priceless.
The size of the hook used is dictated by the type and dimension of the bait in hand. Sizes 2 and 4 live bait hooks match well with minnows; 2’s with shiners and other large minnows and 4’s with fatheads. Size 4 and 6 hooks are best suited for leeches.
Shot spacing with a plain hook is the same as with a jig; build in 6 to 18 inches. Once more, it’s prudent to tighten the gap in colored water and widen it when the water’s clear. Setting depth is comparably as important as rigging. With an alligator-clip style depth finder affixed to the hook, slide the knot up the line until the float plunges 6 to 8 inches beneath the surface, which in reality means the bait will ride 6 to 8 inches off the bottom. Unless the bite dictates otherwise, shallow springtime walleyes operate tight to the bottom, so keep the goods low.
How you present is a final consideration. Every angler has a “foolproof” approach for setting a slip-bobber. Some guys
choke down a cigarette before tightening down; others count, “one, one thousand…two, one thousand” etc. until reaching thirty or more, and then set. Along like some, the more anxious types that reef back at first sign the bobber has moved.
Unless you’ve already established a personal, bullet proof process, try counting slowly to 3. With a sharpened hook, low-stretch line, 6 ½ foot or longer pole, and a sweeping but assertive hook set, that fish should soon be at boat side.
It’ll be tough to do. Changing ways is never easy by giving up the customary troll and power drift for an anchor for a different type of presentation. When the walleye are located, and or their mood is subdued, nothing bests the bobber.
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Next to a good old-fashioned shore lunch, this is the next best preparation for your walleye. It’s just as easy and just as delicious. The key is to use a hot black-iron. The blackening powder sears to form a quick crust that seals in the juices so the fillet does not dry out. Don’t overcook, only 2-3 minutes per side. And don’t use thick pieces of fish, they won’t blacken as well or cook as thoroughly as thin pieces. This method also creates a lot of smoke, so it’s advisable to cook outdoors using a grill side-burner if possible. Served over a dirty rice, this cajun style dish packs a little kick to the tastebuds.
Wawang Lake Resort 