A jig and minnow is one of the most popular spring fishing methods, but many anglers fail to capitalize on the various other options their are to place on their jig. It may be that they lack the confidence or it may be because they just haven’t found the benefits of trying soft plastics. Today, we’ll share everything you need to know about beefing up your presentation, to target trophy caliber walleye.
Being a Meteorologist
The best spring walleye anglers have a good handle on the weather and understand how it affects the fish. Luckily through the use of apps and quick internet searches accurate weather data is available within seconds even when anglers miss the 10pm news or are on the water. However, while nearly every angler has access to this information the best are the ones that can interpret it and understand how it affects the fish.
The biggest factor in spring walleye fishing is water temperature. This is the driving force for the timing of spawn and also affects how the fish’s metabolism is functioning. Walleye, along with all other freshwater fish species, are ectothermic. This means that their body operating temperatures and functions are driven by their environment. By contrast humans are endothermic, our body does everything it can to maintain 98.6 degrees whether that be shivering in the cold or sweating in the heat. Walleye are victims to their environment so when it is cold, their metabolism is significantly slower than it will be in summer when the water is warmer. This also means that walleye will be craving heat any way they can and this greatly dictates the location where they will be.
The fish are going to be in the warmest water they can find this time of year. The angle of the sun generally warms the north side of lakes up first. Locating shallower areas with protected water, such as bays, generally is going to be key as this is where the fish are going to find the warmest water and thus be most active and closest to their desired operating temperature. Rocks or other objects that capture and hold heat are going to be the key this time of year. If there are any inlets to a lake, such as a tributary on a river or a small feeder creek or even a culvert also can have a huge influence on location. If there is warm water flowing into a waterbody that is going to be a high percentage area, whereas cold water inflows can scatter fish from an area and are places to avoid. Regardless of the type of structure one common theme is it has to be close to deep water. This is where the fish can come up from their wintering locations and also allows them to slide out to areas they feel safer should spring storms or other adverse situations arise forcing them from the shallows.
The best thing about spring walleye fishing is that it allows anglers to sleep in and have a good breakfast before hitting the water. In fact, many anglers can work all day and then still have the best fishing ahead of them when they get off. This is because the water is already cold and the temperature is lowering at night. As the daytime highs and sun raise the water temperature the fishing generally becomes better and better. Ideal spring walleye weather conditions are calm and warm, this allows the sun to bake areas such as rocky shorelines and then once the sun goes down the walleye will slide up and sit directly on these rocks to take in the most heat they can. This is also when they will feed most aggressively as well. The light penetration is decreased giving them the sight advantage over their prey and the warm water gives them the most energy to hunt. Usually, the first hour or so after dark is the best time to catch a large walleye, as well as enjoy a great sunset.
Big Fish Love Steak Dinners
Once the location has been determined, presentation becomes the biggest factor in having a smiling picture with a large walleye or going home with cold fingers and no fish. Early in the spring, big baits are key. Many anglers make the mistake of pitching a jig and small minnow or two inch plastics. While this can still catch fish, it is not what they are searching for.
Spring is not the time that walleye can select from the buffet table. The remaining forage from the previous year is usually quite large and the crop has been pretty thinned out as there has not been any spawning action yet. Walleye also are not going to want to chase small meals as this is not energy efficient. Big walleyes are looking for big meals; they want steak dinners. They also want easy meals. This means they want something that looks easy to catch and worth the energy expended for the energy they would gain.
How can anglers achieve this? The first step to doing this happens well before the first cast of the day. The right rigging is essential to make your presentation look appealing. The bait needs to be a steak dinner, it needs to be worth the calories they are expending to obtain it. The smallest bait I go with is three inches, however the majority of the time I’m tossing a four inch plastic. This matches the size of forage that is in the system and also looks like a worthwhile meal. As far as the plastic selection I am very particular about the BFISHN Tackle Authentix 4 inch Moxi Ringtails. As far as color I like to use “Great White” when the water is clear and the sun is still around and then “Chart-Silver Flake-White Core” once it gets dark or when the water is stained. Personal preference and experimentation from waterbody to waterbody opens up the door for more color opportunities, those are just my favorites.
The wrinkle to this presentation that is pivotal to the retrieve is the jighead size. I favor a standard leadhead jig, but as opposed to going with larger sizes like 1/8-1/4oz jigs; I go with a 1/16oz jig. This is for a variety of reasons. The first reason is that the surface area to weight ratio involving the light jigs and the large plastics makes the bait swim and float much easier. This makes it look more like a dying baitfish and does not have abrupt up and downs like what a heavier jig would cause. These fish are looking for an easy meal and want it to look like a large baitfish that is so out of strength it could not escape them. The second reason is that this will reduce the amount of times and intensity that your jig can bury itself within a boulder or rock. The ability to float your baits above and on, not in, these rocks is cheaper and also reduces the amount of time snagged or retying allowing more time to be effectively fishing.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Now this rig may look like the hooking percentages are going to resemble the batting average of an 8 year old competing in high school baseball: however, this isn’t true. There is a reason for that and that is the retrieve and the way large walleyes are. The retrieve is what brings this presentation together. The size of the plastic actually helps quite a bit with casting distance and also limits the intensity of the splash that could scare shallow, weary walleye. Once the bait hits the water letting it drop to the bottom is the best idea, then I begin the retrieve. The retrieve is nothing but a slow, rather painfully slow, steady reel. Keep the rod tip down and reel just fast enough to get the tail of the Moxi turning. The ribs of the bait and the tail turning is just enough vibration and attraction to catch the attention of hungry walleyes looking for an easy meal to load up on prior to spawning.
The fish will do the rest of the job. Large walleyes are predators and they are very good at what they do. Once they make the decision that the prey is worth it they are not going to miss. The slow retrieve eliminates any erratic movements that could rip the bait away from the fish or cause it to get disoriented and miss it. The walleye will see it, track it, analyze it and once they like what they see they will strike with ferocity. All that is left for the angler to do is set the hook and play the fish out. Generally the bait is going to be hooked perfectly in the mouth allowing for easy handling and successful releases should that be the angler’s choice.
Rock and Roll
While the slow and steady retrieve with baits such as Moxi Ringtails is a consistent presentation all of spring, more aggressive presentations can emerge towards mid and late spring as the water temperatures warm and the fish become more aggressive. The more ideal conditions during days can make fish more aggressive prowling the shallows once the sun goes down and they will chase more active presentations.
Once this pattern starts to emerge I look for more minnow type baits to put on the same 1/16oz jig. These minnow baits could be Berkley GULP! Minnows or Power Minnows or any other type of bait that gives the same type of profile. Once again I prefer 4 inch baits, although 3 inch can produce fish as well. The same general colors and set ups will work with these type of baits, although the retrieve is where changes start to happen.
There is a wider variety of retrieves that will work in this situation as the fish are less discriminating. My personal favorite is to simply lift the bait every time I feel it touch a rock. This is not a rip, but rather a slow lift. The goal here is to imitate a dying baitfish that is falling to rocks and then attempting to pull itself off. Picking up the slack line with each lift helps cover water and move the bait across the strike zone. Often these fish will attack recklessly should they feel that the bait is vulnerable and worth the effort.
Even a more aggressive tactic of working the bait above the rocks with sharper jerks can also pick up the occasional fish should the weather and water conditions cooperate to put them in a positive mood. This helps locate active fish and then allows for the more neutral presentations as discussed above to thoroughly pick apart the area. This is great when attempting to contact fish or try out new areas.
Success is in the Details
These types of presentations are very particular and the rod and reel set up as well as line seems to have a big effect on success. In situations like this, I prefer a long, 6’9-7’2, rod as the longer rod helps increase the casting distance. Generally a medium or medium-light action has the backbone to get a good hookset and couples nicely with a fast or extra-fast tip for increased feel of what is happening in the water.
Braided line or other superlines really have their advantages in this situation as well. They allow for better casting distance as well as increased sensitivity due to their no stretch properties. This allows the angler to feel every rock and pebble they drag their jig along as well as get a firm hookset even when they are caught off guard by a fish. The increased strength also increases the odds the hook bends out of a snag as opposed to break off. A quick repair with needle-nose pliers has the hook ready to roll again in seconds as opposed to multiple minutes spent retying the set up.
Maintaining bottom contact is critical, that is why I favor an 8-12lb fluorocarbon leader attached to the braid via a barrel swivel. This helps deal with abrasions caused by rocks or other sharp objects the line is contacting as it moves along. Due to the abundance of northern pike in eastern South Dakota lakes this leader also gives a better chance at landing these bonus fish that anglers may encounter while they fish when the sun is still up. The lack of visibility that the fluorocarbon offers when compared to the braid also is ideal when slowly moving baits along in clear water with skittish fish.
Spring is an extremely up and down time of year for both anglers and fish. Some days may be excellent, while others are downright dreadful. Monitoring the weather and using that information to dictate your location, timing and presentation will help give anglers the advantage long before they even get to the lake. The right set up, bait selection and retrieve is the final ingredients an angler needs to have the recipe for success when it comes to upsized spring walleyes. Good fishing!
Related Articles
Nick Harrington discusses two different styles of casting jigs for early spring walleye. The first focuses on targeting trophy fish with bigger baits, while the second focuses on covering water and catching numbers of fish in One-Two Plastic Punch for Spring Walleye.
Nick Harrington discusses the benefits of using suspending jerkbaits when the water is cold for targeting early spring walleye in Suspending Jerkbaits for Cold Water Walleye.
