The snow is starting to melt. The run-off created fills rivers throughout the Midwest. As the water rises and current flow increases, the walleyes in those rivers receive the signal that the annual spawning season is approaching.

Walleye anglers also notice the rise in river levels, and many of them remember that it is time to get the walleye rods ready for another fishing season. For many walleye anglers, the fishing season starts in the rivers that criss-cross the Midwest.

Many walleye-chasers think of dams as a good place to begin our search for these early season fish. The area just below a dam can be good, but the slack water areas a mile or two below a dam can be good also. As the water warms, the walleyes will move closer to the dam.

Small and large rivers will produce action. The smaller rivers usually have fewer fish, but there are also fewer places for the fish to hold. That means you can cover the best areas is less time.

A very important thing to keep in mind for finding fish in rivers in the early season is to look for the slack water areas just off the current. Walleyes will be in these slack water areas where the current isn’t moving fast.

Jigs are the most popular presentation for early season walleyes. That’s because they’re effective. You can work an area fairly quickly with a jig, you can experiment with lots of colors, and you can tip the jig with minnows or soft baits.

If you’ll be tipping with a minnow, Fire-Ball jigs are the best. They have a short-shanked hook with a wide gap, which creates great hook-up percentages. Fire-Balls also have a quick attach/detach stinger hook system. Sometimes a stinger hook will catch a few more fish, and the ability to snap a stinger on or off quickly and easily is a big advantage.

The use of soft bait behind a jig is becoming more and more popular all the time. Power Bait and Gulp! allow anglers to experiment with different colors, sizes, and body shapes. This time of year a three inch body will usually be best, but there are a good number of anglers who prefer a two inch tail. Power Grubs and Gulp! Minnow Grubs are excellent choices for the back of a jig.

When using soft bait, a jig with a longer hook is best for more consistent hooksets. A Mimic Minnow jighead would be a great choice.

When using soft bait, use a jig head that is a different color than the bait. This increases your odds of showing the fish the color they want on that day. A chartreuse/orange combination is a good starting point.

After this past month of cold weather and lots of snow, a day on a river is a really good idea. Find out for yourself how productive this time of year can be for walleye action on rivers.

For more fish-catching information, visit http://www.fishingthemidwest.com