WALLEYES RIGHT NOW 
By Bob Jensen

In many bodies of water throughout the Midwest, walleyes are very susceptible to anglers right now. The spawning ritual and recuperation has been completed so the fish have only one thing on their mind: Eating. And when fish are in the mood to eat, they are much easier to catch. Fish that are hungry are aggressive, and aggressive fish will be much more likely to hit a bait regardless of size or color. They will also move a greater distance to take a bait. Of course we still need to be fishing where the fish are, but at this time of year if you get your bait near the fish, chances are good they'll take it.

It sounds simple to say, but the most important thing this time of year is to be fishing where the fish are. That means we need to find where the walleye's food is. In some lakes the walleyes could be feeding on perch, on other lakes they will eat bullheads, other bodies of water see the fish use crawfish as forage. Find the walleye's food and you will have found the walleyes.

At this time of year it usually works best to cover lots of water until the fish are found. If you put a bait in front of them they will probably bite, so use a lure that will allow a lot of water to be covered. Once the fish are located you should work that area more thoroughly.

Nightcrawlers and spinners can be very productive right now. They can be fished quickly, and the walleyes really like them.

Try a Rainbow Float'n Spin or Rainbow Baitfish-Image Harness with a crawler or Power Crawler. When fishing around bullheads, perch, or sheepshead, the Power Crawler will really be appreciated, as the baitfish can't peck it apart.

Fish the spinner behind a bottom bouncer. If the wind is blowing, simply drift over the suspected fish-holding structure. Much of the time the walleyes will be spread out. You'll catch one here, another one over there.

Make sure there is enough wind to make your spinner turn, and keep the bottom bouncer tapping the bottom. Much of the time you will be able to fish directly below the boat, but in clear water you may need to get the bait a little bit away from the boat to prevent spooking the fish. I have used Off Shore planer boards with spinners on several occasions to get the rig away from the boat and also to assist in getting additional lines in the water.

Try different spinner colors until the fish show a preference. Usually bright colors work well in stained water and subtle, lifelike colors are better in clear water, but don't try to force-feed the fish a particular color. Give them a choice.

When the fish hits, let them pull the rod tip down a bit, then use a soft, sweeping hookset. You don't need to jerk the rod to set the hook, just lift it. It takes a little practice, but if you find the fish you're going to get a lot of hooksetting practice. 

Remember, this time of year, if you find the walleye's food, you're going to find the walleyes. In fact, if you do that the rest of the year, you're going to be finding a lot of walleyes.