FALL FOR WALLEYES IN RIVERS

      It’s autumn in the Midwest.  The sun is shining and air temps are in the 40’s.  There’s a football game on t.v., ducks on the pond, and pheasants in the field.  Which will it be for you??  Any of those are good choices, but if you live near a river, the best choice might be to get over to that river and catch some walleyes.  Now is a great time to catch walleyes on rivers, and in some situations, you’ll have the best spots to yourself.

 What are the best spots for walleyes in rivers this time of year?  You’ll get some options there.  Some successful walleye chasers will say wing-dams are best, others will say the mid-channel holes will be more productive.  Both could be right. The only way to find out is to try both.  There are days when the wing-dams will be better, and other days when the holes will be the best bet.  You can usually count on taking at least a few fish from either spot.

 Jigs tipped with plastic and minnows will be the best producer in the fall.  I like to start with a Buck-Shot Rattle Jig/Power Grub/minnow combination.  This combination will usually appeal to the biggest fish.  If the fish are really aggressive go with a larger Grub and leave the minnow off.  Some very successful trophy hunters favor a jig/Power Lizard combination.

 If the fish are finicky, downsize to a Fire-ball jig and three or four inch minnow.  If the fish are real finicky and short-bites are happening, add the stinger to the Fire-ball.  That should eliminate the short-biters.

 Productive jig/plastic color changes frequently, but you won’t be far off if you have some orange or chartreuse included in the jig or Grub.

 There are days when the walleyes really smack the jig, but there are more days, especially in cold water, when the take is soft.  10/4 FireLine will help you detect the softest strikes.  Some anglers like to tie a six-pound test monofilament leader to the FireLine to prevent spooking, but many accomplished walleye catchers tie the jig directly to the FireLine with great results.

 Whether you’re working a hole or a wing-dam, the most active fish will be on the upstream side of the structure.  There may be more on the downstream side, but the ones that are easiest to catch will be upstream.  Start on the upstream side of the structure, but don’t forget the other side when action slows.

 Football, pheasants, ducks, or walleyes.  That’s a tough decision for an outdoors-person to make.  Aren’t we fortunate to have a decision like that to make?? I have found a good solution to the situation.  If you’re on the river and see a guy catching walleyes while listening to football on the radio, and there’s a shotgun in the boat just in case some ducks fly over, that just might be me.

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