Fishing Tips for River and Lake Walleye

Walleye are one of the most sought-after fish in North American waters. Also known as dore, jackfish, pickerel, walleyed pikes and marble eyes because of its distinctive gold and olive green eyes, walleye are characterized by their spotless fins, black rear, and white-tipped tail. Walleye may be found in rivers and lakes.

Fishing Tips for River Walleye
If you're lucky, the river you frequently fish may have walleye swimming in them throughout the year. This is especially true with bigger rivers. Nevertheless, it's best that you ask local authorities regarding walleye seasons. In some instances, walleye only enter rivers to enjoy better water temperatures at a given point in time or for spawning before returning to their lake origins.

The best places to ask are Conservation and Natural Resources offices and local fishing and bait shops. It's also prudent to ask if they have walleye fishing seasons and if so, what the requirements are regarding sizes and so forth.

For rivers with considerable depth, you'll more likely catch walleye swimming around twenty-five feet below the surface. They could even be swimming deeper than that in the larger rivers or in winter or fishing during mid-summer. In shallower rivers, however, you have a good chance of catching walleye at just 10 feet below.

For some, the best fishing technique or tactic to use for catching fish is by utilizing lead head jigs. Consider the casting distance when shopping for jigs because you'll want to cover the greatest possible area with every cast. Colors are also important, and you'll want something easily spotted even underwater. Buy something that will best resemble the fish they feed on.

If you notice a current, make sure to cast your jig upstream. Let it go slowly reach the bottom then pull it up just as slowly. Exert light effort because walleye are more vulnerable to subtle approaches. Expect to lose a good number of jigs each fishing trip; it's a given when it comes to walleye fishing.

Use live minnows as bait. Hook through the lips then make sure your bait works with the current and continues to be on display. If you see a walleye doing its best to go after your minnow but consistently falling short, try to re-hook your bait but this time pinning it through the dorsal fin. The latter will, however, make it harder for you to retain control of your bait in hard and strong currents.

Fishing Tips for Lake Walleye
Walleye may both be found in natural and man-made impoundment lakes. In most cases, the best time of the year to fish for walleye is during the summer not because they're easier to fish but rather because people have more free time to enjoy fishing.

Walleye are creatures of habit. The first thing to remember is that walleye prefer swimming in the most suitable temperatures (approximately 73 F) during the summer but at the same time, they may also swim where there's a lot of food for them to enjoy and when there are no bigger and predatory fish to worry about. Sunlight is also another thing they must absolutely avoid!

Again, save time by going directly to the local authorities and ask about the best spots for fishing. There are, however, a number of tips to remember where it's best to fish depending on the time of the day.

At dawn, walleye can be easily found between weed beds. Remember that they're nocturnal feeders so they're up all night eating. At dawn, they're just getting ready to leave their feeding places and go deeper to avoid sunlight.

When the sun is fully up, expect to find walleye in shaded areas. When there are no structures to provide shade, walleye could go deeper, anywhere between twenty and fifty feet. In areas with structures around like rock piles, walleye are sure to be in the vicinity because they also provide shade for them.

Walleye travel in schools like other fish. When you've caught a fish in a particular area, you're sure to catch more from the same area.

Ultimately, there is really little difference between fishing for lake and river walleye. As long as you're familiar with the routines of walleye, you're sure to go home with one or more excellent catches!