During March and April, walleyes can be easily spotted right along the shores. Their common spot is near beaches because there is a lot of sand. The sand is so important for them because they generally lay eggs in those areas as sand provides a suitable environment for the eggs. Also, check out how to catch fish after rain
So, the question that arises is how to catch them. Catching a walleye is easy. You can either use the jigging method or set bait for them to catch them as any of them can work. If you want to know more about it, follow this simple guide and I’m sure that you’ll be able to catch a walleye easily.
Best Time to Catch a Walleye
Early spring is the best time to catch a walleye. In spring, they can be found on the shores of the sea ready for spawning. During this time, they don’t go very deep into the water, just 4-8 feet. But it can depend on one fish to another. But one thing is definite that you’ll most likely catch male walleye near the shores because females tend to swim a little deeper to hide from the sun. That’s why you are more likely to catch males than females. In order to catch females, all you have to do is fish deeper. Other than spring, there is the summertime. Yes, it might sound surprising, but walleyes can be easily found in summers. During the summer days, they go deep into the water. But at night, they come close to the surface in order to feed themselves. Learn more about how to catch a trout
Since the temperature goes down at night, the chances of you catching a walleye increase. Moreover, it is said that if you are able to catch one walleye, then catching another one gets easier as they are known to travel in groups.
So, these are the perfect times to catch a walleye. But there are other factors too, that can also contribute to catching a walleye like weather or spawning season.
The equipment needed for catching a walleye
Equipment is as important as the technique because the right equipment can make all the difference when it comes to catching a fish.
There is a lot of equipment used to catch a walleye such as a rod of medium-duty. The height of the rod should be around 7 feet. Moreover, the sensitivity of the tip of the rod should be high. It should be around ¼ down in order to successfully catch a walleye. If the tip is highly sensitive, you’ll be able to see any motion easily.
Other than the rod, there is the reel that you have to look for. You have an option of bait cast reel and spinning reel for fishing. This depends on whether you want to do angling or want to go for trolling.
How to Catch Walleye?
Video: Fishing Tip: How To Catch A Walleye
Video Credit: WCCO – CBS Minnesota
Let’s cut to the chase. After having the right equipment now is the time to actually do the fishing. The tips mentioned below are some of the most renowned ways of catching a walleye fish.
- Work the Line: Hook up your bait and then cast the line. Once you do that, let the hook sink. The hook will probably reach the bottom of the river. It is all about attracting the fish. So, during the summertime when the walleye is slow, retrieve your hook slower so that you can attract the fish. Pulling back the fishing rod is a smart move in such a case. Similarly, during the spring, pull the rod quickly and in a more aggressive way. This way you’ll be able to attract walleyes that are fast and aggressive.
- Trolling Spoons: Trolling spoons is a beneficial way and an effective one when it comes to catching a walleye. It is all about reaching certain depths. If you are able to attain depth with the leaders, you can easily catch the walleye.
- Jig Vertically: Jigging in a vertical direction can be a smart move. This usually works when you are fishing in the river. This way fishes are closer to the jig bite. Sometimes, bad weather conditions can change the whole scenario. In case of bad weather, try to be as close to the bottom as possible.
- Hooking the Fish: Hooking the fish is easy. Just when you feel something is pulling the hook, this means that a walleye are biting on your hook. This gives you a green signal of pulling back. Now start to pull firmly in order to make the hook pierce through its mouth so it can get attached to the hook making it easier for you to take it out. Once you do that, reel the line in order to take your fish out.
- Trolling: This one is especially used during winter. All you have to do is set hooks and drive around the lake or a river in your boat. The hooks will work as an attraction for the walleyes and they will follow the boat and you’ll be able to catch loads of them. But this isn’t as easy as it sounds. There’s a lot to it than just slowly driving around in a boat.
- Dig Deep: Bad weather conditions can lure the fishes deep into the water where the water is calmer than that on the surface. This can become challenging for fishermen to catch the fishes. So try to go deeper while catching the walleyes once the sky gets clear.
- Be Patient: One of the keys to catching a walleye or any other fish is being patient. The walleye is a fish that is not very easy to find. So, keep searching for the areas where the probability of their appearance is higher. Also, look out for the temperature. The temperature also plays a vital role when you want to do some fishing. At last, I would say that it is not very hard to catch a walleye fish, you just have to know where to look.
