If hooking a big walleye while staying at Garden Lake Resort is the plan, spring is generally considered the time to go. While walleye are rather active and generally much easier to find during the spring, it still takes some tactics to reel them in. If the plan is to drop a line, hook a fish and go home happy within a few minutes, chances are disappointment will ensue.
Although springtime is the favorite for walleye fishing, anglers need to keep a few things in mind. Everything from actual weather conditions to location and bait can impact the outcome of a fishing trip. The trick is really gauging the action carefully before picking a spot to stick in.
Location Matters in The Spring
When the waters are thawing, but haven't turned warm just yet, the shallows are generally the place to go if walleye are the quarry. Anglers often find a few key spots work very well in the spring months.
It's important to keep in mind that changing weather patterns can affect where walleye happen to be on a particular day or night. Many anglers swear by very shallow, night fishing to catch walleye during the cooler spring days. Slightly warmer, less windy days might find them a little further out though.
Some places to seek them out include:
- Shallow points and mid-depths. While walleye are known to move into deeper waters when the temperatures heat up, early spring won't generally find them there yet. Look along sunken islands and in mid- to rather shallow points by boat. If electronics do not turn up fish action, move on.
- On-shore/wading. Many anglers find they are better off leaving the boat at home for springtime fishing, especially in the early days of spring. The fish are often found in very shallow waters that can be fished from shore or from piers.
- Picking The Right Equipment. Having the right bait and equipment cannot be stressed enough when walleye is the catch of choice. These fish have changing preferences. What they enjoy in the hotter summer months is not necessarily what they'll bite in the spring. Some of the suggested bait and tackle recommendations for springtime angling include:
- Tackle. Rigs with live bait and live bait with slip bobbers are generally the preferred means for catching walleye during the spring months. Keep in mind if it's early spring, walleye are getting ready to move to their spawning grounds, so they're ready to eat.
- Bait. Walleye tend to gravitate well toward minnows and night crawlers during the early spring months. In some areas, they might prefer noshing on insect larvae. For this reason, some anglers swear by using marabou jigs and other similar lures.
Spring is typically the best time of year to hook a winning walleye, but that doesn't mean the prospect will always be easy. The temperatures this time of year, especially in early spring, can be brutal on anglers. Exercising a bit of patience, finding the right spots and paying heed to weather patterns can make a difference. Remember, the landscape can change from day to day. On cooler days (or nights), they are often found very close to shore, but mid-level areas might hold them when the temperatures start to turn up just a bit.