Start in the Weeds for Walleyes This Spring
by Perry Good

Weed walleyes are the Rodney Dangerfields of Midwestern gamefishing. Maybe it’s because they consort with those rough-and-tumble bass, but for whatever the reason, most anglers just don’t give them any respect.

Too many walleye anglers ignore the weeds, especially early in the year. We buy the latest, hi-tech graphs during sportshow season, then dedicate ourselves to backtrolling over some prime, open-water structure come opener. Watching those big hooks pass underneath while we Lindy Rig -- now that’s classic walleye fishing. It’s classic, but not always productive during the early-season period.

Without a doubt, catching walleyes in the weeds poses several challenges. Shallow vegetation neutralizes much of our sophisticated electronics advantage. It forces us into trial-and-error mode, which plain and simple, is more work. And pitching jigs into 18 inches of water simply defies logic for some anglers. Here’s why you should reconsider fishing the weeds for walleyes, particularly early season.

Remember the first rule of walleye fishing: If you can find the food, you’ll find the walleyes. Early in the season, baitfish seek warm water where they can feed on daphnia and other microorganisms. With shallow weeds, you have two factors that create a prime environment for foraging fish. First, plants are the basis for nearly every food chain. Second, the shallower, warmer environment (compared to deeper portions of the lake) stimulates growth of natural organisms. This all equates to a food source for the baitfish, which are a food source for those walleyes.

Early in the year, before the mass explosion of plants really has popped, it’s easier to fish vegetation than you might think. Jigs like the Lindy Veggie jig, bobber fishing, and even cranks in the cabbage will perform well. For ripping those Rattlin’ Raps through the cabbage, use a superline, like Fireline, to horse them out if you’re worried about getting hung up.

The water is cold around opener, so everything’s moving a little slow. So work slowly. If you’re jigging, patiently bounce the lure back to the boat and watch your line. I’ll sometimes try swimming the jig a bit between bounces. By Memorial Day weekend, I’ll start snapping it back a bit more, especially on a prime weed walleye lake. Later, when I’m drifting or trolling over a weedy flat, I’ll try ripping that jig. In late spring, I might switch to a leech or crawler, but I’ll keep targeting the weeds.

How seriously do I take the weeds? When assessing a new lake prior to a tournament, my first question is: “Does the DNR stock this lake?” If so, I’ll automatically begin my walleye search in the weeds. Think about it. Young walleyes spend the beginning of their lives in shallow, weedy rearing ponds. Where do you think they’re most comfortable when the DNR stocks them?

Anglers ask me to prognosticate each year on where to locate walleyes on their state opener. Last year, we had an average ice-out, and I opened in Minnesota at the Governor’s Opener at Detroit Lakes. Myself and two other anglers I had been paired with had our limit in 90 minutes pitching jigs in 12 feet of water and running a jig and shiner through the weeds. I positioned the boat vertically on the weedline, and we couldn’t keep those 17- to 20-inchers off our hooks. Judging from temperatures and ice-out conditions across the country so far this spring, a spot like that on your favorite lake should sound pretty good for early-season 2004.

Too many anglers fish where it’s the easiest, and that’s usually not in the weeds. Ditch the crowds this year and follow the baitfish. It doesn’t matter if the walleyes on your early-season fishing destination are spawning late, early, or in transition – you’ll nearly always find spring forage fish in the weeds. Anglers are the top of the fisheries food chain. Follow the forage, and the food chain may just end in your beer batter come evening.

Perry Good, is a professional walleye angler from Minnesota. He has been on or near the top of many Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) tournaments, has won a championship on that circuit and is the only angler who has qualified for every championship on the PWT and RCL tours.