If you want to catch more walleyes, take lessons from a bass angler. Fishing advice like that might have been taken as a joke if it came from anyone except the B.A.S.S. 1996 and 1992 Angler-of-the-Year Kevin VanDam.
One of the top bass pros on the tour, VanDam grew up in Michigan where the excitement over walleye fishing has rookie and veteran anglers giggling like school girls.
While he's the first to admit that tournament bass fishing is his true love, VanDam still finds time among his busy tournament schedule to fish for fun on many of the northern Michigan lakes where he learned his trade. Constantly perfecting his angling skills, VanDam spends more time near water than a dragon fly.
"If the lake I'm fishing has a good population of bass and walleyes, I expect to catch both species in the same areas," says VanDam. "I spend a lot of time fan casting lipless crankbaits to sprawling weed flats and fishing a jerkbait along meandering weed edges. The best producing areas are typically located in five to 10 feet of water with scattered cabbage or other broadleaf aquatic weeds."
WEED FLATS ACT AS FOOD SHELVES for bass and walleye. VanDam notes that within the weeds, bass will normally seek out the thicker cover, while walleyes prefer the edges or patchy clumps of weeds with some open water mixed in. Walleyes also tend to use the deeper weeds, but at times they can be taken in water only two or three feet deep.
"My best producing walleye lures are crankbaits designed for bass fishing," says VanDam. "Lipless cranks like the Cotton Cordell Super Spot, Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap, Rebel Ratt'l Spot, Storm Li'L Tex, and Rattl'n Rapala are ideal for tempting walleyes from the weeds."
There's nothing fancy or complicated about fishing lipless cranks in the weeds. This simple chunk and wind style of fishing allows the angler to sample a lot of water in short order.
VanDam suggests positioning the boat outside the weeds and casting into the weed cover at about a 45 degree angle. "The Cotton Cordell Super Spot is my favorite lipless crank," adds VanDam. "This bait runs a little deeper than most lipless baits and helps me reach walleyes that are reluctant to chase shallow running lures."
When retrieving a lipless crankbait it should frequently make contact with grass or weeds. "Free the lure with an abrupt snap of the rod tip," advises VanDam. "You've got to rip the bait through the weeds to prevent weed strands from hanging on the hooks and ruining the bait's action."
Pitching cranks into the weeds is full contact fishing. Bass casting tackle is more suited to this style of fishing than the typical spinning outfits used by most walleye anglers. A medium-action casting rod or trigger stick loaded with 12- to 17-pound-test line is about right.
This is an ideal place to try out the new braided monofilaments on the market like Stren Kevlar and Fenwick Iron Thread. Designed to be super thin, tough, and nearly stretch free, these lines are well suited to fishing weeds and other heavy cover.
WHEN VANDAM ISN'T RIPPING lipless cranks he switches to jerkbaits like the Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Storm ThunderStick, Rapala Husky No. 13, and Bomber Long A. "The Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue is the hottest jerkbait on the B.A.S.S. tour, but don't tell that to a walleye," jokes VanDam. "Casting jerkbaits is another excellent method of fishing sprawling weed flats and meandering edges."
"The object when fishing jerkbaits is to keep the lure in close contact with the weed tops, sunken brush, or other cover and to give the lure a darting injured minnow action," explains VanDam. "Jerkbaits get their name from the way they are retrieved. The lure is worked by repeatedly snapping the rod tip and jerking the bait through the water. This style of retrieve causes the bait to dart from side to side, dive, and hesitate momentarily before darting off again."
Depending on how deep the lure must dive to contact the cover, VanDam recommends using anywhere from 8- to 20-pound-test line. Light line is thinner in diameter and allows the baits to dive to maximum depths. Switching to progressively heavier line is the best way to reduce the lure's diving depth as needed.
Even on light line most jerkbaits will only dive a few feet below the surface. When fishing the deeper weed edges that attract walleyes, VanDam takes a Rattlin' Rogue and adds weight to the lure by drilling a hole in the center of the bait and pressing a couple small split shot into the hole. The hole is then filled with a dab of auto body compound to prevent the lure from absorbing water.
"When customizing a jerkbait, add enough weight to make the lure sink slowly at rest," advises VanDam. "Adding too much weight will cause the lure to sink too quickly between each jerking motion."
VanDam uses a high-quality graphite rod-and-reel combination for jerkbaiting walleyes. "I recommend Quantum Tour Edition rods that are built on Lamiglas HSX Hi-Strain graphite blanks," adds VanDam. "The model TS664F medium-action spinning rod matched with a Snapshot SE3 reel is ideal for fishing jerkbaits on eight- to 12-pound-test line. With heavier lines I'd suggest the model TC665F trigger stick topped with a Pro1C baitcasting reel."
Jerkbaiting is just one of the many bass angling tactics that effectively fool walleyes. Spinnerbaits are considered by many to be the most versatile bass fishing lure ever invented. It makes sense that a lure so deadly on bass would also be effective on other species, yet most walleye anglers would never dream of using spinnerbaits for old marble eyes.
THE USE OF SPINNERBAITS FOR WALLEYES isn't far fetched. Tempting walleyes from dense weeds is one of the toughest angling situations anglers are faced with. Working traditional walleye lures like leadhead jigs, slip sinker rigs, or crankbaits through dense weed cover is like trying to comb Don King's hair.
Fishing dense weeds requires a snag-resistant lure capable of snaking a path between the weed stems where walleyes hide. When faced with this challenge, bass anglers reach for their collection of spinnerbaits. Designed to flutter and flash their way through heavy cover, a spinnerbait can be gurgled over weed tops, slow rolled along bottom, or fished anywhere in between.
Bass anglers like their spinnerbaits big and flashy, but smaller-sized spinnerbaits are better suited to walleye fishing. A three-pound walleye has a mouth roughly half as large as the same size black bass. Small spinnerbaits are easier for walleyes to wrap their toothy jaws around.
The Mepps Bass Killer, Strike King Lures Mini King, and Bass Pro Shops Lazer Eye are just a few of the spinnerbaits available in the 1/8- and 1/4-ounce sizes best suited to walleye fishing. Rubber skirts on most spinnerbaits make these lures appear much larger than they really are. Trim back part of the living rubber skirt with a pair of scissors to give the lure a more streamlined profile. Next, thread a small plastic twister tail onto the hook to add a touch of contrasting color and extra action.
A spinnerbait can be further jazzed up by adding a chunk of nightcrawler, leech, or a small minnow to the hook. The natural scent and action of live bait can be an important asset when trying to coax walleyes from thick weed cover.
BASS ANGLERS OFTEN BUZZ their spinnerbaits just under the surface. When fishing spinnerbaits for walleyes, a slow retrieve that barely keeps the blade(s) turning and flashing is best. Incorporate a stop-and-go retrieve that allows the lure to swim and then free fall into openings in the cover.
A pair of good sunglasses reduces glare on the surface and makes it easier to spot openings in the weeds where walleyes could be hiding. Cruise among the weeds using a silent electric motor and cast the spinnerbait a little beyond likely looking pockets. Avoid long casts that make it difficult to control the descent and path of the lure.
A medium-action spinning outfit loaded with eight-pound-test line is the ideal combination for spinnerbaiting walleyes. If the weeds are particularly thick try using a bass-style flippin' stick with a baitcasting reel and 10- to 14-pound-test line. These long and stiff rods are ideal for flippin' and pitchin' lures into tight places.
Weeds aren't the only place to use bass tactics on walleyes. When walleyes move deep, vertical jigging tactics pioneered by bass anglers are deadly on these bottom huggers.
JIGGING SPOONS are one of the most popular lures for catching bass during the cold-water period. When walleyes go deep the same spoons and tactics used to take bass are deadly walleye producers.
Ken Ellis, a Wisconsin-based walleye specialist, recently became a big fan of jigging spoons for deep water walleyes. Last year on a business trip to northern Arkansas, Ellis slipped away one afternoon to fish a few hours for the spotted bass this area is known for. A tip from a local angler lead Ellis to fish a sunken island that topped out in about 50 feet of water.
Ellis rigged up with a 3/4-ounce Hopkins jigging spoon and used an electric motor to hold his boat directly over the sunken island. Noting on his graph that the fish were holding tight to bottom, he used a jigging motion that popped the spoon two feet off bottom and allowed it to flutter down until it hit bottom. Spotted bass, hybrid white bass, and walleyes all fell for this simple presentation.
"Most of the fish hit the spoon on the fall," recalls Ellis. "I was having a ball wrestling with these two- and three-pound fish when a heavy thud on my line signaled that something much bigger took the bait. I set the hook into a heavy fish that I figured at the time had to be a striped bass."
After tight lining the brute for 15 minutes, Ellis finally got his first glimpse of the fish. A torpedo shaped walleye popped to the surface and rolled before taking off on another power run. "I knew at a glance the fish was the largest walleye I had ever seen," announced Ellis.
After 10 more minutes and half a dozen fingernails had elapsed, Ellis slipped the net under a 15-pound, four-ounce walleye. The biggest walleye of his career, Ellis has taken the use of jigging spoons seriously every since.
"Any time I'm faced with an opportunity to fish walleyes in deep water, jigging spoons are one of the first lures I try," claims Ellis. "One of the best times to use jigging spoons is during the pre-spawn period when walleyes are often found holding on deep water bottom structure."
During the pre-spawn period, walleyes stage in deep water before moving shallow to spawn. Sunken reefs in natural lakes, bottom shelves adjacent to reservoir points, and deep holes at a river mouth or in the main channel are likely places to find these fish.
DEEP-WATER WALLEYES are best fished using a vertical presentation. "Drift over the area or use an electric motor to position the boat and select a spoon that's heavy enough to easily maintain contact with bottom," advises Ellis. "A selection of spoons from 1/4-ounce to one-ounce models will cover most water depths walleye fishermen encounter."
Don't forget to use a small snap when fishing jigging spoons. The sharp metal edges of many spoons can cut monofilament like a knife.
Jigging spoons come in every shape, size, and color. Some feature polished or hammered finishes while others use paint and flash tape to dress up the lures. The most popular models include the Luhr Jensen Crippled Herring, Hopkins Shortie, Mepps Syclops, Bay de Noc Lures Swedish Pimple, Acme KastMaster, Mann's Man-O-Lure, and Bass Pro Shops Strata Spoon.
"A powerful fishing lure, spoons bring flash, action, and color to the table," explains Ellis. "Spoons can also be tipped with scented pork rind, plastic grubs, a small minnow or piece of nightcrawler to add that extra bit of enticement."
Rather stiff medium/heavy- or heavy-action rods are best for pumping jigging spoons. A rod with plenty of backbone is needed to set the hook hard when fishing in deep water.
Eight- to 12-pound-test mono and medium/heavy-action spinning rods are ideal when the fish are found in water from 10 to 30 feet deep. In deeper water a stout trigger stick and heavier line are needed to combat line stretch and deliver solid hooksets.
These are just a few of the angling situations where bass angling tactics are the best way to catch walleyes. Jigs and live bait rigs are the old stand by lures for walleye, but sometimes unorthodox tactics are what it takes to fool them. The next time you hear a bass angler talking about the walleyes he caught bass fishing, chuckle in a disbelief and ask him where!
Copyright (c) 1996 Mark Romanack. All rights reserved.
Home | Library | Fishing | Freshwater Fishing