Walleye Fishing 101: BE ONE WITH THE WALLEYE

Start with some research to understand Walleye. As with any fish, it is helpful to know things such as their habitat, what they eat, and how they behave.

Walleye habitat: Steep, rocky slopes and ledges, current seams/breaks

Walleye food: Smaller fish, crawfish

Walleye behavior: Active and more shallow at night, hang off deeper ledges during the day

GET THE GOODS

Your must have fishing list:

1. License

2. Fishing Pole (including a reel)

3. Walleye Tackle (don’t forget your worms)

Pick the right gear for your technique:

Example:

Boat fishing technique: Try “bottom-walker” weights and spinner rigs, trolled slow near the bottom

Shore fishing techniques: Try hopping/bouncing a 1/8–1/4 ounce Jig with a Plastic Grub along the bottom after a long cast.

FIGURE OUT THE WHEN AND WHERE

Are you fishing from the shore or with a boat? This will dictate when you go and where you go to fish.

Best times and places for Washington Walleye shore fishing: Crab Creek in Moses Lake (Alder Street Fill), beginning the first week of April when the water starts to flow (water current stimulates upstream movement of Walleye).

Best times and places for Washington Walleye boat fishing: Banks Lake, Lake Roosevelt, and the Columbia and Snake Rivers are prime places to go for numbers of fish May -June. Potholes, Moses, and other waters are great too, but not have the same volume of Walleye as the few mentioned above.

Biggest Walleye are generally caught during February and March from the Columbia River.

NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER

Keep trying and keep practicing. If your technique or location does not work out, don’t be afraid to try something else. Sometimes it takes a variety of techniques, colors, or locations to get to the first bite.