Spring? Walleye Fishing?

[wardog6t]

This will be my First year out on a boat in the Detroit River/ Lake Erie for the run. Just wondering if anyone can give me any pointers. How early is to early? What should I use? Last year I killed them on Crawler harness's but have read the early bite is all about Jig's. I watched the Jon Bondy Jig Video already any other pointers would be appreciated.

[jimbos]

The pig females should be in or be in shortly as long as the weather stays like it has been.

Try up by Great Lakes Steel or just where the current starts to slacken by the channel at the foot of Southfield rd.

I had my best day there on March 1st.

[wardog6t]

Thanks! I mostly fished from Trenton, South to Celeron last year. However did not get out early in the season. I picked up some jigs today at cabelas and some tails. Got more jigs coming in the mail. Can't seem to find 3/4 ounce but I am sure the bait shops have em.

[jimbos]

Thanks! I mostly fished from Trenton,:| :| South to Celeron last year. However did not get out early in the season. I picked up some jigs today at cabelas and some tails. Got more jigs coming in the mail. Can't seem to find 3/4 ounce but I am sure the bait shops have em.


3/4 oz?.....try to go as light as possible. With that heavy of a jig you'll need a stinger hook, especially early in the year.

[aquatic-archer]

Use Emerald shiners on just a fire ball with a stinger, been killing them with'em for years. Stand on the trolling motor and make sure to keep your jigging staight up and down.

[Mr. Sigman]

I have had sucsess with gulp and5/8 jigs. I just avoid the weekends,to many jerks.

[G22]

Will you be on the American side only?

It's a whole new ball game this year if you enter Canadian waters. You have to call ahead with info for everyone on board, and get permission to fish. Even if you have the license.

Failure to Report
Failure to report may result in detention, seizure or forfeiture of the vessel and/or monetary penalties. The minimum fine for failing to report to the CBSA upon entry to Canada is C$1,000.

Read:
http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=4008

[mikethepike]

Will you be on the American side only?

It's a whole new ball game this year if you enter Canadian waters. You have to call ahead with info for everyone on board, and get permission to fish. Even if you have the license.

Failure to Report
Failure to report may result in detention, seizure or forfeiture of the vessel and/or monetary penalties. The minimum fine for failing to report to the CBSA upon entry to Canada is C$1,000.

Read:
http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=4008

True that. The procedure has always been there, now they are enforcing it.

Dont limit yourself to just the American side. Sometimes 1 or the other side is dirty and i'll fish right on that edge and clobber them...the wind and heavy rains effect whats going on down there.

There are resident walleyes all year round in the river..mostly caught all year round by handliners (something i am going to pick up this year) , but early march is when you'll catcha big female wallhanger (like 15+ lbs max) and as the water gets to 42-44 degrees the walleye love making is on. The males are hosing the river with their baby batter and limits will be had. I've had my boat just covered in it ....looks like we had a milkshake fight :shocked:

When you start catching silver bass in late april/ early may , the spawn is pretty much over. I head out to the lake and pull crawler harnesses on offshore planer boards and bottom bouncers until september

Lance Valentine has some videos on the hotspots in the river . www.walleye101.com - it has alot of information as well. He has some free seminars coming up in Taylor @ the Gander Mountain ---ALLL THE INFO IS ON HIS SITE.

Hire a guide: Heres why, i thought i knew it all - ya i could go out and catch 1 or 2 walleye every other time going out and then i hired 1 of the best charter captains on the river. I'M GLAD I DID: The rod i was using was ok, but not great, i was using mono not braided, my jigging technique was less then perfect and not variable + i learned 10 new spots ,boat control, and do's and dont when jigging on the river.

Now: I trade information with him and we fish together in tourneys occasionally or just for fun. I bring home limits quite regularly , but not all the time . The key is INFORMATION...You give information , you'll get information.

Here is a great guide to go with. He's friendly, patient , humoruos and a damn good fisherman/outdoorsman + a nice boat.

www.gtcharterservice.com

[G22]

Yep, when the silver bass turn on we either head up to Port Huron or get out the rods (we only hand line for walleye's) and have a blast catching a bass literally every cast. Hint: look for the gulls, that's where the bass are. Its MUCH harder to catch any walleyes when the silvers are running.

We use these Kastmasters for bass:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/G22/20120213_202430.jpg

3/8 - 1/2oz but replace the treble hook with a single hook as shown. Its much easier to unhook em.

As for hand lining in the spring (Detroit River), we use 1-3/4lb sinkers and spoons. Some good ones: http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/G22/20120213_202552.jpg

For the summer & fall we like to go to Port Huron and pull Raps. F7's in the slow water & F5's in the fast water by the Coast Guard. Some good colors:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/G22/20120213_202924.jpg

Its always a good idea to have a bunch in case your friends are nailing them on some other colors.

[mikethepike]

[QUOTE=G22]Yep, when the silver bass turn on we either head up to Port Huron or get out the rods (we only hand line for walleye's) and have a blast catching a bass literally every cast. Hint: look for the gulls, that's where the bass are. Its MUCH harder to catch any walleyes when the silvers are running.





I'll take my nephews out "for the best fishing ever in the whole wide world" when the silvers are running. 4 hours and 400 bass, they are tired , slimey, stink like fish and have alot of great memories about their "favorite Uncle"

Where do you get your f-5's , 7's and spoons from?

[aquatic-archer]

Have a few i might part with.

[jimbos]

[QUOTE=G22]Yep, when the silver bass turn on we either head up to Port Huron or get out the rods (we only hand line for walleye's) and have a blast catching a bass literally every cast. Hint: look for the gulls, that's where the bass are. Its MUCH harder to catch any walleyes when the silvers are running.





I'll take my nephews out "for the best fishing ever in the whole wide world" when the silvers are running. 4 hours and 400 bass, they are tired , slimey, stink like fish and have alot of great memories about their "favorite Uncle"

Where do you get your f-5's , 7's and spoons from?




Move over to the other side of Grosse Ile and you'll have another 2 weeks of walleying in the cooler water.

[G22]

[QUOTE=mikethepike]




Move over to the other side of Grosse Ile and you'll have another 2 weeks of walleying in the cooler water.

Good to know, thanks!

Mike, you can get the generic Raps like firetiger, bleeding olive and perch at most meijers or gander mtn stores. I had to go to bass pro to get the harder ones to find. The glass minnow (upper right) is actually not a F series rap. I think its a husky jerk HJ #6 with a rattle bearing inside. It was a very good producer last year.

As for the clowns... I have been unable to find those in a while. I believe Rapella decided to stop making them :coocoo: but I've heard rumors of them bringing them back. There's a tackle shop on 10mi & Jefferson that sells hand painted copies of the clowns and a few others. I would call & see what they have first.

[G22]

Have a few i might part with.

I may be interested if you have any F5 or F7 original clown raps, or anything else uncommon.

Sometimes my buddy does good on what he calls wonder bread. Its hand painted all white with different color dots on it. His dad made it for him & he wont make me one :lol:

[wardog6t]

Wow. Thanks fella's. Yes I will be on the American Side Only. I have 5/8 jigs haven't messed with stingers yet. I was told if in water deep I would need 3/4 so I bought both. Which Gulp? I have bought all kinds of them. Then tonight I seen some that look like minnows I guess they sell them at bottom line. Still researching the stingers, just started reading about that last night on another forum. Thanks Mikethepike I worked crawler harness's last year in to september in the river and had a great year. I learned alot in regards to harness's. I also thought about getting in on the DWF tourneys dependent on how I do the first few times. I am stoked for the year and appreciate everyone's comments and pointers. Good luck to everyone as I continue to read about these stingers....

[MSUICEMAN]

have you vertical jigged much? its all about keeping vertical. boat control boat control boat control. once you have that figured out, the rest isn't that hard.

i prefer 3/8 to 1/2 oz jigs tipped with zoom fluke or fin-s minnows and a stinger hook. i don't usually like doing the live bait thing.

I don't have a boat that I can jig with (got a trolling rig), but really enjoy jigging when I can get out.

[wardog6t]

No I have never jigged before. I got a bigger boat this year. Last year I went out in a 14' a and used harness's and did really good. So this will be the first year Solo for the spring run jigging. I have fished with harness's on my uncle's boat for a long time. So this will be a whole new learning curve.

[jimbos]

No I have never jigged before. I got a bigger boat this year. Last year I went out in a 14' a and used harness's and did really good. So this will be the first year Solo for the spring run jigging. I have fished with harness's on my uncle's boat for a long time. So this will be a whole new learning curve.

I'm going to give you my extra special secret walleye spot/method so keep this between you and me.

Long line at night upriver SLOWLY with tight action walleye crank baits like walleye divers, pinch a split shot up about 2-3 feet to catch those floating weeds, put it back about 75 feet, and work the 10-11-12-13 foot depths heading upriver and slightly slipping the current along Grosse Ile's shoreline, from just above Calf Island(you'll figure out where the correct depth starts) to where the river narrows and the current picks up just below the Edison plant.

The walleye sit just off of the island and feed at night in the outer fringe of lights that people have on their docks and shoreline. The lights attract bait fish, and your running the outer edge of light up off the bottom 2 feet or so. I've never caught a real pig using this method(I think 9lbs was the biggest), but you can pick up some serious numbers at times with a good average size.

You just have to watch the handliners so that they don't cut across your line. but your so close to the docks and island the liners usually stay out a little further away from the island.

I have one more ultra secret spot but that's 3 feet of water and starts in August until November.

[MINI-14MAN]

Really enjoyed reading this thread.Didn't get much ice fishing in this winter as most in Southern MI already know.When the walleye start hitting I would like to see some pics.Good luck and stay safe.Thanks.

[jimbos]

Really enjoyed reading this thread.Didn't get much ice fishing in this winter as most in Southern MI already know.When the walleye start hitting I would like to see some pics.Good luck and stay safe.Thanks.


I'm done with this urban combat fishing, it's no longer worth it to me of what you have to put up with at the launch or on the water from the tools to catch walleyes. My boat has been north for a couple of years now and if I catch a few, fine, but at least it's peaceful and relaxing as fishing should be.

But I've spent a 1000 hours or more fishing that lower river and know it like the back of my hand, and I can see the attraction, just go off hours.

[G22]

I really think the Canadian side will be low traffic this year though :lol:
There's going to be allot of people who have no clue what their in for when they cross the line.

As for combat fishing, even if you're the only one on the river, eventually someone WILL find you and cross your lines. :shrugs:

[wardog6t]

I did see some weekends were pretty rough, but fished all last year and never had my lines crossed... I did go as much during the week as I did during the weekend. More often then not I fished were other weren't. I marked em and fished em. I really didn't see a need to fish between a bunch of boats when there were fish a few hundreds yards away and although I had to deal with the occasional Smallmouth or Silver it was still fun catching them too.

[G22]

Never really had any problems in the Detroit river with traffic.

The mouth of the St. Clair river is a bit different. You get single hand liners who can S turn on a dime while people like us have lines down on both sides and can't turn fast or it's a tangle for sure. Then you have the jiggers drifting by through it all.

If everyone is paying attention, you'll find a pattern where everyone (basically) turns at the same time in formation while avoiding those who are jigging and everyone is good to go. It just doesn't always work out that way.

Oh, then there's the pleasure cruisers who blast right through everyone, and the freighters who are going much faster than you think. I've seen people ridiculously close to them. And by that I mean feet away.

[wardog6t]

Oh, then there's the pleasure cruisers who blast right through everyone, and the freighters who are going much faster than you think. I've seen people ridiculously close to them. And by that I mean feet away.

I had some guy in a pleasure cruiser prolly 35' almost swamp my 14' boat last year and I had my 4 year old daughter with me. Which is most of the reason why I bought a bigger bought this year... Although partly my fault the guy blew through the middle of about 6-7 fishing boats at top speed. I can't explain the Fustration and Panic that set in. :bigun2:

[mikethepike]

I had some guy in a pleasure cruiser prolly 35' almost swamp my 14' boat last year and I had my 4 year old daughter with me. Which is most of the reason why I bought a bigger bought this year... Although partly my fault the guy blew through the middle of about 6-7 fishing boats at top speed. I can't explain the Fustration and Panic that set in. :bigun2:

Thats irresponsible of him because as a boater you are always responsible for your wake and the damage it will do

[jimbos]

I had some guy in a pleasure cruiser prolly 35' almost swamp my 14' boat last year and I had my 4 year old daughter with me. Which is most of the reason why I bought a bigger bought this year... Although partly my fault the guy blew through the middle of about 6-7 fishing boats at top speed. I can't explain the Fustration and Panic that set in. :bigun2:


I can't tell you the number of times I seen that stupidity. Finish a drift and fire up some 26 cuddy to rip back through the pack.

But just as bad if not worse are those f-en tournament walleye anglers. Their **** don't stink, and they fish so late that they have to do 75mph to make weigh in time and they could care less if your in a 16 footer with 2 11 year old kids as they rip by within rod length of your boat.

[mikethepike]

But just as bad if not worse are those f-en tournament walleye anglers. Their **** don't stink, and they fish so late that they have to do 75mph to make weigh in time and they could care less if your in a 16 footer with 2 11 year old kids as they rip by within rod length of your boat.

Beat me to it

[wardog6t]

Well I spent some time today Hot wiring some jigs. Here is my First attempt.http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n509/kd8nny/hotwire.jpg

[jimbos]

Looks good.

For a quickie stinger rig, I would leave a extra long tag end on when tying on a jig, pull the knot tight have a 7 inch tag end and tie on a small treble. So the stinger length would end up about 4 inches long.

[offshoretroller]

Here is a pretty cool site that i found: walleye central .com




Its chocked full of advice

[wardog6t]

Weather is warming, River and Lake Still mud.. Hope the wind calms down..

[mikethepike]

I'm going to hit the river early Friday morning....anybody else?

[wardog6t]

I am hoping on heading out tommarrow depends on work. If I get called in.. If I don't make it, I will for sure be out sunday... Looking forward to updates.

[wadevb1]

As soon as they drop their eggs, I'll be on the pier after the sun goes down. They will be hungry.

http://www.anglingfish.net/images/rapala-husky-jerk1.jpg