Tips for Spring Walleye Fishing

Tips for Spring Fishing

Many anglers dream of walleye fishing during the winter and can't wait to get to Ontario's Sunset Country in the Spring to catch those tasty walleyes. One of the easiest times to catch walleye is in the Spring from the opening weekend (third Saturday in May) to mid-June. By the time opening weekend arrives, the walleye are done spawning but they hang around to protect their spawning beds.

If there is a river or current nearby, that's where you'll find walleye. They'll swim very shallow and close to shore. Try a minnow on a hook or casting with small floating Rapalas and Junior Thundersticks. You can use a jig but expect to get a lot of snags. If you are fishing a lake and there is no river or current in the area, the walleye are most likely hanging out in sandy areas along the shore or sandy points leading off rocky points and shoals.

The males will stay close to shore and shallow, but in the heat of the afternoon, big female walleyes will head out deeper, into about 10-15' of water. If there are large muskies or northern pike on your Northwestern Ontario lake, the females will be less likely to hang around the spawning grounds in the day for fear that they will become lunch for those bigger predators. They will return to the shallow areas in the evening.  

Matt's 27" walleye caught while fishing at Harris Hill Resort on Lake of the Woods

Fish for walleye with a light jig (1/8oz) and cast along the shore. The walleyes are quite aggressive in the Spring so you can pretty much jig any old way. Some say retrieve it quickly and aggressively, some say long slow jigs work best. Try bright-colored jigs such as Chartreuse during the day and in the evening when they are feeding, try blue, silver, or brown. Experiment with different techniques and see what works best for you.

Remember that if you are used to fishing warmer waters, remember our Canadian lakes are quite a bit cooler and the fish will react differently. Your lodge owner will also have some great walleye fishing tips that they will gladly tell you about when you are at the resort. Don't be afraid to ask where their favorite fishing holes are. If you are looking for the big females in the afternoon, try the dark water just where the sandbars drop off or try trolling 30' from the shore in deeper water using down-deep Husky jerks.

In any case, be prepared to have some great Ontario Spring walleye fishing. It's one of the best and easiest times to catch walleye. 

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