Walleyes Inc. Action packed adventures in walleye fishing on the internet.

When the going gets tough, the tough get baiting. At least that¹s the way I look at it when faced with adverse conditions in the realm of the walleye. Sudden weather changes, fishing pressure and factors unbeknownst to us humans can all put the fish off the feed. Enter the great equalizer‹live bait.

So many times, in fun and tournament fishing, I've seen no better way to pluck fish than with the liveliest bait presented with a measure of stealth and precision. It's a technique that works spring to fall, whenever cold fronts roll in or a pack of boats sours the walleye's mood. The trick is to stay over the fish with electronics, check their exact position with an underwater camera, and then mop up with a gentle touch.

The Place for Bait

Mark Martin with a JNB Leech Tamer®

I always start with the best bait I can find, and perhaps my favorite is a lively leech. Leeches deter pecking panfish, won¹t tear like crawlers, and absolutely do a number on walleyes. But you have to take care of them. Even after weeks in my livewell, leeches stay active and energetic with the help of a JNB Originals Leech Tamer®, a mesh bag that not only lets the critters acclimate to the temperature of the lake but also allows them to scrub themselves clean and keep themselves from suffocating (which they commonly do in a foam cup). When I reach for one, it's jamming. And it's going to catch me more walleyes.

Now I'm going to put either bait in a place where I know there are fish, either from experience over the last few days or with the aid of my electronics. Say you¹ve fished for a few days with bottom bouncers and spinners and cleaned up on the walleyes before the bite goes south. I move in to the same areas with a Roach rig, a live-bait rig with a sliding sinker and a long snell of six to 12 feet, and let the bait do its thing. The best way to present it is by moving with the wind, controlling the drift with an electric motor, letting the leech (or crawler) jam and jive. The walleyes are going to take the bait. 
 

Lowrance’s new X-15

If I don¹t have a history in the area, I look on structure with my electronics, using a Lowrance X-16 liquid-crystal unit, which shows fish in brilliant color, to find the walleye¹s whereabouts. Another tack is to take out an underwater camera. While it¹s possible to work an area and catch a fish here or there, I¹ll take the opportunity to drop my Aqua-Vu camera to see why  I 've found the walleyes in a particular place.

Likewise, it's possible to find out if the fish are atop the structure‹say,
a point or reef‹and then duplicate what you¹ve found in the next spot.
Typically I find that walleyes are down at the base of the structure, often
on the transition from hard to soft bottom, unless the wind¹s howling. Then
they often move atop it.

At a time like this you can often look for the edge of shallow breaks with
naked eye‹well, at least with a pair of quality polarized glasses. Good
glasses such as the offering from Solar Bat are just the ticket for spotting
edges of breaks, shallow rocks, even fish. On clear waters, even in wind,
it's possible to spot walleyes cruising the shallows. This is a time to toss
a lively bait in there on a light Roach rig or with a split shot.

Tackling Up
One of the most crucial elements to fishing bait the right way is proper
tackle and technique. As I grow older (dare I say wiser?), I've lightened up
my spinning tackle to feel bites and to tease walleyes into taking. Where I
once used a medium-action rod for live-bait rigging, I've switched to a
medium light. And while I once used tiny hooks, ones as small as No. 8, I
now seldom go smaller than a No. 4.

Why the changes? I ve gone with a Berkley Series One in that medium-light action for its ability to sense light bites and to "weigh up" fish. By that I mean it's possible, when you sense a bite, to feed line to a fish and then tighten up a touch to a point where the walleye bends the rod a bit. This gives me an indication of whether a fish (and not a rock) has a hold of the bait and lets me tighten up before setting the hook.

Daiichi Bleeding  Bait Hooks

It helps, meanwhile, to have a sharp and wide-gapped hook such as a No. 4 octopus from Daiichi in the Bleeding Bait Series, red hooks that often seem to make a difference for their color and attraction when fishing bait.

Now you can Join all of Walleyes Inc. mailing lists from one spot.  Sign up  to receive notice of updates in the Walleye fishing world and be eligible for great Members only discounts on  and Church Products. Only  from your one stop resource Walleyes Inc. Enter your email address below, then click the 'Sign Up' button