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Spring walleyes are the first focus of fishermen as winter turns to  spring. In order to be successful it is necessary to understand some  basic patterns of walleyes at that time of the year. In the northern  states, the walleyes can spawn anytime from the middle of April to the  middle of May. This timetable is affected by how early we have warm  weather in the spring. My experience has shown that walleyes do not  spawn at the same time, but some start early with the majority spawning  during the ideal conditions and some will spawn extremely late in the  spring, especially the younger females. The males arrive on the spawning  beds first with the females following when the water conditions are ideal. What are ideal conditions? Conditions that ignite the spawning activity  are water temperature, rock or rubble shore lines, and in some cases, 
the length of day light. While this last item is an arguable point, I  know for a fact that fall feeding patterns are trigged by the day light  hours, an item for a future article. The reason I believe this is a  factor is the fact that on late ice-out years, the walleyes will spawn  under the ice. Water temperature is a known factor for starting the  spawning activity and the water temperature is also very important for  maximum reproduction. The spawning temperatures of forty degrees  Fahrenheit start the spawning action and the fifty-two degrees is the 
top end of spawning temperature. Rock and rubble are important structure 
for a successful hatch. The eggs must have something uneven to fall into  to be protected from small predator fish which will feed on the eggs. To  provide ideal spawning conditions the water temperature should warm  slowly and constantly with no severe temperature swings or wave action  during the gestation and hatching period. The north and east shorelines  are usually the areas where the majority of the walleyes spawn. While the fish do not know east from west or north from south, what makes  these shore lines most desirable is the fact that the sun penetrates the  north and east shore lines with the hottest sun of the day.  If you have the urge to get out and do some walleye fishing, don't  overlook the fishing on rivers in your local areas. As the temperatures rise and a thaw starts to develop the walleye and  sauger action starts to heat up just below the dams. On many weekends  you will find a number of anglers jigging and drifting the area just  below many dams on the Mississippi. The system is relatively easy and  requires little movement on your part. (Probably a good idea as the air  temperature is just 35 degrees and the wind off the water feels like it  is 0) Rivers are everywhere, and most of them have a good population of fish.  Most anglers live close to a river; therefore it's easy to get onto a  good bite when the urge strikes you. In fact, some rivers that border  states have no closed season on a variety of species. This enables the 
angler to get out and do some fishing even during the cold winter months.
Fish can be located below a lock and dam on the Mississippi or Ohio  river. Off the tip of a big sand bar on the Missouri or Minnesota or off  a log jam on the Des Monies River in Iowa. Or they might be in a bridge  hole on the Red River of the North. Other spots may be structure like gravel or sandbars, shallow rocky  shoals near drop-offs, wave-washed points, deserted sandy bottom  beaches, or bottlenecks between two different land masses. Riprap is 
also good, particularly where current hits the rock, such as on a windy  point with deep water access, or near a culvert where fresh water is  filtering through a rock causeway.
Feeder streams funneling into a river represent yet other spots which  fishermen should check out. The mouths of these tributaries often turn  into fishing gold mines, especially after a heavy rain washes fresh food  and fresh water into the river. Depending on the force of the current and the water clarity, fish may be 
as shallow as a couple feet deep, or in the bottom of a washout hole, or  river channel 15 to 20 feet deep. If the current is stronger than  normal, the fish probably are hunkered in a slackwater area. All anglers  must learn that "current" sets the rules for location and presentation  when fishing rivers.
Walleyes are the one fish species that the right rod makes the 
difference. Being able to feel that subtle bite can only happen with  quality rod. I prefer a  spinning rod 6'6" or 7' graphite, medium  action with a fast tip. The Quantum Energy is my choice for the reel  because I like the drag system that Quantum produces. In addition,  stainless steel ball bearings provide a smooth reel and a smooth  reliable drag. If the fish are between the spawn and resting period, 

Berkley  Trilene XL

I  use four pound test Trilene XT line with 1/16 oz. jig tipped with a  fathead minnow. If the rest period is over and the fish are back in  their spawning areas feeding, I go up to six pound Trilene XL line and  1/16 or 1/8 oz. jigs depending on the wind and water depth.

Lindy Fuzzy Grub Jigs

I use Lindy Fuzzy Grub jigs 1/16 oz. for depths to 15' and 1/8 oz. for 15' and deeper, or  on windy days in shallow water.

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