Northwest Fishing Magazine April 2025 Volume 4 Issue 6 - Flipbook - Page 12
During the spring, walleye
are typically spawning,
which makes them more
concentrated upriver
near the Spokane House
launch and further up in
the shallows. That's where
we find our most large
and aggressive fish. In the
fall, walleye put on the
feed bag and bulk up for
the colder months, fishing
can be productive as
they aggressively feed on
smaller baitfish flourishing
just outside weedlines.
Summer fishing walleye
can still be productive, and
very good, but may require
deeper fishing targeting
the river channel.
Walleye tend to retreat
to deeper, cooler water
during the summer. Using
your electronics can be
particularly helpful in
locating them in deeper
regions of the lake.
TECHNIQUES & TIPS
FOR CATCHING WALLEYE:
Trolling
Trolling is one of the
best and most effective
ways to catch walleye, by
covering more ground and
increasing the chance of
encountering a hungry
walleye. When im trolling
Long Lake, the most
effective depths for me
have been in the target
range of 10-30ft, depending
on season and temps.
Early season trolling large
crank baits like Bandits in
10-12ft of water is lights out
up near the Spokane House
launch. Make sure those
crankbaits are making
contact with the bottom
a little, and you'll be in the
zone, trolling upriver. When
the fish start to move out
to the main lake, and a little
deeper is when I will switch
to a slow death rig with a
worm harness from Mack’s
Lure - usually on a 3oz.
bottom bouncer trolling at
slow speeds maintaining
contact with the bottom.
Walleye love crawdads
and bouncing the bottom
mimics crawdads fleeing,
drowning in the walleye.
Jigging
Jigging is another effective
method for walleye,
especially as they migrate
deeper along the river
channel. By using a jig
tipped with a worm, or
cut bait Anglers can lure
walleye into biting by
mimicking the movement
of a distressed bait fish. The
key to success with jigging
is to work the base slowly
and deliberately, ensuring
it mimics the walleyes'
natural prey.
Many anglers,
including myself, prefer
using soft plastics and
various profiles and colors.
Drift Fishing
Drift fishing I find effective
when fish are spread out
or flats I find just off the
river channel. Drift fishing
involves allowing your boat
to slowly drift with the
current while casting jigs,
or bouncing jigs close to
the bottom. This technique
can be productive when
targeting drop-offs near the
flats, weed lines, or rocky
shorelines.
Night Fishing
Walleye are known to
be more active at night,
targeting the shallow
river areas early season, or
shallow weedlines closer to
