Ice Fishing Tips for River Walleye

Timing Is Everything

Check the ice report by talking to the local Department of Natural Resources or Fish and Game office to find out if the ice in the area is thick enough to support fishing. Four inches, in most cases, is considered safe to hold a full-grown man. Early-season ice fishing for walleye is traditionally considered the best. Bait fish have a tendency to enter the river systems to avoid the deeper water predators, giving walleye a strong food supply and an active habitat in which to eat. Once the ice is thick enough, head out either in the early morning or toward dusk, avoiding the brightest part of the day, during which the light-sensitive walleye tend to become inactive. Drill your hole, or spud one, and clean it out with an ice scoop. Make sure your hole is large enough to accommodate a large walleye, which typically will weigh around 3 lbs., but you could snag one as large as 10.

Jigging Is Recommended

Walleye are light biters, so make sure to keep your eye on your pole tip or your finger on the line to feel for a bite. Use brightly colored jigs---yellow is highly recommended for the yellow perch that is a natural meal for walleye---and bait with minnows or nightcrawlers. Begin with a very active jigging technique, feeling for the weight of the walleye when you lift up. If active jigging isn't bringing in bites, slow your technique, even allowing rests in between jigs. Walleye will, typically, bite on the rest, so make be alert and prepared to set the hook.

Change It Up a Little

If typical jigging techniques aren't working, try mixing up your offers a little. If you're in deep enough water, try using a spinner bait or a spoon to attract a walleye's attention. In addition, turning your fishing line between your fingers will give your jig a spinning motion which should stand out to other fish in the area. Another technique, called "clipping," could draw some attention as well. Take a small to medium minnow and use a pair of fingernail clippers to snip off a portion of its top or bottom fin. Hook it through both lips and drop it in a hole next to your primary fishing hole. Jig actively with a minnow bait attached. The clipped minnow will swim erratically due to the imbalance the shortened fin has caused and your jig will give the appearance of an active predator fish coming to investigate, making it an easy target for larger game fish to hit. Try not to get your lines tangled and, if you do, just open one reel and pull the other line in, untangling them once you find the problem above the ice.

Staying Safe

While late season walleye have a tendency to be more aggressive as they are entering their spawning season, be mindful of the thickness of the ice you are fishing on. Be especially careful fishing near or under bridges, as ice tends to be thinner and more dangerous there.