Top early-spring walleye destinations in the Midwest

Looking for an early-spring destination with open water and good walleye fishing…maybe even RIGHT NOW? 🙋‍♂️ Us too! Here’s some killer early-season spots that kick out solid fish every spring and how the locals like to catch ’em….

> Every spring, zillions of walleyes make the annual run from Lake of the Woods into the Rainy River to spawn. This can be some of the best fishing all year…both high-number days and a seriously good shot at sticking giants.

 

> Jigs and plastics dominate here – usually brighter-color ringworms and paddletails work best. Experiment with jig weight…try to get away with as light as possible while still maintaining bottom contact…gives the plastic a more-natural look in the current.

> Look for flats adjacent to the river channel and shoreline pockets. Fish will be spread out across the entire river, but if you find one chances are there’s more.

> Fishing on the Rainy is heavily dependent on water conditions – generally the cleaner the water, the better the bite. When conditions worsen and water clarity drops to less than 1′ = the “cheater rig” can be a legit trip-saver (on ANY river, really…spring or fall). And don’t be afraid to bring a couple of whoopin’ sticks as another backup plan…the Rainy River has some incredible sturgeon fishing and it can be easier than you’d think.

> One word of caution: The Rainy can be insanely busy in the spring before the rest of the MN’s walleye season opens. Be prepared for long lines at the ramp, though there’s plenty of places to hide on the river…especially now that all accesses appear to be open as the river has opened-up all the way to the mouth at Lake of the Woods. Either way, no doubt it’s worth it!

Speaking of “worth it” 👀get a WIDE load of this:

Last spring, Will Pappenfus and Bryan Hennager had themselves the trip of a lifetime on the Rainy River, cracking 6 fish over the magical 30″ mark IN A SINGLE DAY! 🤯

INSANE! 💯💯💯

Will was saying they had “plenty of cookie cutter 20-28″ fish to boot.” Okay man, most people’s cookie-cutters aren’t THIS big lol:

Caught ’em pitching 1/4-oz Northland Long Shank Fire-Ball Jigs with giant rainbows, and also a mixture of paddletails including: Berkley PowerBait Power Swimmers, Keitechs and big Juice Baits HD Swimbaits.

They were fishing a sand flat in front of an “underwater forest.” Would pitch out and bump their baits along the current to get right in front of the trees. Said they could see the fish on Side Imaging sitting in the trees and would try to put the baits right in front of their face when they came out to feed. Pulled 5 of their 6 dirty 30s out of that spot and the other came just 50 yards away.

Will was slinging 6′ 10″ ML XF rods from 2B Fishing and Elliott – loves that rod action ‘cuz he says it has “enough play in the tip to feel if they pick it off bottom, but still plenty there to drive the hook home in current.”

🙌 Way to get it done, fellas!

Don’t think I’d EVER leave if I had a day like that. Reminds of that scene in “Billy Madison” where he says, “Stay here! Stay as long as you can!!! CHERISH IT.”

> The 7-mile stretch of river below the De Pere dam is one of the best areas in the Midwest to stick a legit double-digit walleye.

> Early in the “run” when the water is at its cleanest, walleyes will tend to stay deeper. As snow melts and (the runoff) dirties up the water, fish will move shallower…especially with sunny conditions.

> The Fox also has a number of shoreline accessible spots for those looking to do some fishing from the bank. Voyageur Park in De Pere is a popular spot all spring.

> Jigs and plastics work well here, as well as rattlebaits like Rapala Rippin’ Raps. Play around with retrieves…as the water warms, more aggressive snap-jigging can work extremely well.

> Brighter colors usually work best in stained water conditions – orange and chartreuse are river standards.

> Trolling is another option, especially at night. Can fish 3 lines per person in WI, so stickbaits like Berkley Hit Sticks, Rapala Husky Jerks and Smithwick Rogues – pulled behind Off Shore Tackle Planer Boards – can cover a lot of water fast.

There’s a reason big-fish junkie Doug Wegner spends many of his spring trips patrolling the area…. #GIANTS

Oh, and Tom Boley was just there a few days ago and put on an absolute clinic pitching the new Kalin’s Tickle Shad (top) and Tickle Worm (bottom). He said they’re super soft and supple, which means you can get a lot of movement out of ’em while fishing the bait sloooow = key in 🥶 ultra-cold water:

🎯 Dude is always on ’em. Here’s the full video from his recent trip:

> The mighty Mississippi is another killer option for early-season ‘eyeballs. Although fishing varies by pool, many of the same techniques are used across the board.

> The “Big Muddy” is impacted more by high-water conditions than any other early-season system, so keep an eye on river levels and boat launch closings.

> Fishing close to the major lock and dams can produce big number days, but expect company…these areas are the busiest spots on the river. Finding flats and current breaks down from dams can produce just as many fish and usually a heck of a lot less busy.

> Slow trolling upstream and long-lining jig/plastic combos behind the boat is a great way to get your bait close to the bottom and fool pressured fish into biting.

> Another great technique is fishing 3-way rigs with small stickbaits like Rapala Original Floaters.

> Of course jigs tipped with minnows and plastics can produce all spring…but make sure you have extra because the Mississippi is notoriously snaggy and you’re bound to lose a few:

The good news: Sometime those “snags” start fighting back…like this egg wagon caught with Muddy Waters Guide Service:

> Each spring piles of fat gravel lizards migrate from Lake Erie into the Maumee River in search of spawning grounds. Smaller male walleyes show up first (jacks) followed by their larger female counterparts.

> Maumee Tackle Fishing Outfitters does an incredible job posting up-to-date reports (daily!) on their website and is one of the go-to bait and tackle shops in the area.

> The Maumee has ample shore fishing locations available – one of the most popular areas is Side Cut Metropark. Shoulder-to-shoulder fishing is common, with thousands of anglers from all over coming each spring.

> Pack light if you’re fishing from the bank: A handful of jigheads from 1/4- to 3/4-oz and bright plastics (ringworms and paddle-tails) will get the job done.

> Casting jigs upstream and “swinging” them as the current sweeps ’em back down is the most popular technique…especially since you probably won’t have much room on either side. But the fish tacos will never taste better!

Looks like Noah Koscho already has his dinner plans 🐟🌮 lined up:

> You don’t always need a boat to catch walleyes…. Many consider Devils Lake, ND to be the walleye shore-fishing capital of the world, and guess what? The season never closes. #Jackpot

> DL is one of the few walleye factories (that’s not a river) where the walleye season is open during pre-spawn and spawn. Male walleyes are the first to show up shallow when the water begins to climb into the low- to mid-40s.

> Anywhere there’s current in 1-8′ is a good place to start: bridges and channels, inflows/outflows in the backs of bays near spawning areas, even riprap along road edges.

> Look for south-facing structures along northern shorelines as it warms the quickest. Packing a set of waders can help you to sneak away from the crowds and cast where others can’t reach.

> Being able to fish with 2 lines per person gives you a huge advantage in dialing in the bite. Try pitching plastics or tossing shallow-diving cranks with your “active rod” to catch aggressive fish. A slip-bobber or slip-sinker rig with live bait on your second rod will fool the fussy biters.

Here’s 28 reasons why (all in inches) you might want to consider a road-trip to Devils Lake, ND this spring – and congrats on the PB, dude! #ShoreBruiser

Best jig + plastics for spring RIVER walleyes (🎯 bonus locations).

Lots of GREAT options out there! 💯 But here’s a breakdown showing a few of my go-to jigs and plastics for spring river walleyes. Specifically talking about the Rainy River in northern MN, but these same baits/techniques should work on any spring ‘eye factory:

I left links to all of the gear I was talking about in the video’s description over on YouTube.

Early-spring is the time for pigs! It’s almost sickening how many BIG walleyes you’ll see scrolling thru the social mediaz…especially sickening while you’re stuck at work!

Hope you’re able to get a trip on the books!

Of course still plenty of ice-fishing opportunities to be had if you’re willing to go for a drive north – or walk depending on your ice conditions.

I’d give my left kidney to be up on Manitoba’s Lake Winnipeg right now for some March madness! Especially if it meant sharing the ice with Matt Cornell of Bruin Outfitting, where 12-lb (31.5″) greenbacks are a real possibility:

Another dynamite 🧨 early-spring option is Lake Erie, OH. BUT I will hopefully have a lot more on that coming soon-ish…. 🤫

Thanks so much for reading!

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH