Spring is close, I am being told, and although the temperatures aren’t showing it – the calendar swears it’s right around the corner. As I move from shed hunting and the never ending task of land management, I always start thinking about the “Ice Off” and when it’s going to hit this year. Shortly after pondering the receding ice and the accessible open waters, it’s almost immediate that my stomach rumbles and I can smell the walleye and potatoes cooking up for the shore lunch.

There is nothing like hitting the water for walleye opener. The air is still cool and the de-thawing pine trees throw the most wonderful and fresh smell across the entire lake – the water so cold that the bugs don’t exist yet. The lake has been covered in ice for months and months, and that monster fish from last year is still down there and he’s very hungry. Somehow you are fortunate enough to have the first shot at that lunker. This is the brief period of pure heaven called the “Walleye Run” that will send thousands upon thousands of anglers and families north to the great woods of the northern US and Canada.

These delicious and extremely fun fighting fish are something every angler drools about during those long winter months. If you are lucky enough to be in an area where you can pull up a few walleyes through the auger hole, I have to say, I’m jealous. For the rest of us, we’re checking lines and re-spooling by the start of March, prowling the shelves looking for that exact jig, and that one special color from last year. The whole time, we’re all dying to once again feel that really light “Ting-Ting” on the other end of the line.

I love fishing for Walleye on extremely light gear with a stiff back spinning rod that also has a responsive and sensitive tip. Walleye hit very different from a Bass or a Northern Pike. The Walleye is a very gentle and meticulous fish, actually inhaling food towards its mouth, making a successful landing and hook set somewhat difficult. But a good braided line on a good stiff back rod with a semi-soft tip will provide you ample strength when that 30lb Northern Pike cannot resist that minnow or jig any longer and nails it like a freight train!

With the recent advances in braided line, I have found a new love for Walleye jig fishing. The braided line is sensitive and responsive due to its complete lack of stretching, so you can feel every inch of the bottom. And as most walleye anglers know, feeling is crucial when fishing for these delicious and fun fighters. Walleye tend to stack up in “holes” or “schools,” and through the use of braided line, I can jig my lure exactly where I want it and know exactly when it will fall off that rock/tree into the fish. The zero stretch aspect of the braided line also means that if that fish buzzes my drag and pulls me through thick cover, my line will not break, and I will land that fish. This non-stretch aspect of braided line has given me more ability to fish extremely thick cover and not worry about fraying or snapping.

So now that you’re thinking about those big white eyes flashing around the boat, What new techniques are you using this year? Any new baits or rigs out there? Be sure to remember after you spool on that new line, drag it behind the boat as you run to your favorite spot. This will make sure you take care of all that twist and prevent another lovely birds-nest!

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