Spring Walleye

[orangediablo]

Since we've had the boat, in the last two years, we haven't been able to get on the lake till mid-June both years. With springtime coming quicker than we think, what are some spring walleye tactics on eastern Lake Erie? troll? Drift? jig? and what type of lure? When's a good time to start?

[jimski2]

After the first Saturday in May, season opens then, water temperatures below 55 degrees, jigs with a minnow, bucktails, spinner and a nightcrawler drifted slowly or trolled about 0.7 MPH bounced on the bottom in shallow warmest water will work. Reef Runners slowly trolled at that time will work with in line planer boards. If you really have the itch bad, head down to Port Clinton, OH and try the warm water discharge of the nuclear power plant there with bucktail jigs early in the spring, they do well there early.

[K Gonefishin]

I start trolling cranks as soon as I get the boat out in early spring off Cleveland, far far far away from where the spawning action is going on in the western basin. Anyplace you find nearshore structure you'll find walleye, not all walleye migrate west you'll find resident fish all over the warm water shores of lake erie in the spring, any humps, drop off, ledges, breakwalls, current points will hold walleye even if subtle. Try Reef Runners or Deep Husky Jerks from 1.2.-1.7 mph.