Trolling The Basics
Trolling for walleye can seem like a major problem or the simplest thing in
the world, depending on how you approach it. There are a few basic things that
I do each and every time I go out. First off I am assuming you are properly
equipped, that could be another topic.
- Find them. Us your sonar to locate what looks to
you to be a school of walleye, so you need to be intimate with your equipment
and know what a walleye looks like on your sonar. Looking for boat packs will
sometimes work but you are then depending on someone else’s skill and
judgment.
- Set up on them. Try and determine which way is
best for you to troll. Generally this is with the waves or into them. Other
times you may want to quarter the wave. You need to know your boat and how it
handles in different wave conditions.
- Bait selection. What baits have been working best,
which have you caught walleye with in the past, start with your “go to” baits
and put out as many different baits as you have lines. Once you “hopefully”
catch one or two make bait changes to the successful bait.
- Speed Control. Understand a little about walleye
and how they react to temperature, weather and water conditions. The colder
the water the more lethargic the walleye will be so the slower you need to
troll. The same goes for muddy water conditions. Warmer waters mean more
active fish so your speed may need to be increased. General rule start around
2mph and adjust.
- Return to hot spot. Once we catch a walleye we
will go for about 5 minutes, if not having caught another we make a circle,
figure eight or do a 180-degree turn and go over the same spot again. Walleye
are schooling fish and generally where there is one there will be others.
- Don’t waste your time. After some period of time
if you have not caught any walleye or are into all “trash” fish go back to 1
and start over.