Weedline Walleyes

[Dave Mull]

OK, taking the easy way out for an updated BLOG. This is from our pals at PRADCO, parent company of Lindy.

Look For Last Weeds For Fall Walleye

By Daniel Quade

Lindy rigging walleyes along deep, steep breaklines is a killer fall pattern on many lakes, but such structure isn’t the only place this time-honored tactic holds water. In many systems, weedlines hold the key to incredible late-season catches.

“After the fall turnover, many anglers focus on deep structure,†said veteran walleye guide Mike Christensen. “And in the right lakes, it’s hard to beat rigging a large redtail chub or sucker minnow out deep. But in a lot of situations, the weed bite is better.â€

Such is the case on Christensen’s home waters of mighty Mille Lacs Lake, where he runs ice and open-water walleye adventures out of Hunter Winfield’s Resort. Though the central Minnesota walleye factory offers plenty of structure options offshore, the perimeters of its fertile weedbeds are often overlooked. The same scenario arises in many natural lakes with an abundance of shoreline vegetation. Not only are the weedbeds full of walleye, but with most anglers mining off-shore areas, you can have them to yourself.

The reason behind walleyes’ fondness for fall greenery is simple: it holds food. Along with a variety of minnow species, weeds often hold a veritable salad bar of young-of-the-year perch, sunfish and crappies -- offering hungry ’eyes an easy meal.

Not all weedbeds are created equal, however. Christensen says that live weeds that still hold some green are key, and broad-leafed pondweeds -- commonly called cabbage -- are the cream of the vegetative crop. A healthy stand of crisp, green cabbage attracts a smorgasbord of baitfish, as well as a trail of toothy predators. Along with walleyes, you often find northern pike and muskies patrolling this underwater buffet. In fact, Christensen said that at times so many muskies move into a particular weedbed and run off the walleyes.

Some of the very best weedbeds often lie close to deep water, and offer walleyes easy access to the abyss. These weedbeds are made even better if they exist in combination with structure such as a change in bottom composition or a rock pile.

“When you find weeds on a point jutting out into deeper water, you’re really in business,†Christiansen says. “Key depths for prime vegetation commonly range from 5 to 12 feet.â€

It’s possible to pluck plump walleyes from pockets in the weeds, but Christensen prefers the deadly efficiency of Lindy rigging the edges.

“Both the inside and outside edges of the weedline can hold fish,†he said. “I often start deep. If the fish are really biting and all of a sudden disappear, I’ll move to the inside edge. Often, active fish move shallower, so you have to move with them to stay on the bite.â€

Christensen’s go-to rig includes Lindy’s 72-inch Minnow Snell, which he says helps avoid spooking skittish walleyes.

“You’re fishing close to the boat in relatively shallow depths,†he explains. “So the added snell length can be a big plus, especially in clear water.â€

When the water is off-color to flat out murky, he will opt for the 42-inch Lindy Rig X-Treme or the 36-inch Minnow Snell.

Slip-sinkers such as the Lindy Walking Sinker or No-Snagg are key to weedline success because they allow the fish to take line without feeling the weight of the sinker. Christensen matches sinker weight to water depth and other factors, such as wind and waves.

“Always go as light as possible to maintain bottom contact with your line at a 45-degree angle to the water,†he says. “You also don’t want the minnow to be able to lift the sinker off bottom and swim away from walleyes that are checking it out.â€

In general, sinkers in the ¼- to 3/8-ounce range see most of the action in the depths Christensen targets.

While offshore riggers typically lean on larger baitfish to trip walleyes’ triggers, Christensen chooses smaller fare, namely rainbow chubs in the 3-inch range.

“They’re tough little minnows that remain lively a long time -- much longer than shiners,†he says. “Leeches are another decent option, but they’re hard to find in fall. Nightcrawlers are better earlier in the year, when there are more bug hatches going on.â€

Standard rigging wisdom calls for nose-hooking the bait, though at times reverse rigging with the minnow lightly impaled near the dorsal fin can be better.

Christensen slow-trolls the rig along likely weedlines with his trolling motor only. He said that sometimes he can spot fish with his sonar, or his minnow gets nervous and starts swimming around a little more, letting him know a walleye is moving in for a closer look. In either case, he slows down to give the fish more time to take the bait, or he turns around for another pass at the prime area.

Even once you put the right bait in strike zone, bite detection and - skills remain critical to rigging success. It can be challenging to detect the strike and get a good hook-set when the sinker is ticking along a soft, weedy bottom and occasionally hanging up on weed clumps and stalks. To tip the odds in his favor, he fishes with a light-tipped rod, which loads up nicely when faced with resistance and gives him a chance to determine whether the extra weight is a light-biting walleye or simply vegetation.

“Let the rod load up to be sure it’s a fish,†he says. “Sometimes you’ll also feel a twitch or thunk when a walleye grabs the minnow, but not always.â€

Knowing a fish has the bait is half the battle. Sticking the hook in its jaw is the other. After detecting a bite, Christensen feeds the fish slack line, then typically gives it a little time to get the minnow in its maw before driving the hook home. Most often, it’s an amazingly calm 10-count, though fish activity level may dictate longer or shorter counts. He says that he knows anglers who wait a minute or more to set the hook, but that can lead to deeply hooked fish.

“I release most of my fish, so I don’t wait that long,†he notes.

When it’s time to set the hook, don’t just snap the rod back and hope for the best. Such blind ambition often results in a short set, what Christensen calls “setting the hook on the sinker.†Instead, gently reel up any slack in the line until the rod loads up and you feel the weight of the fish, then execute a nice, strong, sweeping hook-set and you’ll be well on your way to reaping the fall weedline harvest.