where should i start looking for walleye in the river..

[jerry/pa]

ok guys now that i'm sitting here making my own crawler harness with the help of you all at w.c.(thanks again)..i would like to know where should i start looking for walleye in the river behide my house(susquehanna)starting now and how should i go about fishing for them...plan on pulling the boat out of the barn this week..also whats the temp have to be before i could use these harness and when do the fish start to suspend to feed..when does crankbaits come into affect,ect,,ect..i now where there's 5 to 25 foot holes in the river...where the drop offs are,,ect,,ect..and feel free to add anything i may have missed the would be a help to me.....thanks again to all that help...

jerry

[Jersey John]

Jerry,
Get the book Walleye Wisdom, great investment. I think they sell it here on WC. This time of year I would try a jig/minnow combo. Hope this helps. JJ

[River_eye]

Every river is different, but generally, in a river fish relate to structure, weeds and bottom texture rather than each other.

A jig and minnow or spinner rig is a good place to start. Slow presentation, and don't be discouraged if you don't find fish stacked on top of each other wanting to get at your bait. I find that casting light jigs reasonably shallow, from 2-10 ft, and just playing around and experimenting will at least allow you to find a simple pattern in the fish bite. Are they taking it on the drop, as it drags the bottom, or when it's dead still, etc. Presentation usually means more than location.

It's hard to tell you any more than this when I've never seen the river. Good luck.

[Minnesota]

I would start below any barrier near you such as a dam, rapids or shallow flat with a hole behind it. Work your way down river from there. Look for holes and slack water eddies with depth. Especially in the winter, it seems like natural barriors can bunch fish up. They dont like to work too hard so look for areas where walleyes might rest or get out of the main current. Work the lightest jig you can get away with tipped with a small or medium sized minnow within 3 inches of the bottom. Stay on the bottom. Hook it down the throat and out behind the head to get those short biters. This will keep the minnow active without killing it. In the winter you will have plenty of short biters. One other thing, dont expect much of a strike. Keep your finger on your line and set the hook on any slight resistance. The worst that can happen is you loose a minnow. It will be tough to tell the "pick up and just hold it" from the bottom. Sure, you will have some fish that thump it. But you will catch a lot more fish if you are not afraid to set the hook. Hope this helps. Good luck!!

Minnesota