Not long ago I was a greenhorn in the world of walleye fishing. I would see those die hard anglers with their down riggers and planner boards trolling back and forth across drop offs while using their ipilot to control speed and direction. The entire walleye scene seemed very intimidating and extremely expensive. Then, I was turned on to a few basics that allowed me to put more fish in the boat, and take advantage of the summer walleye bite.

Where to Find Them

Walleye are considered a cool water fish, preferring to feed in water temps between 65-70. While anglers who target inland lakes are in a constant battle to find and fish below the thermocline, the easiest place to find these ideal water temperatures is in rivers and streams, as the constant current allows for the water to stay within the ideal temperature range.

Finding localized schools of walleye in streams is a bit easier as well. As a river bends and turns, the natural flow of the water digs out trenches or pools. Typically those pools that hold depths of 8-12 feet are prime locations for holding summer walleye. The current works to bring a constant flow of food through the pool, as well as creates a smooth bottom surface that walleye love.

Gear

You could ask a thousand walleye anglers the best rod and reel combination to use and you would likely get a thousand different responses. The simple truth is that with walleye there is no cookie cutter set up that will fit everyone. What I like to use as a starting reference is a 6.5′ graphite rod with medium power and moderate-fast action. This allows me to have a relatively quick hook set as well as the backbone to leverage against bigger fish.

Because I use a moderate-fast action rod, I am losing a bit of sensitivity in the rod tip. To combat that I run a main line 8 pound braid, which is the most sensitive line on the market. As a leader, whenever possible I use monofilament. Mono tends to have a little more stretch in the line, which is ideal for getting a good hook set in the rather abrasive mouth of a walleye. As conditions, such as spooky fish, or clear water presents itself, I switch to a Fluorocarbon leader, that is virtually undetectable in water.

Find out more about the differences in line choices.

Rig

From the rod tip slide a Lindy no-slip sinker onto your main line followed by a bead and an inline swivel. The bead is used to keep the sinker from tangling into your swivel while allowing it to slip back and forth across the line preventing the line from twisting.

From the swivel run a 5′ leader that is tipped with a Northland gum-drop floater. The gum drop floater is the best option for keeping bait off the bottom of the river and in the strike zone longer. The bait you use is up to you and your conditions. I tend to run full night crawlers, but shiners and leaches are also great options.

If you do decide on night crawlers, I recommend running a stinger hook to the tail of the bait, to capitalize on the lighter summer walleye bite. Lastly, I use a syringe to fill the body of the crawler with air. This gives the bait more buoyancy in the water. (Just don’t go to your local CVS pharmacy and ask for needles, no matter how you explain it, they tend to suspect the worst and ask you to promptly leave)

Fishing Method

There are undoubtedly hundreds of ways to fish for walleye. Everything from jigging soft plastics and swim baits to trolling crawler harnesses and crank baits, but drifting bait at the pace of the current is the most natural presentation for river walleyes. When you drift, there is no guessing of the perfect speed to entice a bite, you just allow mother nature to set the speed of the bait at a natural rate.

Reading the water and the movement of the current takes time and experience to understand, but for the novice fisherman simply choosing a starting point, and allowing the current to choose your line of drift is easiest. After one pass through the pool, taking a second and sometimes third pass, with a different starting point, will allow you to fish different approaches to the same hole.

Drifting can be done using anything from a 21′ bass boat to a 10′ kayak. I could even imagine with the right setup one could use an inner tube to float through pools along stretches of river. The point is, regardless of money, technology, or gear, drifting summer walleye is accessible to everyone.

The summer walleye bite can be a challenging, slow and methodical experience, but as you are slowly filling your boat with fish, its hard to even notice. As always, if you get the opportunity, bring a child fishing, the lessons to be learned in the outdoors is unmatched.

Tight Lines!