Walleyes Inc. Action packed adventures in walleye fishing on the internet.

1. Detroit River
This is, without question, my No. 1 pick for double-digit fish, a conviction
that's become even stronger after the Professional Walleye Trail's last two
stops there.When the PWT visited during the first week of April, 2001, the circuit's previous big fish record went down to a 13.15-pound walleye. That narrowly edged out the 12.93-pounder I caught during the tournament.  A fish under 11 pounds  did not even qualify for any of the top 12 big fish awards.
Target that first week in April when there are unbelievable numbers of fish
coming out of Lake Erie to spawn. Two years ago, we dropped an underwater camera to the bottom and were amazed at how many walleyes we saw.
The best stretch of river is the first 10 miles from the mouth. It's fishable from a small boat, and trophy walleyes can be caught day or night, although the
night bite is the best. Most traditional early season structure will hold fish -- from sand flats and mud bottom to rocky areas and river bends.
Presentations that work well include trolling 3-way rigs with stickbaits, and
vertical jigging. There is typically decent current moving down the river, requiring at least a 4-ounce weight to keep a three-way rig in the strike
zone. The best lead lengths with that weight have been two feet to the dropper
and about five feet to stickbaits like floating Rapalas and Deep Jr. Thundersticks.
Jigging enthusiasts will need 1/2-ounce to 3/4-ounce leadheads. Lindy's Jumbo
Fuzzy Grubs are a good choice. Tip them with big minnows or medium-sized chubs or shiners. Fireline is an added advantage because of the jagged shale rock and zebra mussels in the river.

2. Lake Erie/Port Clinton
About the time the big-fish bite on the Detroit River begins to slow down a
little, things are heating up out of Port Clinton, and particularly in the Bass
Islands area where scores of big fish are taken trolling crankbaits and crawler
harnesses over open water. My personal-best walleye came from this area, a 14-pound, 7-ounce postspawn fish that measured 34 inches in length and fell victim to a crawler harness.
The time frame from about April 10-20 seems to be best. Some fish are
returning to the lake after spawning in area rivers while others are simply
cruising around rebuilding their strength after spawning on reefs in the lake. It doesn't seem to matter if you fish day or night, and the target areas for the real hawgs has been 30-35 feet of water over a mud bottom in my experience.
You will need a fairly large boat, something in the 18- to 20-foot range at
least, because Lake Erie can get rough, and dangerous.
Presentations should be slow. These fish won't waste a lot of energy chasing
a bait at this time of year. Work fairly close to the bottom, too, but keep an
eye on your graphics as the day wears on. When you start seeing fish up off the
bottom, adjust your lures to get in their faces.  If you encounter dirty water, move to an area with better clarity. There may be fish in the muddy or stained water, but I have never been able to get them to go.
Charter boats are always an option out of Port Clinton, but you may want to
ask the captain if he or she plans to troll or anchor up and cast the reefs. For
the largest fish, you'll want to troll. The reefs will produce an occasional 10-pounder, but most will be smaller males.

3. Fox River/DePere Dam
This is another early April prespawn bite, with the first week of the month
typically the best for the very largest walleyes.  Big fish can be caught during the day or at night, and from a boat or on foot, but my top approach has been wading at night casting large stickbaits into shallow water and along shallow breaks in 3-5 feet of water. Don't expect ferocious strikes. Again, those big old females tend to be a little sluggish in cold water. Work the bait across the current and if it comes to a stop, wait for the telltale tug of a big fish before reacting. There is no question you will catch a lot of fish in the 7- to 8-pound class, and if you put in your time you will land a 10-pounder. My best night featured five fish over 29 inches. Two nights later, I caught the second-largest walley of my life with a 13-3. Keep in mind that this is a trophy-only area in the spring. Anglers are allowed only one fish per day, and it must measure at least 29 inches.

4) Little Bay de Noc
Michigan's Upper Peninsula is home to some of the best fall walleye fishing
in the country. Scores of big 'eyes migrate into the bay and provide as much
action as most anglers can handle. The time frame depends on the weather, but the big fish bite typically heats up in October and peaks in November. It will last into December if the Bay doesn't freeze over.
A medium-sized boat is required. Long runs aren't needed to reach the fish,
but again for safety and comfort, a bigger boat is a good idea. Concentrate on the north end of the Bay, and troll crankbaits or crawler harnesses on the edges of the reefs and shoreline breaks during the day. At night, casting cranks on top of the reefs and over the decaying weedbeds will yield lots of fish from 6-9 pounds, and quite a few between 10 and 12 pounds.
Local regulations allow each angler only one walleye over 23 inches per day.
To get in on the best fall trophy fishing, call ahead. Bait shots and motels in Escanaba and Gladstone will be happy to provide accurate, helpful
information.

5) Rainy River and Green Bay
I couldn't pick one of these spots over the other. They're both home to
spectacular fall bites, and they both deserve to make the cut. The Rainy River loads up with big fish from the mouth where it hooks up with Lake of the Woods to about five miles upstream. It can be fished from a boat of just about any size, and the best fishing will coincide with the annual fall shiner run.
Top presentations are trolling cranks on lead-core line along the river's
breaklines and bends or jigging. Again, use local resources to put you on the
best bite. If the Rainy is too far to go, Green Bay has a lot to offer, too. My
experience takes me to the east shore where reefs like Larsen's and Monument
near Sturgeon Bay load up with jumbo walleyes. A bigger boat is required out on this vast expanse of water, and the best bite is at night.
Top methods are trolling cranks over the reefs and along the shoreline, or
casting them. There are plenty of guides available for anglers who want to go
that route.
There are other places that offer a decent chance at a 10-pound walleye, too.
Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana would be a good bet in the fall, the Charity
Islands area of Saginaw Bay has a tremendous reputation for big fish, and Mille
Lacs is a fishery that's going to explode for 29-inch-plus trophies over the
next couple of years.  Make those plans now to become a member of the double-digit club
E-mail John Kolinski

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