Walleye---Please, How Do I Catch One?

[gotarheelz14]

Hey guys, 

 

I will soon be going to the New River around Fries Virginia for me and my friends' yearly smallmouth trip. I hear they have a ton of nice walleye in that section of the river and so I think I want to catch one this year, if anything, just to cross them off my list. I think they are an awesome looking fish. 

 

Now, I am looking for a sure fire way to catch one so I can then move on to smallmouth fishing. I would prefer not to spend a lot of time fishing for them either. 

If someone asked me how to catch a LM, I would probably tell them to tie on a senko, and just let it sink to the bottom and repeat. Or I might tell them to put on a spinnerbait, work it close to shore and reel it in until you can barely see it. 

So, if you had to tell someone how to catch a Walleye, what would be your sure fire tip to share?

 

 

Thanks!

 

----Carlos

[Marty]

There are no sure things. I've caught hundreds of walleye, but not from conventional places; all but a few are from the murky waters of the Erie Canal.

 

I do know that they can be difficult to catch during the day. I caught a number of them under bright skies, but that was because the water was so murky, but even there the fishing was better in the evening.

 

The only lures I used were crankbaits and grubs on jigheads. They readily took both and weren't too fussy about what style of crankbait. Some people will tell you that a lure tipped with a worm is better, as it well may be, but I never tried it.

 

Good luck, I hope you you get to add another notch to your rod.

[Scott F]

You'll probably catch them by accident fishing for smallies in the river.  Many of the same baits will catch both fish and they will occupy similar places in the river. Minnow imitating baits like Rapalas or a ball jig and twister tails are good choices that will work on everything. I've caught walleyes while smallmouth fishing on Senkos, inline spinners, and even topwater baits.

 

 

I caught this one on a hula grub under a dock

 

 

This one came on a #4 Mepps

[gotarheelz14]

Thanks a lot guys. I think I'm probably just going to focus on fishing for Smallies and catching lots of them. If they live in the same areas and hit the same things, I am bound to catch one at some point or another. 

I really wish I lived up north with all the awesome fish species you guys have. The only thing is, I am originally from Guatemala so I truly am not built for that kind of weather hahaha. 70s year round is more what i'm suited for...

[Bluebasser86]

grubs or power minnows will catch lots of walleye and smallmouths. Cranks like shad raps, flicker shads, original rapalas, or jerkbaits like rouges or pointers will catch lots of walleyes as will lipless cranks. No sure fire things with walleyes. They're one of those fish that if they don't want to bite there isn't much you can do about it. 

[Capt.Bob]

some pretty sound advice! Unless you turn to live bait these guy's have you pretty well covered! If it is truly plentiful with Walleye, and your catching fair numbers of Smallies, you'll score share of Walleye.

[Marty]

70s year round is more what i'm suited for...

 

 

Me too, except I've lived in western New York all my life.

[BradGuenette]

Drop shot a gulp alive leech.

[CoBass]

Everybody has given you good advice. If you're out during the day, target the deeper water. If you can stay on the water until right around dusk, they will start moving up into the shallows to feed. Suspending jerk baits in shallower water right around dusk can be very productive. 

[weekendwarrior]

My go to lure for walleye is a 3" white Berkley Power Grub on a jig head. I've also had a lot of luck on a Mepps or Rooster Tail in white and silver colors