Jigging Late Fall Walleye: Is It A Misplaced Artwork? – Fish’n Canada

Now, earlier than I even get into this, I already might have some jigging fanatics “involved” with the title of this text, but it surely got here to me with good cause. For my part, the clearly noticeable “late season Walleye” development is trolling crankbaits. Let’s be trustworthy, the skilled Walleye tour rivals, fishing guides, and anglers that merely need or want a change, have come to like pulling cranks in chilly water. It’s a lethal technique to get ’em!

FALL WALLEYE JIGGING

The Bay of Quinte is an ideal instance of this development. Come October, by means of November, and nicely into December, trolling crankbaits has yielded extra trophy Quinte space Walleye than all different techniques mixed. I’d enterprise to guess that in the event you in contrast the quantity of 10 pound plus Walleye caught trolling crankbaits within the final 20 years, to 10 pound plus Walleye caught on jigs within the final 40 years, the trollers would win. Do the math’s yourself in case you have a steep historical past of fishing fall Walleye on the bay. Personally, my jig numbers don’t even come near my trolling numbers relating to huge fish.

Does this imply that the artwork of jigging fall Walleye is misplaced? Are places just like the Bay of Quinte an indicator that Walleye jigging is a waste of time?

FALL WALLEYE JIGGING

Undoubtedly not!

My private historical past of jigging up chilly water fall Walleye is an extended one. It was my go-to tactic regardless of the circumstances or depth. Whether or not or not it’s a jig and minnow, a jigging spoon, or an ice jig – to me, that was the deal. I say “was” as a result of as you see above, I now have additionally employed the trolling crankbaits sample into my arsenal of fall Walleye fishing methods.

MY FAVOURITE GEAR FOR FALL WALLEYE JIGGING

Rods & Reels:

As I acknowledged above, I choose utilizing spinning gear for probably the most half when jigging fall Walleye. A 6’ 8″ to 7’ medium-fast motion high quality graphite rod coupled with a 2000-sized spinning reel is ideal. Spool up both straight 8lb check, 100% fluorocarbon line to the jig, or 10 – 12lb braid to an 8 or 10lb fluorocarbon chief (my private desire) to the jig and also you’re in enterprise. I’ve been tying the FG knot these days for the latter braid to fluoro setup and I actually prefer it (preserve training till you get it).

I do have a time after I use baitcasting gear as a substitute of spinning. Once I’m utilizing heavy jigs in deep water, that’s after I make the swap. Three-quarters of an oz and up is my threshold right here. I actually don’t like the texture of spinning gear with a heavy jig; it’s only a private desire.

For my baitcasting setup, I like a 6’10” to 7’ medium-heavy rod and a reel, with both 12 – 15lb straight fluorocarbon or 20 – 30lb braid to a ten – 12lb fluorocarbon chief. Sure, medium-heavy appears like plenty of stick for Walleye, nonetheless, there’s an excellent probability at an actual tank of a fish with a heavy jigging lure so I really feel heavier is best than lighter.

By the way, I tie my leadhead jigs on to the fluoro with a Palomar knot and if I’m utilizing a jigging spoon, I generally tie on a small snap-swivel first (if the spoon has a loopy motion), once more, with the identical knot.

Leadhead – Jigs

As for jigs, I don’t let it get too difficult. Since I principally use a leadhead jig and minnow mixture, I choose a short-shank hook, nonetheless, an everyday size hook is completely high-quality. I really feel the short-shank is simpler for a fish to engulf all the presentation into its (hopefully) “huge” mouth and thus really feel I get extra of an opportunity of hooking up. As nicely, if I can get a stand-up brief shank hook, all the higher. On these ultra-slow days the place backside contact is essential, I like the truth that my minnow is within the nostril down place, which means the remainder of the physique and tail is sticking up from the underside. Possibly that’s simply in my head however I prefer it that means!

Manufacturers of lead head jigs once more are a private factor. Simply be sure you purchase high quality.

Jigging Spoons

Jigging spoons have been round ceaselessly and, right here in Canada, they’ve at all times been a staple of ice fishing. From panfish all the way in which as much as Lake Trout, jigging spoons catch ‘em!

In regular experimental angler trend although, many have taken the jigging spoon to open water (me included).

For Walleye, I choose a ½ ounce measurement in most situations. If I’m fishing 30+ toes deep in a robust wind, I’ll go heavier. Once more, I “ALWAYS” tip my jig with a minnow presently of yr. Properly, possibly I shouldn’t say at all times. If the fishing is insanely good and the Walleye are pounding the spoon/minnow combo, I’ll try and attempt it naked and not using a minnow. The Walleye will shortly let you know if the necessity for meat is important.

I really just like the “gold in overcast and silver in sunny” rule of thumb right here. After all, fluorescent orange, chartreuse, white and patterns like perch and even these loopy colors are additionally nice producers. Preserve an array in your jigging package.

Ice Jigs

Ice fishing jigs are one other nice fall Walleye producer (all season the truth is). To not be confused with jigging spoons, these oddly formed baits are fish triggering machines. I’m not too certain what firm began the craze, nonetheless, it was Rapala that definitely put these baits on the map. Different firms like Nils Grasp, Acme, and Moonshine all make high quality merchandise. As I mentioned above, these most positively shouldn’t be focused to ice fishing solely. With that mentioned, fall is certainly one of my favorite months for bringing out the ice jigs. There’s one thing concerning the motion of this bait that will get Walleye cranked up!

Once more, tipping this bait with a minnow, or a minimum of a minnow head or tail, could make all of the distinction on the earth. Nevertheless, within the reverse trend of my jigging spoon approach, in the place I add a minnow (or piece) and let the fish inform me if I don’t want it, with an ice jig I fish it naked after which add the minnow on and gradual issues down if the fishing is gradual and I do know I’m over or near Walleye. Listed here are 4 examples of ice jigs. After all, there are lots of extra to select from however you get the concept right here as to the form of those baits. By the way, as you may see from the fourth bait, that is how I tip ice jigs with a minnow.

Lipless Cranks (Rattle Baits)

My remaining fall jigging bait is a lipless crankbait, previously (and nonetheless) generally known as a rattle bait. I like the truth that somebody had the wherewithal to take a bait that was designed for Largemouth Bass (and transitioned extraordinarily nicely for Smallmouth) and put it to efficient use on Walleye. To me, that’s good!

Within the modern-day chilly water Walleye period, there are actually vertical jigging Rattle Baits designed particularly for Walleye. Corporations like Yo-Zuri put out nice lures.

The primary time I heard about these baits getting used within the chilly water interval was from ice anglers on Lake Winnipeg. They had been triggering large Walleye when every little thing else was mediocre at greatest. It shortly turned an on-ice phenomenon.

Though I’ve solely dabbled within the lipless crank world for fall Walleye, it has labored on a number of fish. When the fish are ultra-aggressive and, imagine it or not, once they don’t appear to need something to do with a jig and minnow, that’s when I’ll change. It’s all about experimentation.

WHERE TO JIG IN THE FALL

I’m not going to get particular right here by which lakes or rivers to jig fish however I’ll say that the spring spawn has an enormous affect on the place to fish. Walleye of all sizes will work their means in direction of their spawning grounds. I wish to search for a pleasant deep gap or basin close to any incoming rivers. Between that deep gap (ideally round 20-40+ toes), some break lines alongside a channel, some humps that high out round 20 or so toes deep, and the primary 500 to 1000 meters of the spawning river (from the river mouth and up present) are the place I’d begin.

FALL WALLEYE JIGGING

A serious key right here is to make use of your electronics to the most effective which you can. Begin out utilizing your fishing chart display to see potential areas. In case you like your conventional display then activate it and search for hooks or bumps on the underside. The identical goes with scanning down and to the perimeters. After all, in case you have any of the Panoptix transducers, that makes life even simpler.

It doesn’t matter what space of the lake or river that I start my fishing day in, I just about at all times begin with the jig and minnow combo. That’s just because, in the event that they aren’t hitting that, then I’ve bought my work minimize out for me.

CONCLUSION

I’ll depart it as much as you as to in the event you really feel jigging for fall Walleye is a misplaced artwork. For me, I’d take one 10 pounder on a jig vs. two trolling a crankbait any day of the week. Don’t get me fallacious although, I’ll do no matter tactic is important to place a large into the boat, all of it simply boils right down to desire.