How Do You Troll Walleye On The Mississippi River?

How do you troll for walleye in a river?

Trolling the River for Walleye
I let out lots of line to distance myself from my lure and when possible, I troll with my electric trolling motor or my kicker motor. I’ve also found that trolling against the current reduces lure snags and hangups.

How do you catch walleye on the Mississippi River?

On the Mississippi River, look for walleyes in flowing side channels or along the upstream side of wing dams. As the water starts to cool in September, walleyes move from their summer hangouts to get ready for winter.

What is the best speed to troll for walleye?

Trolling speed, in the spring, is best at 1.3 – 1.5 mph. Summer trolling speeds increase 1.5- 2 mph as walleyes are more active in warmer water temperatures.

Do you troll upstream or downstream?

For all those reasons, trolling downstream is the best way to get at them. First off, by going downhill, you can crank up the trolling speed — which allows you to cover the water (and find fish) more quickly.

How fast should I troll?

So, what is the best trolling speed? The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.

Are the walleyes biting on the Mississippi?

Spring fishing on the Mississippi River centers on one thing – walleyes. Every year in April, the fish move upstream to spawn in the annual ritual.

What fish live in the Mississippi River?

The Upper Mississippi River is home to over 119 species of fish — more species than are found in any of Wisconsin’s inland lakes. Favorite sport fish include walleye, sauger, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, northern pike, bluegill and crappies.

What do you use to troll for walleye?

For the uninitiated, trolling is the act of running a baited rig or lure behind a moving boat and towing it at slow speed until a fish grabs. For walleye, that’s most often done with diving crankbaits or spinner rigs behind some weight.

How much line do you let out when trolling for walleye?

Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball…then let out 150 feet of line! Just remember, the flat-line diving depth of your crankbait still applies behind the ball!

What time of day is best for walleye fishing?

The best times of day to fish for large walleye is around dawn and dusk. In particular, 30 minutes before and after sunset and sunrise are peak times. That said, walleye will continue to feed all night long.

How fast do you pull crankbaits?

Determine a depth – Like Whitehead, using 90 to 110 feet of line is a good starting point. At 1.5 mph this will put the 8- to 12-foot crankbaits between 12-16 feet, depending on wind on waves. Choose a speed – 1.5 to 1.7 mph is where Whitehead stays and is a common speed for pulling cranks.

Can you troll kwikfish?

When trolling or backtrolling in water less than 10 feet deep, the standard Kwikfish can be fished without any additional weight.Slow current or a short trolling distance (30 feet) produces a shallow dive, while strong current or a long trolling distance (50 feet) will produce a deeper dive.

How far behind the boat should I troll?

Every boat is different and you should make your boat your own study. Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.

Should you troll with or against the current?

When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.

How do you troll with a spoon?

A spoon should wobble from side-to-side and will produce its best all-around, fish-catching action when trolled at speeds between the slowest that produces a wobble and the fastest darting action that does not cause the lure to revolve or spin. For fast trolling try the Krocodile.

Are there walleye in Mississippi?

Gulf Coast Strain (GCS) walleye are native to the Mississippi River drainage and look like their northern cousins, though there is a distinct genetic strain that only lives in the Mobile River drainage of Alabama and Mississippi. In Mississippi, they historically inhabited the Tombigbee River drainage.

How do you fish a willow cat?

The best way to hook the willow cat is right up through the lips with a No. 2 or 1/0 hook. Some people just hook them through the tail thinking they get more action that way.

How do you keep a willow cat alive?

Keep them out of the sunlight for an extended time and keep them in a cooler. My Dad stores his in his garage and keeps the water fresh.

What do willow cats look like?

A willow cat looks really close to a bull head but the tail is bigger and round. I have a aquarium full of them from last year, the willow cat has a slime coat or a scent that really seems to attract the walleyes!

What is the biggest fish in the Mississippi river?

The blue catfish is the largest species of catfish in North America and can even reach a weight of 150 pounds. Fisherman Tim Pruitt set a record in 2005 when he reeled in a 124-pound blue catfish, also caught in the Mississippi River. Copyright 2020 WLBT. All rights reserved.