TOP 3 SUMMER WALLEYE TACTICS
Feat. NICK HONACHEFSKY
Walleye can be notably tough customers to fool into a strike, but Wisconsin based walleye Pro Chase Parsons has a few tricks up his sleeve to dial in ol’ marble-eyes in the early summer.
“I fish the Green Bay, Wisconsin river systems like the Fox River and Winnebago system where you can find walleye all summer long,” says Parsons. “Early summer, fish can literally be anywhere - moving into the mud basins, suspending in open water, on weeds, or following pods of bait. They aren’t just in the pattern of sticking to structure, so you really have to have a diversified game plan. We cruise around looking for suspending fish from 10 feet of water to 2 feet under the surface to on the bottom. They are moving targets in the summer.”
“I fish the Green Bay, Wisconsin river systems like the Fox River and Winnebago system where you can find walleye all summer long,” says Parsons. “Early summer, fish can literally be anywhere - moving into the mud basins, suspending in open water, on weeds, or following pods of bait. They aren’t just in the pattern of sticking to structure, so you really have to have a diversified game plan. We cruise around looking for suspending fish from 10 feet of water to 2 feet under the surface to on the bottom. They are moving targets in the summer.”
So what to do? Here are Parson’s top 3 early summer tips:
1. Trolling to find fish. “Walleye can be anywhere, so we troll to cover ground and find pods. I’ll drag size #4 and #5 shad style crankbaits at 1.5 to 2 MPH off planer boards, and that also allows me to fish 3 lines per person. If a rod goes down, I work the area for a bit.”
2. Sniping with lures. “When water is in the mid 60’s early summer, I’ll fish deeper sand flats or structure areas from 25 to 40 feet down. Once I mark a solid pod of 4 or 5 fish, I’ll toss glide baits like the Moonshine #3 Shiver Minnow and keep it moving fast to get struck from active fish.”
3. Working weed patches. “There are two types of guys – those who only fish weeds and those who never fish weeds. Giant walleye hang on the weeds and structure at any time. If I’m looking to land a big ‘un, I look for weed growth along with patches that sometimes can be a football field or two long. My strategy depends on how high and thick the weeds are. If they’re low, I’ll troll with small crawler harnesses or crankbaits above the weeds to pick them off, or if high growth, pitch a half crawler on a 1/8-ounce Strike King Weedless Crater Jig.”
1. Trolling to find fish. “Walleye can be anywhere, so we troll to cover ground and find pods. I’ll drag size #4 and #5 shad style crankbaits at 1.5 to 2 MPH off planer boards, and that also allows me to fish 3 lines per person. If a rod goes down, I work the area for a bit.”
2. Sniping with lures. “When water is in the mid 60’s early summer, I’ll fish deeper sand flats or structure areas from 25 to 40 feet down. Once I mark a solid pod of 4 or 5 fish, I’ll toss glide baits like the Moonshine #3 Shiver Minnow and keep it moving fast to get struck from active fish.”
3. Working weed patches. “There are two types of guys – those who only fish weeds and those who never fish weeds. Giant walleye hang on the weeds and structure at any time. If I’m looking to land a big ‘un, I look for weed growth along with patches that sometimes can be a football field or two long. My strategy depends on how high and thick the weeds are. If they’re low, I’ll troll with small crawler harnesses or crankbaits above the weeds to pick them off, or if high growth, pitch a half crawler on a 1/8-ounce Strike King Weedless Crater Jig.”
Now that you’ve got the fish hooked, you want to avoid their spiked teeth when unhooking. “I’ve been bit by walleye so much I don’t even feel it, but the average angler wanting to unhook fish needs, long pliers.” A good bet to keep your hands safe is the Bubba 6-inch Hook Extractor built spring-loaded with a rounded hook for easy and safe extraction. And to make quick work of those walleye, slice through them like butter with the Bubba Lithium Ion Cordless Fillet Knife.
― The BUBBA™ Team
