| So where are the walleyes located in river systems? | | | | backwards, maintaining enough pressure on the lure |
| The 80/20 rule applies here once again. 80% percent | | | | to keep it moving against the current. Your lure will |
| of the fish are in 20% of river habitat, which is within | | | | face into the current but gradually wash |
| or very close to current breaks and seams. By using | | | | downstream, giving the impression that it is too |
| a current break fish can wait in a reduced current | | | | weak to fight the current. Once you have let the lure |
| flow to ambush prey being carried by the current. | | | | out as far as you intend, simply fish back up the |
| Game fish are rarely found in dead water. The | | | | current. |
| exception to this statement would be very cold | | | | Other Areas That Hold Walleyes In Rivers |
| water; even then a slight current flow is most often | | | | Lifts can also cause a current break that holds fish, |
| preferred. | | | | especially active fish. When water flows from deep |
| What And Where Are Current Breaks And Seams? | | | | to shallower the lift will create a current break on top |
| The surface of a river will tell you about what is | | | | of the shallow side. Another example of a lift would |
| underneath it. A current break is any area of the | | | | be the face of a wing dam on a larger river such as |
| river that changes the flow of the current such as | | | | the Mississippi River. |
| rocks, fallen trees, wing dams, and bridge pilings. The | | | | Presentation Techniques |
| very bottom of a hole or the dropping slope of a | | | | When fish are active a moving presentation with the |
| hole is also a current break. | | | | current is generally more successful than a stationary |
| These current breaks create seams. A seam is the | | | | presentation. A moving presentation is also more |
| meeting of water moving in different directions, at | | | | natural as the fish are used to feeding on food being |
| different speeds or of different clarity (such as a | | | | washed down stream. This means the lightest jig or |
| mud line where a creek flows into the river). Seams | | | | least amount of weight should be used. When fishing |
| are really what you are looking for; most of the fish | | | | crankbaits troll or retrieve upstream for a more |
| you catch will be very closely to a seam. | | | | neutral presentation and troll or retrieve down stream |
| Current breaks and seams are not where you want | | | | for aggressive fish. Retrieving a crankbait diagonally |
| to anchor your boat. Instead of anchoring behind a | | | | with the current will also slow down a crankbait |
| rock, anchor to one side or the other of a seam in | | | | versus retrieving parallel with the current. |
| such a way that you can fish as much of the seam | | | | A common complaint of anglers new to river fishing is |
| as possible. When fishing a hole anchor above or | | | | that they loose a lot of tackle to snags. Frequent |
| below the hole, not in it. | | | | snags most often occur when using to heavy of jig |
| Seams and current breaks can be subtle, but no less | | | | or split shot. If using diving crank bait switch to one |
| effective. A seam can be an area where slightly | | | | that doesn't dive as deep. When fishing for catfish |
| choppy water turns flat. The deeper the water, the | | | | pound the bell sinker flat with a hammer so it doesn't |
| further downstream evidence of an obstruction will | | | | roll in the current. |
| appear on the surface. When casting to a boil you will | | | | Using Fish Finders To Locate River Walleyes |
| need to cast in front of the boil. The deeper the | | | | While fish finders most often work very well in lakes, |
| water the further in front of the boil you will need to | | | | rivers can often pose couple of problems even for |
| cast. The distance you cast in front of the boil will | | | | modern day electronics. When water conditions |
| allow time for your bait or lure to reach the bottom | | | | become muddy the particles floating in the water |
| and be swept with the current past the underwater | | | | also reflect the sound waves being transmitted from |
| object. | | | | the fish finder and the display will become snowy. |
| As the seam is the most effective area, you should | | | | Once the gain or sensitivity is turned to eliminate the |
| be aware of when your lure is near a seam and try | | | | snow it's usually too low to show fish. Steep drop |
| to keep your lure on it for as long as possible. There | | | | offs such as the riprapped banks of rivers can also |
| are a variety of techniques that can be used to keep | | | | hide walleyes from a graph or a flasher. So while a |
| your lure in the strike zone. One is back reeling. | | | | flasher or graph is still very valuable to help better |
| Position yourself upstream of the water you want to | | | | understand the bottom contour, don't rely on it to |
| fish, cast to the head of the seam and reel | | | | find fish. |