How To Catch Walleye From Shore
You may not believe it, but you can catch walleye fish from the shore. This is because these fish follow cues that dictate their behavior.
This often brings them within the casting range of those who aren’t on boats.
Contrary to popular belief, walleye are fairly easy to catch. You can use live bait, moving bait, or jigs with pretty similar levels of success.
By far the hardest part of catching walleye from the shore is finding the perfect location.
Want to catch a trophy-class walleye? Keep reading to find out more.
What Are Walleye?
Walleye is a species of freshwater perciform fish that are native to Canada and North America. Walleye can also be called the yellow pickerel or the yellow pike.
The walleye are very popular with anglers. So popular, in fact, that their fishing is regulated by the majority of natural resource agencies. This is done so that the walleye population is not over exploited.
Regulations include length limitless or maximum quotas. Michigan, for example, has prohibited keeping caught fish that are less than 15 inches (38 cm) in length apart from a few specified areas where the minimum length is a little shorter at 13 inches (33 cm).
How To Catch Walleye From Shore
Live Bait
Live bait fishing is just about unparalleled in terms of success. We recommend that you keep live bait with you as an alternative should walleye not go for lures or if the fishing is particularly slow.
Keep in mind that, if you do go for live bait, you need to check with local regulations, so you can be sure you are fishing on the right side of the law.
We recommend that you try golden shiners, fathead minnows, or even small yellow perch if you want to catch walleye.
Try pushing a Size 1 or Size 2 hook through the live bait’s nose as this will keep the bait upright when cast into the water and alive.
Skittish walleye will eventually go for live bait if it is kept still in the water. If nothing is biting, you can try slowly reeling in your line to use it as jerk bait.
You may find it is worth experimenting a little with your technique to find out what the walleye fancy – they can be quite fickle!
We have found that leeches can work excellently for walleye. They are also quite easy to rig up, and you can easily create a natural swim action if you choose to jig or troll the bait.
Just cast and move the bait around the water gently and just wait for the walleye to go for it.
Moving Bait
This is one of our favorite methods for catching walleye from the shore. Walleye are aggressive predators and will readily attack moving bait.
Just be sure to find a good location that is already full of their natural food source – bluegill and perch.
If you are fishing in Spring or Fall, moving bait is just about your only option. They are very efficient, and you can easily cover lots of water very quickly with moving baits – be sure to try spoons, jerk baits, swimming jigs, and swim baits. Just remember to fan cast and not cast straight out – the walleye won’t go for it!
If you are fishing in Spring or Summer, you are still likely to have success with moving bait. This is because active walleye – the ones you want to catch – will just about always go for moving bait.
No success? We recommend that you slow down a bit more. An unnatural bait movement will ‘put off’ walleye, and they won’t bite. A nice, gentle move is more likely to get you a catch.
Jigging
Jigging is going to be more successful if you want to catch walleye from the bank. They are the ideal midway point between almost stationary live bait and zooming moving bait.
When done correctly and in the correct location, jigging has the potential to be very successful.
Try switching to jigs if you see a walleye stopping just short of going for your jerk bait or crank bait. We find that using a ¾ ounce jig head works great when you are fishing with very little wind.
Fishing in moving water or high winds? Try a slightly heavier jig head. A 1-ounce jig head will be heavy enough to let you feel that ‘thud’ of the bottom a little easier.
Choose a green, white, red curly, or chartreuse grub and then cast it out. Now you need to wait until you feel it thud on the floor of the water.
Move up your rod’s tip and then reel in any slack. Repeat this until you catch a walleye.
When To Catch Walleye From Shore
You will find that there are certain times of day that are best to catch walleye, and catching them from the shore is no different.
We have found that you are more likely to catch a walleye in the early morning or late afternoon. You could even try nighttime fishing if that is your thing.
These times of day coincide with the movement of bluegill and perch which walleye hunt. Bluegill and perch tend to favor areas with rip rap and uneven coastlines, so walleye will be present in these places too.
They will certainly be present where there is a shallow bay or flat next to deep drop-offs or deep water.
Where To Find Active Walleye
Here are some walleye-popular areas to help you find a perfect spot.
River Gravel Beds
Find a break that is under 6 feet during the Spring. Large walleye will congregate in the first big break caused by an island, dam, or peninsula. Don’t forget your waders!
Spillways
Big walleye are always active in spillways as they are rich in oxygen and tend to have deep drop-offs within easy casting distance. You are also likely to find some good bait fish in this oxygen-rich water.
Drop-Offs And Shelves
Try a shallow flat that drops off steeply and suddenly. These types of locations are often covered in walleye during the day as they can move easily up to shallower water when the evening comes.
Weedy Shallow Water Near Deep Water
Walleye love hunting in low light or weedy areas of water.
Try fishing in these areas in the late afternoon, early morning, or at night – these are times when walleye hunt for perch, shad, or bluegill amongst the weeds. This can typically bring them within cast-distance of the bank.
Current Breaks And Seams
Anything that breaks up the current is going to provide enough cover for feeding fish to assemble, encouraging predator fish like the walleye.
Bigger walleye are primarily found in seams. Seams occur where the middle of the river meets the slower moving water along the sides. Walleye rest in these areas and wait for prey to swim past.
Final Thoughts
Catching walleye from the shore is easy when you know how.
Moving bait, live bait, and jigging will all work for walleye. By far the most challenging aspect of catching walleye is finding the perfect location.
You want to find an area that has enough cover to encourage prey fish that the walleye are likely to hunt. This could be in a shallow, weedy area, or in a current break or spillway.
Keep in mind that the best time of day to catch walleye is when their prey is active. This is during the night, early morning, or late afternoon.
