Getting the Munchies
By Sam Anderson
Rivers are everywhere, and most of them have a good population of fish. Most anglers live close to a river; therefore it's easy to get onto a good bite when the urge strikes you. In fact, some rivers that border states have no closed season on a variety of species. This enables the angler to get out and do some fishing even during the cold early spring months.
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Fish can be located below a lock and dam on the Mississippi or Ohio River. Off the tip of a big sand bar on the Missouri or Minnesota or off a logjam on the Des Moines River in Iowa. Or they might be in a bridge hole on the Red River of the North.
Other spots may be structure like gravel or sandbars, shallow rocky shoals near drop-offs, wave-washed points, deserted sandy bottom beaches, or bottlenecks between two different land masses.
Riprap is also good, particularly where current hits the rock, such as on a windy point with deep water access, or near a culvert where fresh water is filtering through a rock causeway.
Late winter and early spring walleyes are usually pretty lethargic. Their body metabolism is slow, but they still have to eat. Therefore, they simply watch the offerings float by them or be carried downstream via current. The exception to this is they still get the munchies on a daily basis.
Look for breaks in the current. They may be behind islands, points, and below bars in mid channel. In strong current, walleyes group tight to structure. In softer current or low water periods, like winter, they often scatter, and hold on edges of barriers or current breaks.
With this in mind anglers should stop and think where are the edges on this body of water. For example, walleyes in cold water will probably be where there is a warmer temperature. That might mean the northern part of the lake or where a feed creek dumps into the river. Then, what other structures are present to make up the edge? Is there a barrier from current or wind? Is the bottom sandy, muddy, rocky etc.?
A river walleye, unlike lake walleyes, has to fight current all of its life. Therefore, the walleyes in the rivers have adapted to be in areas that offer current breaks so they don't have to fight the current all of the time. These current breaks are anything that diverts the current and allows slack water. The slack water areas are found below the dams where an eddy is formed by the water being drawn over the dam and rushing downstream causes a slack water area on each side of the dam. Other obstructions that cause slack water might be below wingdams, behind rocks, a depression in the floor of the river, a stump or fallen tree, or man made obstacles such as bridge abutments.
A jig heavier than normal is required to move the bait along at a quick pace. Quarter and three-eighths ounce heads are the sizes I use the most with plastics in early spring, but eighth ounce heads are used in a variety of circumstances also.
 Walleyes will frequently spread out over shallow flats or on points. When they do so, try front trolling at a fairly quick clip. Tie on a 1/8 ounce Lindy Max-Gap® jig and Munchies Thumpin' Grub™ plastic trailer heavy enough to stay near the bottom as the boat moves along. As the trolling pass is made, sweep the rod so the bait jumps, then falls back to the bottom. A six foot medium heavy action spinning rod with eight to ten pound test Berkley XL' line, will be about right.
Plastic Munchies Thumpin' Grubs™ lures play an important part in 3-way rigging on rivers. The 3-way is a good rig to use when the walleyes are spread out, and it's easy to put together. Simply tie the line from your reel to one eye of a 3-way swivel. The dropper holding a bell sinker is tied to another eye, and the line for the bait or lure is tied to the third eye.
A large area can be covered quickly and effectively with 3-ways. In early spring when fish are finicky about the offering I will use a 3/8 Timb'R Rock™ jig, (snag proof) tipped with a Lindy Thumpin' Grub™ to replace the dropper weight.
Experiment with dropper and snell length. The dropper is the line going from the swivel to the sinker. When the walleyes are tight to the bottom, use a short dropper line, sometimes as short as 8 inches. Other times, when the fish are riding high, go with a dropper that is about as long as the distance of the fish from the bottom.
 The snell is the line extending from the swivel to the bait or lure. In clear water, a long snell is usually more productive. Start with a 6-foot snell and experiment from there. Your experimentation should also include the new Techni-Glo Thumpin Grub™ and the Max-Gap Rattlin™ jigs. Glow in the dark and sound are two factors that can make these fish look for a munchie snack.
There it is, a simple and yet very practical technique that will allow you to fish where the walleyes are. 3-ways will make your fishing easier and the new Lindy Munchie Thumpin' Grubs™ with the Max-Gap™ jigs will have you asking if the walleyes are getting the munchies.
For more information about early spring walleye fishing drop me a line on the web.
Hope to hear from you real soon.
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