Bay or River/ Q & A.

[Walleye Express]

I'm coming down from up North to fish either the Bay or the River. I've fished the river before in open water and have heard finding fish there is hit and miss. Any help would be appreciated. Stan.

Stan.

River fishing can be very much more productive (at least numbers wise) then the bay. Often walleyes in the river are moving around foraging or are moved around by the current when heavy run-off is present. Of course make that current to strong and they will also pocket up and hold in one spot better/longer as well to get out of the current. There are of course better spots to fish when either of these two things happen on a river. Fish in general use the bottom contours as underwater pathways when migrating upstream, and only deviate from them when the feeding urge pulls them away from these routes. Spotting these pathways has become second nature to me when there is open water, but add a layer of ice to camoflage these signs, and only a good memory of where they previously were can help. Of course being able to read the banks and bends in the river can also give you clues of the flow and bottom dynamics that walleye will take advantage of for any easy meal virtually anywhere when the mood strikes them. So I say if the current is strong, try to find an area where it is lighter. If light don't move around as much, but try to remember where your open water fishing was the best and fish there. These are often in those underwater pathways. The other things of course like water clarity, weather patterns and your own fishing prowess play a role in your success. But that's why they call it fishing.