Ask the Walleye Pro: Eric Olson

Q: Do old walleyes stop laying their eggs at some point in their maturity?

-John, Crystal, Minn.

A: John, you bring up an interesting question that made me look into this topic rather extensively. As we look at that trophy fish in the net we pros consider that same question often. Interestingly enough in my research I found that there are no facts to state any age at which a walleye stops laying eggs. There are situations in which spawning conditions may not be optimal and cause a number of walleyes not to spawn. In cases like this the spawn is simply absorbed internally by the female walleye and continues its migration.

Research from the North Dakota Fish and Game also states that many 16-inch females are fertile and all females over 20 inches are fertile. Small walleyes may produce around 50,000 eggs while larger, older females will produce around 150,000 eggs. Releasing larger walleyes can help a fishery that doesn’t have a stable population.

Also keep in mind that 80 or 90 percent of the time a walleye over 25 inches is a female and will be a good spawner. Large walleyes over 25 inches if released have a 25 percent chance of being caught again by another angler, so catch and release can be an effective tool. Get a photo of the release and you’ve got a real trophy!

Q: What are the best ways to find and catch walleyes on Lake Erie without wasting your time?

-Mitch Campbell, Cleveland, Ohio

A: Mitch, I think you’ve asked the question all anglers want answered no matter what body of water it is. However, Erie is more difficult simply because of its awesome size.

Any body of water can be simplified somewhat by asking about migration, spawning locations and forage movement. As in most lakes Erie walleyes work with seasonal movement. In spring, look to the reefs in the Western Basin. As the water warms and the spawn concludes, look to the highways that those walleyes will follow and travel back to the east as bait moves. Remember water temperatures are warming but the Eastern Basin is much deeper and will remain cooler so the migration doesn’t happen overnight.

What I do if I’m looking for fish in the transition is keep close eye on my Lowrance X-111. The color allows me to see small blips while I’m running giving me an indication there may be some activity in the area and I’ll waypoint that spot. At that point I’ll slow down and look at the size of the arcs. Thickness can be key, watch it though, longer length doesn’t always mean a large fish.

Start by working the area at several points in the water column. Start at about 10 feet down and then look to 20 feet by varying the lineout distance. To find active fish vary your depth and presentation and let the fish tell you what they want. In the Eastern Basin in summer months these fish may move based on the wind. If you find a school one day and it’s gone the next my suggestion is to look upwind as much as 400 yards and check your graph. This same phenomenon happens in a basin such as Saginaw Bay. Basically, where bait moves, so do the walleyes.

Q: What is the difference between a bottom-bouncer and a three-way rig? I saw Jeff Ryan, the winner of the recent FLW event used both. How did his presentation change with each and what was he trying to accomplish?

-Gary, Welch, Minn.

A: Gary, glad to hear you’re keeping tabs on the circuit! There are a lot of phenomenal anglers on the FLW Walleye Tour and watching and listening to them can really help. But, back to the question at hand, the bouncer versus the three-way rig.

The bouncer does a couple things. One, it really is a great tool to work in snag-infested areas as it will slip over and through rocks and treed areas. This generally leaves break-offs at the hook and really minimizes down time to retie a rig. Two, it will stir up less mud or silt than the three-way rig. In Jeff’s case however this wasn’t the factor. The drawback to this rig is that it doesn’t allow you to change the dropper distance. This can be an important detail as a longer snell may be the ticket to catching finicky fish and longer dropper is needed to keep the bait off the bottom.

The three-way rig is quite the versatile presentation especially in rivers. I think it excels in running sand or mud flats where clam beds and baitfish are found. The presentation works like this: 6-foot snell, I prefer 8-pound Berkley XT, with a Phelps floater or colored hook on one end and a snap on the other. I prefer the floater as it keeps the bait well off the bottom. This allows me to pre-tie all my snells so downtime is kept to a minimum. I also pre-tie 6-inch segments of 6-pound Berkley XT line with a snap at each end. This is used for the dropper (a bell sinker around 3/4 to 1 1/2 ounce depending on current) and is always of lighter test line than the main line. If you encounter a snag, the dropper will break and not the whole rig. Attach a three-way swivel to the main line and connect the snell and dropper and you’re ready to go.

Q: What kinds of crankbaits (size, brand, color) would you recommend for walleyes on the Mississippi River?

-Chuck, Apple Valley, Minn.

A: Chuck, that’s a pretty open ended question as I use different cranks for trolling, casting, leadcore and handlining, but I’ll segment each type with the best baits for each presentation. Hopefully, this will simplify your selections.

Trolling flats and lower current areas:

– Rapala Shad Rap No. 5 and No. 7

• Firetiger

• Craw

• Gold

• Canadian orange

• Shad

– Rapala Jointed No. 4 and No. 5

• Red craw

• Firetiger

• Baby bass

• Chart/black

Casting shoreline riprap:

– Rapala Shad Rap No. 7 and No. 8

• Silver/fluorescent

• Hot tiger

• Craw

• Blue

• Firetiger

– Rapala DT-6

• Red craw

• Dark craw

• Hot mustard

• Red

• Red and black

• Orange

Leadcore:

– Rapala Shad Rap No. 5

• Craw

• Hot steel

• Black and gold

• Shad

• Firetiger

• Hot tiger

Handlining:

– Rapala Floater

• Orange

• Firetiger

• Blue

• Vampire

• Gold and black

• Silver chartreuse

• Purpledescent

Eric Olson has been fishing the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour for the past six years. Currently, he sits in fourth place in the 2006 Angler of the Year race. In 2003, the Red Wing, Minn., pro placed in the top 10 two times, including a third-place finish on the Illinois River. In his career, Olson has earned over $87,000 fishing FLW Outdoors tournaments. In addition, he was the winner of the 2000 MWC World Walleye Championship. Olson’s sponsors include Land O’Lakes, Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Shimano, Lindy Fishing Tackle, Minn Kota, Berkley and X-Tools.