Ask the Walleye Pro: Scott Steil
Q: What will the bite be like for the FLW Walleye Tour Championship on the Missouri River near Bismarck? I’ve heard reports that the water level is up and that there a lot of 3-pound fish. What do you think will be the winning technique?
-Steve F., Minot, N.D.
A: Honestly, I am not very familiar with the upper reaches of Lake Oahe, as I have never fished the North Dakota side of the lake. However, I have fished two tournaments on the South Dakota side that resulted in third- and sixth-place finishes. I do have a lot of confidence on the Missouri River system because for the most part it fishes pretty much the same no matter where you go in the Dakotas. I am expecting the bite to be fairly good this year with the increased flow and water levels. The increased flow should keep more bait on the north side of the lake. If the bait is there, the hungry walleyes won’t be too far away.
When it comes to presentation, I am going to guess the majority of the field will be trolling. Both of my 
previous tournaments on Oahe trolling played a major factor in doing well. Obviously this year there is more water to cover but as you mentioned, with the abundance of 3-pound fish we should see some real solid weights.
Q: I need a new spinning reel – mostly for walleye fishing but some bass too. I don’t want to spend much more than $50. Do you have any suggestions?
-Brian Whittle, Lakeville, Minn.
A: That is a very good question Brian. You are looking for the same type of reel most anglers use day in and day out. You are looking for a true multi-species reel that you can use for most applications whether you are bass or walleye fishing. My suggestion would be to check out the Abu Garcia Cardinal 500 ALB. It is hard to find a 10-bearing reel with instant anti-reverse for around $50. The Cardinal 500 ALB has it all yet is priced affordably. No matter what price range you are looking at you can find the right reel for the job with the Abu Garcia Cardinal series of reels.
Q: People at work tell me fall is prime time for big walleyes but you won’t get as many of them. Is this true? If so, why?
-Joe Simmons, Portage, Wis.
A: Fall is prime time for big walleyes. As the water starts to cool down in fall and the weed growth starts to die off for the year the walleyes really start to feed. Large walleyes prefer large bait and most of the time that is found in relatively shallow water. As the shallows cool down you can find large walleyes roaming just before dark and into the night.
Fall trolling in 4-10 feet of water is very popular on most lakes. Tolling over shallow rocks or old weeds beds are two of my favorite areas to target as the water temps fall. Of course, if you want to make a 
night of it, trolling the before and after the full moon September through November can be the best chance a person has of hooking into the fish of a lifetime.
Q: With the PWT closing its doors, what does that mean for the FLW Tour? Should the FLW expand? What would your ideal schedule look like for 2009?
-Big Tony, Park Rapids, Minn.
A: The PWT closing its doors is a sad event for walleye fishing. The PWT has a long history of operating first-class walleye tournaments and has given us many anglers that we all look up to. The FLW has done a good job of co-existing with the PWT for many years and allowing anglers to fish both circuits. It is my understanding that AIM (Anglers Insight Marketing) will be stepping in with a new circuit for 2009 to fill the void left by the PWT. If we want to continue to grow the sport of walleye fishing, we as anglers need choices, so the introduction of a new circuit is good for everyone, including the FLW.
With the increased costs associated with fishing at the professional level the FLW is going to have to continue to explore ways for anglers to keep their overall expenses down and yet have a chance to compete. We all benefit from having full fields in tournaments but with the expenses associated with tournament fishing it is taking a toll on everyone.
My ideal schedule for 2009 would look like this:
April-Detroit River (river only)
May-Lake Oahe (north end)
June-Cass Lake
July-Green Bay (Oconto)
Championship-Red Wing
Q: I’m in charge of planning a fishing trip for next spring with three of my buddies. We prefer catching walleyes and crappies. After that, perch and bass are our preferences. I was thinking about Winnie, Leech or Lake of the Woods. What would you recommend for late May or early June?
-Tim C., Rochester, Minn.
A: I really enjoy fishing all those lakes but one stands out far above the rest for that time of year. Lake Winnibigoshish is an easy choice. Walleye fishing on Winnie in May and June is a blast as the fish are still relating to shallow structure. In addition, you have spawning crappies in the back bays and in Cut Foot Sioux. Lake Winnie is one of my favorite lakes to fish because it has excellent populations of almost every species and even on a windy day you can fish. You won’t go wrong fishing any of the lakes you mentioned but I would strongly consider giving Winnie a look this year.
Scott Steil is an up-and-coming walleye pro from Richmond, Minn. Despite being young in age, Steil has qualified for the FLW Walleye Tour Championship in each of the past four seasons. In 2008, he finished sixth in the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year race and claimed his first Walleye Tour win on Cass Lake, earning a $100,000 first-place purse. In total, Steil has four top-10 finishes and $180,000 in career FLW Outdoors earnings to his name. Steil’s sponsors include Ranger, Evinrude, Minn Kota, Berkley, Crystal Pierz Marine, Strikemaster, Otter Outdoors and Stone Legacy.