# Spring eye tips



## bunker45 (Nov 11, 2009)

Any one wish to share some tips for fishing for Walleye in the spring? I have never done it before and am thinking about trying this upcoming spring. I know this is early, but asked for Bass Pro and Cabella's gift certs this Christmas.

Info on public location and bait would be much appreciated.

thanks
Chuck


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

You can catch walleye just after ice out in the same areas that the ice fishermen frequent. The fish are caught on jig & Minnows, spoons & minnows as well as jigging lures (Rapala & minnows plus & VIb-E blabe baits, un-tipped). As the water warms, the fish move closer to the reefs and also stage off the river mouths. Early April is when you can start fishing the reefs or deep water off the reefs and then move up onto the reefs for the spawning bite. Use hair jigs or twister tails vertical or pump cast them with or without a minnow. In the time of the early spawn on the reefs, you might be better off with the tipped jig. If I feel there is a need for a tipped jig, I use Gulp Alive Minnows with equally good results. You don't need any minnow on hair jigs or twister tails after the third week in April and pump casting Vib-E's work well too. The annual spring gathering of GFO known as the Het Fest will take place toward the tail end of April and that would be a good time for you to team up with an experienced spring walleye angler. 
Many of us will head out into deep water off the reefs and troll in pursuit of the larger fish. You will see a lot of posting activity here on OGF starting in late March which will be your guide to when and where. Good Luck and enjoy those early season walleye.


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## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

Hey, thanks Shortdrift. Now you got me looking forward to the Het-fest! It's only five months away. Geeesh, Gonna be a long winter. 

Bunker, you can get by pretty cheap if all you do is jig. Just about any decent spinning rod will do. Need good line though. Some use braid with a leader, some just use mono. Handful of hair jigs and you are good to go. If you want to get into the trolling game, than thats a whole different story!. I don't think a handful of gift certs. will cover it. Plan on coming to the fest, and you will learn fast.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

You thinking about the walleye run up the maumee?


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## bunker45 (Nov 11, 2009)

Thanks for the info, I was thinking on the Sandusky, Fremont area, etc. for the spawning run. I have seen people in town fishing the banks of the river during the spring. I don't have a boat, so have to use shorelines, etc.
thank for the great info.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

The spring walleye run on the Maumee is a blast! If you don't already have some, invest in a good pair of neoprene chest waders. They keep you nice and warm. Watch the posts on here for the bite to start. Think Easterish. I might also suggest doing a search on here of Maumee and read up on it until then. There is quality info for days. My best fishing has always been at Buttonwood, however there are several spans of the river that get fished every year with much success. Jig heads and twister tails are the norm. Take plenty colors of tails and a variety of jig sizes. Others like using two smaller jigs and or floating jigheads with river sinkers.
I like a 7 ft. or longer spinning rod spooled with an 8lb. no stretch line like Fireline. Your window of opportunity is from 10 till 2. In other words, Cast up stream in the 10 oclock position and upon splashdown crank up any slack line as fast as possible. Stop reeling, hold your rod tip up, and with a somewhat tight line let the jig float down stream tapping bottom until the 2 oclock position. Then burn it home as fast as possible. (making real sure you aren't bringing someone elses line in with you) If you aren't feeling the tap-tap-tap off the rocks, you need to use a heavier jig.
This method seems to work well for me. The fish face directly in the oncoming current and have a chance to see the jig drifting toward them as apposed to having it reeled sideways across their body. It's also much easier to feel a bite when you're not reeling.
Retrieving fast keeps the jig high in the water and over others line. 

If you accidentally snag a fish (and you will) do yourself a favor and release it. The boys in the woods have some amazingly powerful zoom lenses and they can tell you what brand your grubs are.


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## hiddenlake (Dec 29, 2004)

Perfect reply ALL EYES


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

You've gotten very good responses, as far as access just google Sidecut Park. Once you've found that you will be able to drive around that area and find a good portion of where people fish.

I wrote a complete overview of the run and if you have never done it, you might find it an interesting and informative read. Good luck next spring!

http://www.coolwaterfish.com/walleyerun.html


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

bunker45 said:


> Thanks for the info, I was thinking on the Sandusky, Fremont area, etc. for the spawning run. I have seen people in town fishing the banks of the river during the spring. I don't have a boat, so have to use shorelines, etc.
> thank for the great info.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

There are usually plenty of open seats at the Fest. Watch the posts and ask for a ride.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Between this article and the excellent info given by Shortdrift, this thread alone is gold to someone learning to catch spring walleye.
Where were you guys when I was getting started???


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

I have recently found sidecut park on the maumee and looked around a bit , cant wait till spring to try it but I am wondering about the sandusky river and if that would be a better place to start. Something else is bugging me too , I seen some videos on youtube ( walleye catching on maumee ) and some of the fish had weird growths on them , nasty looking.. How safe are Erie run walleyes to eat ?


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## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

Those growths you sre asking about are the result of a fish being previously snagged.If you are really serious about fishing the rivers for eyes in the spring you have to try the Maumee.There are a lot more eyes in the Maumee.And yes buy a set of neoprene waders.They are worth their wieght in gold.Also as Shortdrift has said you have to come to the Hetfest at Turtle Creek Campground in April.It has traditionaly been held the third weekend In April.As Stated catching a ride out to the reefs or the nearshore is not a problem.Good questions with great answers,keep them coming.If you decide to try the Maumee I can put you in touch with a reel Maumee pro.This guy fishes about every day and knows his stuff.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

simple question. is it better to fish the walleye run in the maumee by boat or wading?? definitely want to go out there but dont want to fish in a crowd. thank you for any advice.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

Use treble hooks if you are river fishing!!! I rike katch warreyes


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> simple question. is it better to fish the walleye run in the maumee by boat or wading?? definitely want to go out there *but dont want to fish in a crowd*. thank you for any advice.



Well...the Maumee is not where you want to try to fish then.....


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

The walleye run in the Maumee is quite intense! And the walleye are good (and safe) to eat! The fish that are in the river are lake fish in to spawn starting in early Feb., and they return to the lake in late April/early May. Remember that there is a 14" minimum size limit and a 4 fish per day limit.

No treble hooks in the Maumee until after May 1st!
Don't keep any illegally hooked/snagged fish unless you want a $150 fine.

Also, be prepared to lose a lot of jigs and sinkers. You can get the sinkers at Maumee Tackle or other vendors, and the jigs are floating jigheads with 3-4" curlytail grubs rigged carolina style. Colors are typically chartruese, white, or pink. (Though other colors do work).

Here's a suggestion - run 10 lb mainline, and an 8lb leader. If you snag, you break off the leader and keep the amount of line and lead in the river to a minimum.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

BFG said:


> Well...the Maumee is not where you want to try to fish then.....


thanks for your wonderful advice its quite a drive all I wanted to know is if I will have a better chance at catching lots of eyes from my boat


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## nooffseason (Nov 15, 2008)

theguy said:


> thanks for your wonderful advice its quite a drive all I wanted to know is if I will have a better chance at catching lots of eyes from my boat


It might not sound like it, but BFG was trying to be helpful. Anytime you have that many walleye in a section of water fairly small, you will have crowds of people trying to catch them. As long as you show some respect to those around you, fishing the Maumee Run is a great time. ALL EYES made a great post about how to do it, I think the only thing to add is show respect for others. I have seen some unneccessary heated situations out there.


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## The Bream Reaper (Jun 9, 2009)

1mecheng said:


> Remember that there is a 14" minimum size limit and a 4 fish per day limit.
> 
> No treble hooks in the Maumee until after May 1st!
> Don't keep any illegally hooked/snagged fish unless you want a $150 fine.


You'll also get a hefty ticket keeping a fish under 15". The size limit is 15" NOT 14"!


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## hiddenlake (Dec 29, 2004)

Lmao !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## texasfisherman (Jun 29, 2009)

so what size pole's and lines would u guys recommend? i know i asked this question on my last thread that some of you already responded to so i wanted to unhijack my last thread by asking the question here. would a 5'6" pole with 15 lb test be too much? and finally, whats better spincast or spinning? wouldnt the spincast be easier for when your wading in the river because it'll free up one hand so you dont have to release the bail with the other hand like with a spinning rod?


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

with out throwing brands out there or getting all technical : lets go with a 7' medium action rod with 8 pound mono and a 6# or 8# flouro leader and you are ready to fish. DOWNSIZE tex


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

re: Bream
Yep. 15" limit. I didn't check my typing and fat-fingered it. LOL! Thanks for the correction!

re: texasfisherman 
Most fisherman in the Maumee use a spinning combo. Any medium or medium light action rod will do. Length isn't as important as line weight. I've used 6' medium-light graphite rods without issue. I do prefer the longer (6'6" - 7') medium action rods as they are a little easier.

As for line, 15# may be overkill. The smaller fluoro's (6-10#) seem to work a little better because they will sink better in the stronger current. Remember that the bait needs to be presented very near to the bottom to be effective.

Also, bring a small landing net with a shoulder strap. It's worth its weight in gold.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

I've never done it, but if I were boating the Maumee during the walleye run,
I would try to stay away from anyone's casting distance. There can be hundreds of people there on both sides in the popular areas. Some of these people are not very "understanding" at times. If the river is down, anglers will wade out far enough to reach the middle even in wider spans of the river. I have waded all the way across and fished the island at Buttonwood before. That's not the norm there, but I might recommend leaving the boat behind the first couple of trips.


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## texasfisherman (Jun 29, 2009)

1mecheng said:


> re: Bream
> Yep. 15" limit. I didn't check my typing and fat-fingered it. LOL! Thanks for the correction!
> 
> re: texasfisherman
> ...


ahhhh, i see. so its how fast the line sinks to the bottom that matters. no wonder ive been looking like a jackass with my 20lb test figuring out why the hell my line is floating and not sinking. so you guys say 6-10lb. so should i go with 10 lb then? are these lines strong enough to hold up to the huge walleye ive seen around here? (as you can prob tell, ive only been here a few months so ive never done the walleye run)


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## texasfisherman (Jun 29, 2009)

ok i dont want to ask a stupid question or sound like a wuss but how do you take the walleye off your hook when you do catch it? ive heard that you dont want to put your fingers in its mouth? at this point, id rather be a wuss with all my fingers than a "superman" without any fingers. i should clear this up, how do you get the walleye off your hook WHEN your wading? i got pliers and stuff for when im doing shore fishing.


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

If it's a legal catch that you are keeping... I always put my fingers in the gil plates and hold it up out of the water and either pliers or hands to pop the jig out. I just like making it clear to whoever is watching that the jig is in the mouth.

If it's a snag, undersized you aren't keeping... I dont worry about showing the fish, I just grab the pliers pop the hook out.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> thanks for your wonderful advice its quite a drive all I wanted to know is if I will have a better chance at catching lots of eyes from my boat


Ok...I put the "" at the end of that post to indicate that I was being humorous..but obviously you took it the wrong way. 

I will tell you this much about boating on the Maumee during the run. If you are not 100% confident in your rig, your ability to handle a boat in current, or your ability to launch/retrieve in current...then by all means just bring your waders and go about it on foot.

The current is FAST....and you have about 0.311 seconds to make a decision as to what to do should your anchor let loose...your motor die...or another boat comes down at you from up-stream out of control. 

People DIE in boats in the Maumee. Hasn't happened in a few years, but I watched the three old guys from Cincy a few years back capsize and DIE.

If you are confident in your boat, then by all means bring it up and have some fun. Fishing out of the boat can be a riot of a good time.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

texasfisherman said:


> ok i dont want to ask a stupid question or sound like a wuss but how do you take the walleye off your hook when you do catch it? ive heard that you dont want to put your fingers in its mouth? at this point, id rather be a wuss with all my fingers than a "superman" without any fingers. i should clear this up, how do you get the walleye off your hook WHEN your wading? i got pliers and stuff for when im doing shore fishing.


Bring a small net and a stringer. You don't want to lip a walleye......that would be very bad. Nothing wuss about it, those teeth are sharp and will cut you and it's gonna hurt. Anyway, pliers are useful. Hold the fish behind the head and work jig out of it's mouth. Use a good firm grip on the fish so he doest flop while trying to remove the hook. 

You'll do fine. Maybe go one time first weekend in March and just observe. Then, take your gear. Also, please, please, please do not fish with line heavier than 10 lb test. Anything more is overkill and will just litter the river when you get snag and cut it off since it won't break off easily. I have a 13 lb walleye on my wall that was caught using 8 lb test mono and a 6 foot medium heavy action spinning rod.


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Texasfisherman -
PM me in the Spring and I'll be willing to show you the ropes, so to speak. No boat, but I do wade the river, and routinely fish white st./sidecut/bluegrass island/jerome rd. for walleyes.

As for removing the hook. I put the fish on the metal stringer clip first before removing the hook. That way, if I drop the fish, I still have him. It's definitely a juggling act holding your rod under your arm, trying to hold the stringer and the fish. Even worse if your jig tangles in your net! FWIW, I have not seen too many walleye who have swallowed the hook. Most are lip hooked, or foul-hooked in some other location other than the mouth.

As others have mentioned, the river current is brisk. If you do plan on wading, don't forget to wear a wading belt! The bottom is rocky, and if you slip and "baptize" yourself (most people do this at least once, if not once a year. LOL!), it will keep your waders from filling up.

I usually wear gloves in feb/march. I like to use either mechanics gloves or football receivers gloves. They keep your hands just warm enough, and give you enough dexterity that you can even tie simple knots with them on.


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

If you are going to fish the Maumee in the Spring by boat or wade it you should go down when there is a west wind and look at it now,, you might save a prop or lower unit


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## bunker45 (Nov 11, 2009)

Thanks for all the awesome info!! I already can't wait to get started!!! I may have to begin lookin for tackle [email protected]!!!!


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## The Bream Reaper (Jun 9, 2009)

1mecheng said:


> re: Bream
> Yep. 15" limit. I didn't check my typing and fat-fingered it. LOL! Thanks for the correction!


I hate fat fingers  Just making sure, didnt want anyone getting a ticket!

Those are awesome pics roger! I remember seeing the river when it was like that earlier this year. Pretty cool seeing what is normally underwater.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

I am amazed at just how much a POS that Maple Street launch is....my God...were they drunk when they did it???


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

Everyone else gave great information, you want to hit the river during the week and try to stay away from the weekends. If your fishing around people that know what there doing it can be a great time but if you get next to a bunch of people throwing 3 ounces you will have a bad time. Here are some pics of last years run and the crowds of people.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

There are a couple of things I would like to add-or rather stress that probably should have been at the top of my list in myfirst reply. As has been stated, the Maumee can be pretty dangerous. Lives have been lost not only by the boat fisherman, but buy many waders as well. When the river is high, the current can be overwhelming at times. You really can't be fishing behind the line of guys out deeper than you regardless, or your retrieve will snag them. This means, as the crowd inches out, you have to follow (within reason) or they'll give you the buisness.  Tree limbs and other debri can come floating past and snag on to you, although most times there is ample warning from the three thousand guys to your left. 
Secondly, the water temp is in the 40's during the run. Falling while wading in and out is somewhat common. Take a spare set of clothes. This means everything. Underwear, socks, everything. You're pretty much done for the day if you take a dip without some back up.


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

fishingfoolBG said:


> Everyone else gave great information, you want to hit the river during the week and try to stay away from the weekends. If your fishing around people that know what there doing it can be a great time but if you get next to a bunch of people throwing 3 ounces you will have a bad time. Here are some pics of last years run and the crowds of people.


Here is the same spot in low water


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## texasfisherman (Jun 29, 2009)

what type of jacket/parka would you guys recommend that will be both be waterproof, wind proof and warm but doesnt cost alot of money? like how do you guys manage to keep your upper body dry and warm? im making a christmas list and wanted to know what kind of upper body outerwear is good out there.


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## chet (Mar 11, 2008)

edit


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## TiDuhble (Apr 10, 2008)

Tex. 1st thing to stay warm and dry is not to fall in. Nothing u were can save u from that. Trust me a learned the hard way. Like Chet said in the early spring there isn't any other choice but to go with neo waders. They help keep ur body heat in. The it's just about layers. I normally have wear a couple pair of Long johns and 1 pair of thick and 1 thin pair of jogging pants. Up to I put on pretty much as much as I can. Nothing bulky but alot of layers at the same time. I wear some cheap like water resistant rain jacket i got for Walmart. Nothing special, just keeps the water off my sleeves. 1 more thing about the waders.... I would get the ones with sock ends on them. That way you can wear/buy whatever type of boats u want. Make a big difference when walking around in and out of the water


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Here is a big carp I caught while walleye fishing at Buttonwood.


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## HOCKEY (Jan 27, 2008)

I fished the run since the sixty's If you need help just email me I down there
almost every day, one thing I can help you with, Buy berky Gulp sented 
twister's, rainbow or white, and chartuse, small size, use 1/4 oz size floater
heads in flour. white, tie onto the new sinker at maumee bait tackle with
swivels on both ends, 1/4 to 3/4 oz. depends on hieght of water, tie 3 to 4
ft. lead off the sinker, throw out and let it bounce off bottom, for some 
reason 90 percent of your fish will be down the throat mostly males, the sented ones out produce regulatr twister 10 to 1. if your want spring jigging
on the lake we can help you there to. have boats for the river and lake.


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## hiddenlake (Dec 29, 2004)

ALL EYES, LOL, I thought you were SWANTUCKY when I seen that big carp, he's got to be the master of the river for them darn things,


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Swantucky+river=big fish! Ya thats how it went! Nice carp too man. Nothin like wading having that thing swim around ya! After seeing ALL those guys I think Ill stay in the boat at Edgewater! Looks like trout season. One thing though is why is the water that low? If it lowers doesnt the lake for the most part drop?


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

We gotta get through ice season before I will even think about river season. Even though I still have my rod in the van just in case we get a VERY early push of fish


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

texasfisherman said:


> ok i dont want to ask a stupid question or sound like a wuss but how do you take the walleye off your hook when you do catch it? ive heard that you dont want to put your fingers in its mouth? at this point, id rather be a wuss with all my fingers than a "superman" without any fingers. i should clear this up, how do you get the walleye off your hook WHEN your wading? i got pliers and stuff for when im doing shore fishing.


About 75% of the time the jig is hooked from the outside in of the lip, so you don't have to cut your fingers. Usually the deeper hooksets are later in the run maybe towards the end of April and into May. As far as tackle goes, 6' 6" rod or 7' rod is what you want. I'd recomend a 10lb leader for the most part. I prefer 12lb myself earlier in the run. As far as learning up there, just watch the guys that are catching and usually you can figure out alot that way. Asking some of the guys is also better than jumping in and screwing them up. I always appreciate when some asks me the "whats, where's and why's" before they start tangling me up. Most importantly, if you get near guys that have a clue, they will almost all be in a rhythm casting around eachother to limit the amount of tangles.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

new sinker at maumee bait tackle with swivels on both ends,or whot about slip sinker then you ty swiwell 3 foot leeder and jig which one is beter?catching fish and snag to the botom.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

I have been told the feel of the drift is 100% different with the double swivel worm weights than with an egg sinker. 

I'm an egger...no changing for me. 

Medium action spinning rod w/ a light tip, 10# mainline, 8# leader line, small floaters and bright colored tails. Get a vest at Gander for about $25.00 and while you are at it a short handled landing net. Get a plastic coated cable stringer and put a carabeaner on the tag end. When you get ready to fish, slide the carabeaner and coated cable under your wader suspender (or wading belt) on the down-stream side of you and then clip it. Buy a small spool of leader line and put it in your chest pocket. This will make re-tying faster as you can just pull off how much you need while the spool spins in the pocket. Put your swivels in a pill bottle and your egg sinkers in a vitamin bottle. I do the same with my floaters too. Pop the paint out of the jig eyes before you go fishing. Get a neck lanyard on which you have a GOOD pair of nail-clippers. You'll need an assortment of weights of egg sinkers depending on where you are fishing and how fast the water is moving. Typically 3/4oz. down to 1/4oz. will cover most if not all conditions. Make sure the swivels that you buy will not slide through the hole in the egg sinkers you buy. 

One other thing that helps me is to un-clip a stringer clip. Nothing more of a PITA than to try to get a stringer clip to open up while holding your rod under your arm, net, and have a fish flopping in the net in front of you. Once you have stringered the fish...un-clip the next one...

Having dropped a $150.00+ spinning outfit in the water and lost it several years ago, I try my best to make the fish handling process as easy as possible. Keep in mind that you need to figure out a good way to hold it when re-tying as well. It takes a microsecond of loosened pressure for it to fall out of your arm.

Oh..and get in a casting rhythm with the guys up and downstream of you. Downstream guys should cast first...then proceed up. Any other way and you are going to be playing meat swords with each other all morning.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

Speaking of loosing gear how about my dive into 38 degree water to retrive my brand new St. Croix set-up?

Swantucky: Well BFG at least I got my rod back How did I look, was it graceful???

BFG: Graceful is not a word i would use to describe what you just did. I would say you looked like a very uncoordinated polar bear going for a seal


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

HappySnag said:


> new sinker at maumee bait tackle with swivels on both ends,or whot about slip sinker then you ty swiwell 3 foot leeder and jig which one is beter?catching fish and snag to the botom.


It's just depends on what you get used to. From what I gather from everyone, if I was just starting out, I would probably go the egg sinker route. I myself use split shots that I make myself. I pour different sizes and they allow me to really fine tune my drift speed when I need to. It's just the way I've always done it, but probably not the best for most people. One of the setbacks is they'll eventually start sliding up and down the line, but I honestly think I don't lose any more tackle than anyone else. And when I do it's very quick to retie.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Hey Red...

Don't ya' get a lot of line twist? 

Just wondering.


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

BFG said:


> Hey Red...
> 
> Don't ya' get a lot of line twist?
> 
> Just wondering.


More so at BW because of the different style drift compared to downstream. Usually not enough to bother me. To me, I'd rather deal with the small things like that than have to retie leaders and swivels and beads. And if I wanna adjust weight or leader length it's a 2 second fix.

I'm guessing if I fish a 4 hour day I may have to cut my line above my split shot due to line twist maybe 3-4 times. But I just save the lead and can retie the jig. It's those days I'm fortunate enough not to lose rigs quick enough I have to do that There are 2 spots I fish at low levels that are really fast water where I do get more twist because I have to use more weight to slow it down. Sometimes I will use a swivel and leader in there only because I know I will get my fish in those spots.


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## Silver Spyder (May 30, 2008)

Man just reading this thread has got me ready for the run... I might have to try the Gulp tails and egg sinkers this year... I use a 7' rod usually 10-12lb Maxima line.


Jeremy


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## Salmon Killer (Apr 28, 2007)

like silver spyder said i can wait to get up there and fish!!! i just bought a new rig from kmart from the rod riot bin! i cant wait to try it out!!

Tony


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## ufaquaoiler (Jan 14, 2010)

my preferred walleye method in maumee is to use about a 2-3 foot leader carolina rigged with a floating jighead and 3 inch twister tail. pink, chartruese, and white body/red tail are my favorite jig colors. i do have luck with 4 inch tails, but also miss plenty of strikes because of the extra length behind the hook. use enough weight to keep in constant contact with the bottom, but not so much as to drag. it may be as little as a quarter ounce or as much as an ounce or more all depending on river flow and current speed. cast out as far as you can slightly upstream, close your reel, and allow your rig to drift along the bottom where the walleye will be. allow your line to drift to about 10 oclock (or 2 depending on which side you are on) and reel your line in when it gets to that position. do not let your line get all the way to the side or you will get tangled with others. you want to feel light ticking when your line is out, but not thumping or nothing. ticking will give you contact with the bottom where the walleyes are and not snag up too often. no ticking means that you do not ahve enough weight and could be above the fish. too much weight will mean constant snagging and countless lost lures. it is also courteous (and common sense) to let the person downstream of you to cast first. if you cast before the person downstream of you, then they will cast over your line making a nasty tangle when the cast is completed. when fishing, always watch your rod tip as well as feeling your rod. sometimes you may not feel a walleye bite, but you will see your rod tip drop when it was straight all the other casts. when in doubt set the hook. it may take you a while to get a feel for what is a fish, a rock, or a weed bed, but if you do it enough then it will come for sure. i am a regular atendee at the maumee run and in early season after playing with the deer bow and not the walleye rod i will set the hook quite often having not used the walleye touch in a while, but after a couple weeks ill hardly budge when hitting a weed bed that feels like a little extra weight just like a walleye. developing the feel for a VERY light rattle or a little extra weight is your key to catching walleye. as for access points, try sidecut park, buttonwood campground, or orleans park in maumee. http://www.maumeetackle.net does a daily fishing report and water conditions, but be aware that water levels can rasie 3 feet or more in a day without a problem and just because the report says people are doing well doesnt mean you will do well. ive had MANY days when the report was good and despite being in the right area, me and everyone around me were lucky to get 1 or 2, let alone limit in an hour.


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## midoh39 (May 8, 2005)

I have a quick question, does it really matter what brand curly tail. Cause last year we did good on power grubs in chart. but say if I got Mr. Twisters where they're cheaper in the same color, does it really make a difference?


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## See Oh (Dec 23, 2009)

I use the cheapest tails I can find and it doesn't seem to make a bit of difference in how many fish you catch, just how long the tail lasts before you need to put a new one on. 




ufaquaoiler said:


> cast out as far as you can


Which is ok sometimes, but don't cast into the guys standing across from you, this really only applies at buttonwood or bluegrass. I've seen a lot of yelling and cussing that started that way. This goes without saying, use common sense.


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## ufaquaoiler (Jan 14, 2010)

i just use the regular 3 inch twister tails maumee tackle sells for 89 cents a dozen and they work just fine for me. you do maumee and you lose tackle a lot...end of story. since snagging is a part of the maumee run, i advise using cheaper tackle. i also prefer a bigger reel with 12lb line that holds a couple hundred yards of line so i dont have to respool all the time, but thats just my personal preference. i got way too tired of losing twice as many jigs with 8lb line, so the 12 is there to stay! i have tried the power grubs and the gulp grubs and i honestly haven't had any better luck with more expensive baits than the cheaper ones. undoubtedly there will be those who swear by power grubs or gulp, but i do just fine with regular cheap twister tails. being in the right spot at the right time will get you more fish than using a more expensive twister tail any day. my favorite colors are chartruese, pink, and white body/red tail. black is also very good in muddy water and when nothing else is working. other colors i see a lot are orange, white, yellow, green, and ive even seen purple a few times. just remember maumee river isnt exactly crystal clear so walleye will not have much more than a second or so to decide to strike your lure or let it pass cheap or expensive. hope that helped and tight lines!


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## ufaquaoiler (Jan 14, 2010)

btw see oh is right for using common sense in casting. when i said cast as far as you can, in most cases you will not be able to reach people's lines on the other side of the river and you can cast as far as you want without having to worry. actually it can have an advantage if you can reach another hole that nobody else can which will give you a pile of fish all to yourself simply because the mass crowds cant reach them. i have a 7 foot medium action lightning rod with a bigger reel spooled with 12lb test and it casts a 1/2 oz weight quite a ways and i dont tangle any more than anyone else, but in low water in narrower sections of the river or when the line of boats is a little close then cut the distance a bit, but once you see how it works you should not have any problems. just remember to let the downstream person cast before you so lines wont tangle as often. if your neighbor gets snagged, wait for them to get it out or your line will join them and get tangled too. this is the msot common sense of all yet ive STILL seen some people disobey this  when someone else gets a fish...take your line out and let the other person reel in their fish!!! few things annoy me worse than losing a 24 inch or bigger fish because someone didnt take their line in and tangled with mine. any more questions just ask.


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## tobeast (Mar 6, 2009)

is it march yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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