Written By - Jim Campbell - 05/12/2007
Link to Original Article here

Livebait rigging or jigging the edges of prominent midlake structure
captures the essence of fishing walleyes in lakes throughout the
Midwest.  Fish like an edge.  Fish are not randomly scattered through
any body of water, be it a pond, lake, large reservoir, stream, river,
ocean, bay or slough.  Fish are always found in specific areas.  These
areas will vary with the species of fish and the environment in which
they live, but are based on typical factors that involve every living
thing - food, oxygen levels, temperature, pH, light levels, structure
and schooling tendencies.

Learning to understand the special needs and preferences of a
species is critical to locating fish in any body of water.  For example
largemouth bass have a preference for wood as structure, while
smallmouth bass prefer gravel, rock or stone rip rap.
   
At this point you are probably  wondering what constitutes an edge?
Well an edge is anything that is different about the environment where
the fish lives.  When looking at structure, the edge is where gravel
turns to sand, mud meets rock, drop-offs, wave-washed points, deserted
sandy bottom beaches, or bottle necks between two different land masses,
or near a culvert where fresh water is filtered through a rock
causeway.  The more subtle structure might be where there is a
confluence of two rivers, a mud line (cloudy discharge from one river or
stream into a lake), a current break in a river or a stream, even
shadows on the water, or a fallen tree to provide an edge that fish like
to relate to.
    
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?  Has the vegetation or weed growth started yet?
Is the bottom sandy, muddy, rocky etc.
    
In effect, search drop-off edges of large midlake points and humps
rising above the summer thermocline, using electronics to detect the
presence of baitfish and game fish.  Some may be up along the first
drop-off or deep weed edge; others may be lying along the base of the
break where it bottoms out into the main basin.  Slowly backtroll
livebait or a livebait and artificial combo at the depth of the spotted
fish.  If they're tight to the bottom or slightly into weed cover and
hard to see, weave your rigs along the drop-off or weedline, paying
particular attention to irregularities that may concentrate fish.
Points, turns, changes in weed growth.  This subtle structure change
should hold groups of fish in distinct areas.
    
A common summer pattern is to work the weedline area over with a jig
and minnow or jig and plastic tail combos from slightly outside to
slightly inside the deep weed edge.  Using a pop of the rod tip to rip
the weed growth let the jig fall between stalks to trigger fish.
    
Night fishing the shallows with diving Crankbaits or casting
Crankbaits across weed tops or rocky points and humps can be very
effective especially if the lake you are on gets a great deal of boat
pressure in the day or it is an extremely clear lake.  Don't overlook
slipbobber fishing shallow rocky spots with livebait after dark and
drifting the shallows with long line snap jigging tactics on large
bodies of water where active walleyes penetrate and feed in the shallows
day or night.
    
Where jig or rig eating snags are bad switch to a bottom bouncer
teamed with either a Little Joe spinner or a livebait rig like a Lindy
rig.  For jigging or rigging, drift or troll your baits or lures as
vertically as possible, trying to hold them just off the bottom to
minimize snagging and loosing tackle.  In many cases, tipping jigs with
livebait is unnecessary; walleyes will inhale a Berkley Gulp offering
with gusto.
    
Summertime walleyes are the most aggressive fish during June, July
and August.  Therefore, get out on the edges and find the hungry
walleyes and enjoy the summer with a limit of summertime walleyes.
    
Want to learn more about fishing for summer walleyes or all year
round?  Drop me a line at www.walleye.info and you will see a lot of
helpful tips for walleye fishing.  Hope to see ya on the water this summer!