Late Winter Walleyes

Let's talk about the Fish itself for a moment. Walleye are walleye, year round! They are no different in January with one exception; cold January water temps slow them down; for that matter, freezing water will slow down just about anything you're after through the ice.

The common name "walleye" comes from the fact that their eyes, like those of lions, reflect white light. This "eyeshine" is the result of a light-gathering layer in the eyes called the tapetum lucidum , which allows the Fish to see well in low-light conditions. Just what you wanted, right? A lesson in fish biology...ahh, it gets better. This “eyeshine" allows walleye to see its prey in adverse water conditions. Most of the time, it can be caught when other fish are not as willing to bite. Walleye anglers also know that the ability to see in low light means fishing can extend well into the night.

The ability to see in low light conditions and at night makes these Fish incredibly efficient predators. Whether we're looking for walleye in shallow water, deep water, daytime, or nighttime, we can explore ways to use that "eyeshine" to our advantage. Because walleye prefer low to dim light, the best times to ice fish for walleye are at dawn and dusk rather than midday. Days with a dark, overcast sky can be productive regardless of the time. A walleye can hear a single minnow up to 20 feet away - and tell if it is 'acting' normally - or 'crippled .'Walleye have a great sense of 'smell' and use this 'sense' to help them find/capture their food.

Before you drop your first bait, a great strategy in preparing for your walleye ice fishing adventure is to find a key location where you might find fish. This can be an area where you've historically caught fish or where you know the lay of the land below the ice.

Maps and mapping technology available today are great tools for finding walleye hot spots. Once you've located an area you feel will give you a good chance of catching a morning or evening bite, start drilling holes—not just one or two, but a dozen or more.

If you're fishing a point, drill holes from the top or shallowest depth out to the edges where it drops off and continues to fan out. It's crucial to give yourself a variety of depths and locations to start with.

Almost every time I'm walleye fishing, I use a jigging spoon and a slip bobber with a minnow on it. If you're running and gunning from one hole to another, place 10-12 minnows in a bait puck and keep them in your pocket. While they won't be lively enough to use on a slip bobber or live bait rig, they're still fresh and give off an incredible scent.

Use a minnow head on the end of a jigging spoon, or if you're so inclined, use the whole minnow.

Tip-ups or tip-downs can help you find where the fish are feeding in a given area. A great way to use this technique is to fish with a partner. This allows you to cover more ground and determine where walleye are actively feeding.

Ensure you check your local state regulations on how many lines you can have in the water simultaneously and if any bait restrictions are noted.

Icing walleyes for the table or the chance to bring up a trophy is worth the effort. However, it’s important to practice selective harvesting . Keep what you can eat and CPR (Catch, Photo, Release) those trophies so that the gene pool continues to grow and remains healthy in the fishery.

Walleye are incredible predators, and understanding their winter habits can make your ice fishing experience more productive. By knowing when and where to fish, using the right techniques, and respecting conservation efforts, you can make the most of your time on the ice.

Tight Lines!