Become Familiar with a Lindy Rig

• Lindy rigs are among the most effective baits for walleye fishing because they allow anglers to present live bait in a natural fashion, which is an important part of fishing for walleyes, a species known to be finicky. A Lindy rig includes a walking sinker above a swivel, a leader that is 36 inches or longer, and a hook. The best fishing rod for a Lindy rig is 6.5 to 7 feet long.
  
  

Use a Jig

• If walleye anglers in Minnesota have two options for fishing walleyes, one should be a Lindy rig, the other a lead-head jig and live-bait trailer. Whereas Lindy rigs are most effective when trolled or drifted over large areas, jigs are more effective in situations where anglers have located walleyes and can focus on fishing in a specific area. Jigs also can be worked through cover more effectively than Lindy rigs, and be cast and retrieved, too. The most common jig weight is 1/4 oz.
  
  

Many options for lakes

• Minnesota has an abundance of lakes that are well-known walleye producers. These include Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, Leech, Vermilion, Upper Red, and Winnibigoshish. These lakes are good for walleye fishing but tend to attract many anglers. As a result, some choose to concentrate on smaller lakes in the state, which also can produce good walleye fishing. To find these lakes, check the "Lake Finder" feature on the website of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (see link in Resources). Anglers can look at many lakes on the site and learn about the walleye populations in those lakes.
  
  

Consider the Season

• Walleyes begin to spawn around the time the ice disappears from the Minnesota lakes. This is usually in April and early May. The fish move into shallow, rocky areas, especially where there is current present. The males will stay in these areas for a couple of weeks or more, while the females leave shortly after spawning. The walleyes move deeper as the water temperature warms and the days become longer. Some walleyes head to deep structure like underwater humps and reefs, while others move into beds of vegetation.
  
  

Start Shallow Early

• Walleyes move into shallow areas under low-light conditions to feed. As a result, anglers who fish early in the morning or around dusk should focus on the tops of drop-offs and the edges of underwater humps or reefs. When the sun climbs higher into the sky, the walleyes remain on the edges of these structural elements, but move into deeper water. Anglers can troll crank baits or cast jigs under low-light conditions and catch walleyes, but when the fish move deeper, it is time to slow down and troll or drift a Lindy rig tipped with a leech, night crawler or minnow.
  
  

Fish at Night

• Since many of the lakes in Minnesota are crowded during the day, especially during the summer, the hours after dark can be a good time to catch walleyes, especially in clear-water lakes. The walleyes will be in the same areas in which they spend the daytime hours, but will move into shallow water. Anglers who are successful often troll shallow-diving, minnow-imitating crankbaits. It is important in this situation to let out as much as 50 yards of line, since the walleyes can become spooked when the boat goes by.