WAY OF THE WALLEYE CD ROM  Of The Walleye 
Fishing Post-Spawn Rivers: Where To Be
by CD RomCo

This information is presented as promotional material for Way of the Walleye CD Rom and is protected by copyright. © 1996 CD RomCo and its Licensors

During the late spawn and postspawn period, current moves minnows into shallow protected areas out of the main flow of the river. Try flooded brush, fallen trees, small eddies within a few feet of shore, the tops of wing dams next to the bank. Wing dams, in particular, can be the "spot of spots" on many river stretches. Some wing dams are interlaced with alternate rows of saplings and rocks. These provide both a hiding place and a food source for small fish. Insects and other edible organisms lodge in the saplings. Most anglers fish in back (downstream side) of a wing dam; this spot is usually the best fish magnet. There are times, however, when the front face (upstream side) can attract and hold fish. In these high water times, anchor downstream behind the wing dam where there's slower current and cast a jig (tipped with live bait). Above all, use your eyes in these situations and conditions. If you were a minnow, where would you be? Try dipping a jig in flooded willows, casting a crankbait along shore, or even drifting a bobber rig behind a log jam. Fish are pushed further downstream by the current. Some have spawned and are filtering downstream. Only so many fish concentrate at the actual dam area for long.

In high water situations, fish will relate to whatever land vegetation is flooded over. In fact, many fish will enter the flooded forest of trees and brush. High water reduces the amount of preferred depth levels with proper current flow in the main stream of the river. The fish move towards whatever structural elements offer the best current breaks along the shore. A fallen tree? Consider anchoring alongside or tying your bow rope to the end of the tree. Break out a bobber rig and soak a minnow in the pocket of calm water behind the tree, alongside the trunk. Or reach out with a 7- to 7 1/2-foot rod and dip a jig into pockets in the branches. Bounce it several times before moving on. It's easy to work 4 or 5 miles of river like this. Move, move, move. Look for small spots of broken current along the banks. Point your bow into the current and hover with a 24-volt electric motor while you make strategic flips, dips or casts. No need to stop in any spots for long unless you contact fish.