6 Walleye magnets

Walleye magnets are special places that make up less than 5% of available walleye habitat in a lake or river. They are the top-secret locations among anglers, with colourful names like the “Place for Steak” or the “Walleye Factory.” Stumbling into walleye magnets is one way to find them, although it’s the hardest route. Fortunately, there are distin­guishing features that make the search a little easier. River mouths, current edges, shoals or reefs, weed edges, the bases of rapids and backwaters are all reliable places to find walleye, and within the bounds of each of these, a walleye magnet is likely hidden. There is another element to a walleye magnet. Like the river mouth location, walleye may use the habitat only seasonally, when conditions like weed growth and current are just right. Some magnets are only hot at dusk or dawn, or in cer­tain weather. Patterning is key to exploiting the fish-catching potential of a walleye magnet. 1. River mouths Rivers and streams transport nutrients that forage fish feed on and deposit them near the river mouth. These nutrients lie in the silt until the bottom gets roiled up, then the food chain sparks up like nuclear fission. Small perch and minnows crowd in, followed by walleye, pike and other predators. Any amount of wind or rain can encourage the walleye bite in a river mouth, but combinations of good walleye structure and cover are key to consistent action. How to fish: Hop jig and ‘crawler combos aggressively through the turbulent shallows. Floating or suspending minnow-imitating crankbaits also works well. Try some flash or colours when the water is stirred up. The science: Watersheds south of the northern continental divide delineating the arctic circle drainage basin flow in a southerly direction. As a result, most river mouths south of the divide face in a south-southwest direction. This orientation is also consistent with the drainage pattern scoured across the land by receding glaciers. This is important to walleye and walleye anglers for two reasons. First: this exposes northern river mouths merging with lakes and rivers to a lengthy wind fetch from south or southwest winds. Waves driven by southerly winds batter a river mouth and really ramp up the food chain. The second reason is that shallow water northern walleye tend to bite much better in south or southwest winds. 2. Bases of rapids In the spring, walleye often spawn at