Putting the spin to summer walleye

If my life depended on catching a summer walleye, I wouldn’t reach for a jig or a crank­bait. Fancy live-bait rig? No, again. I’d reach for a simple spinner rig and live to tell the tale. Spinner rigs are the best summer walleye presentation for many situations. They’re as important as your fishing licence. The whirl­ing blade and bead combinations are simply indispensable for catching summer walleye. They live in a world of boundless food. Baitfish and invertebrates are available in their highest numbers then and their habitat choices are equally abundant. From shallow to deep and from weeds to rocks to open-water basins, walleye have their choice. All they have to worry about is staying alive and eating. While this is great for walleye, it sets the stage for difficult fishing topside. This is especially apparent in many lakes of central and northern Ontario, where fan­tastic walleye fishing can be supplanted by a harder bite as you move toward August. While many anglers just shift focus at this time to bass, muskie, and pike, great walleye catches are possible if you adapt and switch tactics. Often, spinner rigs or, as my great uncle would call them, worm harnesses are just the adaption you need to catch lots of sum­mer walleye in any lake, but especially in northern shield lakes. Since walleye can be well fed and have much more water in which to roam, they can be scattered over larger-than-normal areas. A spinner rig can work well for these fish because it presents a target that has an abundance of triggering qualities and can cover water – both assets that can make a difference in your catch rate. Testimonials to success A friend and neighbour of mine, Dale Bartel, fishes spinner rigs with consistent success through summer on northern shield lakes. He rarely goes hungry for a walleye dinner. “I’ve been more successful with spinner rigs after spending much time develop­ing a comfortable feel for them,” he said. “I think we’re successful using them because in summer many of the larger walleye seem to be in deep water (25-foot plus) and are scattered. By trolling or drifting with spin­ners, we cover much of the productive wall­eye area near structure and stimulate bites when we do find fish.” Serge Dillon, owner of Typer’s Live Bait in Hearst, has about 15 feet of aisle dedi­cated to spinner rigs and components –