Thursday Night Tip for March 27

[Fishhawk]

It's Sunday, March 30, and that means we are way overdue for the latest instalment of Thursday Night Tips.

This week, Steve G pulled through, offering a picture from his own collection. He offers this...

French River, late fall, overcast, water 10 - 15ft deep, fast moving as you can see...water fall at the end of this..20 ft drop off.

We know the French has lots of walleyes in it. And let's talk about this section of river as if it is full of them.

Forget it is the French for a minute...what if this is water that is known to have speckled trout in it?

Thanks for the pic Steve G.

[Joisey Joe]

Out of my element for me, never went for Wallies, but I'll take a stab. I'd try a plastic grub on a small spinnerbait type lure and crank it slow. Or just a powerbait worm. What do you think Hawk?

[Fishhawk]

Out of my element for me, never went for Wallies, but I'll take a stab. I'd try a plastic grub on a small spinnerbait type lure and crank it slow. Or just a powerbait worm. What do you think Hawk?

I've caught walleye doing what you suggested, Joe. You can get these small spinnerbait type spinners that you attached a jig to. The plastic grub worked well, and so did a plastic frog, attached to the jig underneath that little spinner.
I'm not sure if the Powerworm would be my first choice. It would have to be the 4 inch, or even the smaller ones.

[Steve G]

Going for Trout, eh...

Go to old faithfull, small Pink jig, with a white Mr. Twister, they WILL find it.

[Joisey Joe]

Thanks Hawk!

[Cancatchbass]

Can't visualize this scene without photo or graphics.

Is something coming?

CCB

[M.T. Livewell]

First choice is a white tube jig (white with salt). Throw it into the current and bounce it back with the current or drag it on bottom as slowly as possible.

If that doesn't work, shiner on a 3/8 yellow jig. Same presentation as above. Fish eat fish, fishermen eat walleyes.

M.T. Livewell

[Fishhawk]

Can't visualize this scene without photo or graphics.

Is something coming?

CCB

Oh my god - there's no picture there! Why the hell didn't someone tell me I was being a big dummy? I can't stop laughing.

It's like the emporer's new clothes
"If I let on that I don't see the water they will think I am an unfit angler...I'd better not say anything."

Alright - today is April 1 - and I am finally gonna post the picture...I can't believe nobody told me that the pic wasn't there.

[banjo]

I take it the water is flowing away, so me being a 'crappie' canoeist, I'd anchor nice and safe above the 'waterfall'. Would try casting jointed rapalas (bright ones) cross current. If nothing starts to hit, I might try some bucktail jigs. When I snag all them and run out, I might try and sit back with a live minnow and bobber rig, included with a cigar and pop.
Might even be worth rigging off the shore.

[Cancatchbass]

It's all coming clear to me now.

Looks like the old trolling motor is going to be on high here!

Approaching the area, the first thing that catches my eye is the little eddy period off to the right of the picture- right at the edge of the shot, where there are a couple of boulders at the water's edge- to the right of where some vegetation comes right to the water.

First cast right tight to the rocks, then moving slowly forward, dropping casts spaced 3-4 feet apart. This is assuming there is adequate water depth tight to the shore to hold fish- looks that way. If it's only a foot or three deep, I'll be casting tight to the drop, however far that may be from shore.

Bait selection? Probably a 3" tube (white or shad coloured, anything natural), rigged with as heavy a head as necessary to get the bait down and keep it from being swept away too quickly. Probably start with a 1/4 oz. and go heavier based on results. An option would be a grub, but I just have more confidence in tubes.

I'd keep working right up to the bend, where the little rock point shows behind the overhanging tree.

Hey- wouldn't it be neat to do a John Madden deal where you could circle spots, draw arrows, etc??? Show the direction of casts...

Then I'd sideslip across to the other shore and again work the slack water tight to the shore.

There's a spot like this on the Moira where the BIG walleye move into the area just below the rapids at dusk. I'm talking the area right where the white water ends. Any large rocks/boulders there will have fish tucked in behind them under low light conditions. It looks overcast in the picture, so I'd make a pass or two, just to cover the bases.

Before leaving, I might even try quickly quartering (how's that for alliteration?) a bait across the lower part of the fast water - a tight-wiggling shallow diving crank or even a lipless crank, just to get a reaction strike from any fish that may not have liked my choice of tubes.

In case it wasn't obvious, I was after walleye and smallies. I fished this type of spot for trout when I was a wee boy in Quebec, but that was a lifetime ago.

CCB- loves these scenarios...

[Fishhawk]

CCB mentioned doing a John Madden and pointing out key spots and features on the picture with circles or arrows - I think that is the idea, right CCB? If some one reminds me I will do just that.

Also, CCB, you mentioned cranks. Very interesting choice considering that is what the guide who took Steve G to this spot was using. Wally divers to be precise. Just about anything else was hanging up and getting lost, except for the W divers. Maybe, if Steve G is watching, he can take this time to elaborate on bagging limits in this spot.

[mlamothe]

I would focus on the backwaters using live bait (minow or worm) or maybe a small spinner depening whay time of year it is. On the left side there is a steep rock going into the water, this looks like is might be deeper on this side with slower moving water that on the right. Here would be a good spot to still fish with live bait. The fish usually rest in these slow moving location when they are actively feeding in the swift water. Sooner or later they will get tired.... and it is a good spot to soak up some rays and have a "coffee". On the right side i would position myself close to the mouth (on shore or in the boat). Cast into the swift current and let it take my lure or bait down then retrieve through the backwater. This way it will look as natural as possible.

Mark

[Steve G]

CCB, touched all the bases (spring ball season in the air?), even the hidden home run!!

"There's a spot like this on the Moira where the BIG walleye move into the area just below the rapids at dusk. I'm talking the area right where the white water ends. Any large rocks/boulders there will have fish tucked in behind them under low light conditions. It looks overcast in the picture, so I'd make a pass or two, just to cover the bases."

We caught 7-8 nice Walleye, at dusk, in the eddies, just after all the rapids. Again these were all caught with crank baits (Walleye Divers), and if you did get hooked up on rocks, the current was enough to pull you free, and you could take another shot at them.

Nice call CCB.

[nitro boy]

I would use minnows and let the line drift with the current.

[Seaweed]

This is ideal worm harness territory for the walleyes. You will have to experiment with weight to find the depth they are at. You can then fill your limit and enjoy a shore lunch.

Realistically you are too close to the edge of the waterfall though so you better have a motor you can trust and you better have an anchor and rope that you can rely on too.