Bait Casters: Tips and Tricks

Sheldon Hatch
Bait Casters Walleye Pro Staff

The sun is beating down on the water and I send another cast out to the new growth of weeds. I feel the tug on the end of the line and set the hook to reel in another walleye. This is the first sign of spring for me - walleye fishing new weed growth with inline spinners.

Growing up I always had a Mepps or two in my tackle box and they always seemed to catch fish, but one spring afternoon when I caught walleye after walleye in a weed bed I realized that the inline spinner was especially effective for luring walleye. Over the years I have perfected the presentation and rigging of the inline spinner. Size three inline spinners made by Mepps and Blue Fox (No. 3 Vibrax Blue Fox shown) work best for walleye, and in low light or turbid water a number five can be the answer. When working new weed growth in the spring I rig the inline spinner weedless. I remove the treble hook and replace it with a 1/0 keeper hook so I can rig a three inch twister tail grub as a walleye attractant. Another tip - remember to open the gap of the hook a little with a pair of pliers so it penetrates through the plastic into the fish’s mouth when you set the hook. The spinner and grub is a tantalizing one-two punch for hungry spring walleye looking for a post spawn meal. Another technique when you are not fishing in weeds with an inline spinner is to tip it with live bait; you can add a piece of a night crawler or a minnow to the spinner.

The spinner is versatile because you can cast or troll the lure. When casting you can work it quickly or very slow through weeds to attract the walleye bite. I usually start fast and rip it through the weeds looking for the active feeders, but if I get no takers I will slow down the retrieve or use a start and stop retrieve while letting the spinner flutter down to bottom before taking in line. Try different retrieves until you find what action the fish are looking for. Trolling it with a bottom bouncer or some split shot allows you to cover lots of water while getting the lure in the face of walleye. So, the next time you see some inline spinners at the bottom of your tackle box don’t be afraid to try them on some springtime walleye.