Looking at Early Season Open Water

Looking at Early Season Open Water

By Steve Weisman

Living in Iowa anglers get the chance to experience four seasons for fishing. Right now as we head into the month of March, we have the potential for great ice fishing in northern Iowa (depending on the spring warm-up, of course), yet we also have opportunities for open water fishing. When it comes to walleye fishing, Big Spirit, East and West Okoboji are closed for walleye fishing until the annual walleye opener the first weekend of May, but we can still find lots of places to launch a boat or fish from shore.

There are really three choices, when it comes to early spring walleye fishing: lakes, inland rivers and the Mississippi River. The pre-spawn time is a great time as the walleyes put on the feedbag in preparation for the spawn. Of course, there are areas that have specific size restraints and are closed during this pre-spawn and spawn timeline. So, it’s important to know the regulations for the body of water you are looking at fishing.

There are times that this fishing is phenomenal, but personally, I only keep enough eating size (14-18 inchers) for a fresh meal from time to time. Most of those fish are males. If I happen to catch the larger pre-spawn females, I will turn them back. Obviously, boat fishing offers anglers a lot more flexibility and mobility, but the other two options work very well.
Once you pick your body of water, it comes down to three more choices: boat fishing, wader fishing and shore/bank fishing.

Mississippi River
The use of a boat offers a lot of flexibility and gives you the ability to be more mobile. This especially holds true when fishing lakes or the Mississippi River. I feel comfortable on most lakes. However, the Mississippi River offers the challenge of moving water and current. It is here that I will rely on someone who has more expertise than I when it comes to handling the boat. The one huge variable on the Mississippi River is the potential for flooding. Quick snowmelt up north or huge spring rains can turn the river into a truly dangerous place to be.

The tail waters always seem to be good, but this is where a lot of the boats end up. Think of each pool as its own body of water, so you have a lot of choices from northeast to southeast Iowa. Unless you are a seasoned veteran and know definite spots, a good local bait shop can give you some ideas of where the fishing has been taking place.

Water temperatures will still be in the upper 30s to low 40s, so this is still in the early pre-spawn period. Current is the name of the game in these pools. Yet, you probably won’t find them in the full current. Anglers will often find them along the edge of what some call the seam, that area where the faster water meets the slow or dead water. Wing dams always seem to hold walleyes, deep holes and even log jams are possible spots. Clam beds, too, are areas walleyes will frequent. Another potential spot might be in the shallows where there is no current, but the sun is warming up the water. This is where you might find some of the big females. As spawning time nears, the walleyes will be near their spawning areas, along gravel or rocking shorelines.

Presentations include either casting or jigging hair jigs or jig heads tipped with soft plastics like ring worms, paddle tails and fluke tails or the traditional jig and minnow combination. Make sure the jig is not too light and gets lifted up by the current.

Inland rivers
I really consider inland rivers to be untapped fisheries, but when the bite begins, the word gets out and usually lots of local anglers come to these areas. Inland rivers such as the Cedar, Shell Rock, Wapsipincicon, East and West Forks of the Des Moines, and Little Sioux rivers, are all top choices for early walleye fishing. However, based on the spring, this can be really tricky. Much of 2018 was difficult with the extremely high water from the massive rains. As a result, many of these rivers did not see the anglers as they would in a normal year.

If the rivers are at normal flow, walleye anglers really become excited. As pre-spawn begins, the walleyes will move upstream to a lowhead dam or a spillway. Also look for areas where water is running into the river. I find this the perfect time of year to fish from the bank at these areas. Sometimes, it takes walking into an area on, hopefully, state or federally owned land. If it is private land, make sure to get permission.

For many anglers, it’s all about casting and working the shallows with twisters and1/8 to 1/16-ounce jigs tipped with Berkley Gulp!, Berkley’s Havoc Minnow or paddle tails, fluke tails or ringworms. Casting a Mister Twister is another popular option. When fishing lowhead dams and spillways, lots and lots of snags and rocks lie in wait, so be prepared to lose tackle. It’s pretty difficult to drag a jig back. One area where you might even use a slip sinker, plain hook tipped with a minnow or chub would be out from where a feeder stream is dumping into the main river. Using a slip bobber and a plain hook tipped with a minnow or chub just off the bottom can also work well if the current isn’t very strong.

Lakes
When you start to think about it, Iowa has a lot of walleye lakes, both large and deep and small and shallow. Of course, any of the lakes south of Highway 20 are usually free of ice much sooner than lakes to the north. In northwest Iowa, you have Silver Lake (Lake Park), Lost Island and Five Island in Palo Alto County and Storm Lake in Buena Vista County. In north central Iowa, Clear Lake is a huge destination, along with Rice Lake (Lake Mills) and Brushy Creek (Lehigh). In central Iowa, consider Big Creek and in southeast Iowa, Lake Rathbun.

What I like about pre-spawn walleye fishing on lakes is that you can access them via a boat, waders or from shore with some of the best fishing coming in the shallows.

The first thing to look for is running water coming in from a tributary, a stream, even a tile or a current area like around bridges. In a lake such as Storm Lake, you will find lots of anglers targeting the marina area as soon as the ice goes out. It is the lure of the rocks and rubble that bring the pre-spawn males into the shallows. The sun’s warmth is especially important as it warms the water temperature and triggers fish activity. Often working the shallows, and the windy side of the lake will be better as it pushes baitfish that way.

Lowlight conditions in the shallows are preferable with the evening usually being warmer for anglers to fish. If you are going to boat fish during the day, try the windy side and maybe just out deep enough so that the fish don’t see or sense the boat.

When talking shallows, it might mean casting out to 5 feet deep and then bringing the jig back slowly. I’ve also fished off of docks in lowlight conditions that were in 6 feet of water and caught walleyes casting back toward shore in just a few inches of water.

If you are going to be wading, make sure to dress in layers and have a good set of chest waders, because that water is definitely cold! By the evening’s end you will be glad you have a good pair of neoprene/thinsulate chest waders.

All of the jigs and baits used on the Mississippi and inland rivers will work here, too. In the lowlight and shallow water conditions, consider casting shallow running stick baits. Another good option is to use a slip bobber and a plain hook tipped with a minnow and let the wave action move the bait. Some anglers fishing after dark or before sunlight will use lighted bobbers and a minnow.

Looking for help?
Seasoned anglers have spent a lot of years refining their techniques for the areas that they fish. It’s to the point where they often fish from memory and have things dialed in based on the water clarity, water depth and water temperature. However, how about the novice who wants to give it a spot? Well, if you are lucky you might know a veteran angler that will let you tag along. You can also Google spring walleye and look for You Tube videos. Or…and this one will cost you money, but it can greatly cut down the learning curve. This option is to hire a reputable guide. Years of having to learn it yourself can be saved by hiring a guide for a day. It’s your call, but I do know that in March and April, it’s time to hit the open water for pre-spawn walleyes!