Water level is a key factor to consider when planning a strategy in any springtime fishing tournament, but it will be of special concern to pro and co-anglers slated to compete in the first Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour event of the 2004 season.

The tour heads to the Illinois River in Spring Valley, Ill., March 31-April 3. Not surprisingly, top pros like Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., are hopeful the river will be at bank level and moving at a turtle’s pace.

Keenan, who is still basking in the glow of his $300,000 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship victory last October, predicts the walleyes will be on the verge of the spawn when the tournament gets under way.

“Ideally, we’ll see a normal flow,” Keenan said. “That means we’ll have some current and the fish will be bunched up on gravel bars and other structure in about 7 to 10 feet of water. What I’d hate to see is the river at a low level or flood stage. Either of those scenarios could add up to some tough fishing.”

Anglers should be able to draw strikes using an assortment of lures and varied techniques, but Keenan expects vertical jigging with hair jigs, fuzzy grubs and twister tails and trolling with Shad Rap crankbaits to produce the heaviest limits.

“There are going to be some good sacks brought in if the river is in good shape,” he said. “It could take as much as 25 to 27 pounds to make the top 20 and 15 pounds to win it.”