Ask the Walleye Pro: Tom Keenan

Q: I’ve fished both bass and walleye my entire life. I find it much harder to catch a limit of walleyes on most lakes. Is the walleye a smarter fish? What makes it more difficult to catch?

-Ben Gressler, Blaine, Minn.

A: Ben, it is not a question of which one is smarter, but which one is easier to catch. I would agree that bass are easier to catch most of the time, but so are walleyes once you locate them. The key is to find them. The time of the year is the most important factor when it comes to finding and catching walleyes. For example, spring walleyes are usually focused on spawning and can be found near spawning areas. Therefore, they are usually found in shallow water in most lakes and near dams on rivers. Use your electronics to locate these walleyes before fishing.

Q: I am just getting into walleye fishing and it seems like most successful anglers utilize electronics. Are electronics necessary to catch walleyes? What type of electronics would you recommend to a novice angler?

-Nate, Devils Lake, N.D.

A: Nate, knowing how to use your electronics is key to becoming a good walleye angler. Electronics are the fastest way to search large areas of water looking for walleyes. I like to idle along at slow rates while graphing breaklines and other underwater structure. I am looking for baitfish, walleyes and changes in the bottom. The grayline feature on your fish locator will tell how hard or soft the bottom is. These small changes in the bottom can be a very good spots. When purchasing fish electronics you want to get one that has a lot of vertical pixels, displays water temperature and has GPS capabilities. The new Lowrance 332C has all of the above at a great price.

Q: Where do spawning walleyes live? How do you get them to bite? I’ve caught a few females early in the season that still have their eggs, but I’ve never really gotten into them. I always practice catch and release when the fish are spawning. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

-Joe, Tofte, Minn.

A: Joe, finding prespawn walleyes is the goal of almost all tournament anglers. In rivers these fish are usually very shallow and out of the current. Try pitching 1/16 and 1/8 ounce jigs tipped with a minnow along the shoreline. Throwing crankbaits on shallow flats is also a great way to catch prespawn walleyes. In most lakes, spawning takes place after dark on shallow rocks. Casting crankbaits on these shallow rocks is a great choice to catch these fish. If the wind is blowing into these shallow rocks you can bet the walleyes are close by. During the day, I like to troll crankbaits on open-water flats closest to the spawning area.

Tom Keenen is a well-known walleye angler from Wausau, Wis. Keenen won the 2003 RCL Championship on the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minn. and has also claimed victory at the PWT Walleye Tournament in Fond du Lac, Wis. In his illustrious angling career, Keenan has accumulated over $600,000 and has captured the 1998 and 2000 MWC Team of the Year honor with his brother Mark. Keenan’s sponsors include Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Lindy-Little Joe, Off Shore Tackle, Frabil, Stren, Gander Mountain and Minn Kota.