Ask the Walleye Pro: Jason Przekurat

Q: How much money should a beginning walleye angler spend on electronics? I want to catch more fish, but I like my wife and would prefer to keep her. What’s a reasonable compromise and do you have any units in particular that you recommend?

-Tom, Shell Lake, Wis.

A: Good question Tom. With all the technology we have available today, we don’t have to break the bank to get good electronics. Realistically, you should be looking at spending somewhere between $250 and $450 for a fish finder. The biggest price point is whether you choose a black and white unit or a color unit. Color units are definitely the way of the future if you plan on keeping this unit for a while. The other price point that you need to look for is the wattage the unit puts out and the pixel count (dots per inch). Watts play a big part in marking fish as well as keeping your unit locked onto the bottom while running. Pixel count gives us better screen display and also helps us pick up those bottom-hugging walleyes. Any units with 3000 watts of power and a pixel count of 320 per inch or more will be more than sufficient for any type of water. Personally, I recommend the Garmin 250 (black and white) or Garmin 250C (color) for great starter units. Both are user friendly and should keep the other half happy as well.

Q: Are walleyes affected by sunlight as much as bass are? If so, what tactics do you recommend on sunny days versus cloudy days?

-Scott, Grand Forks, N.D.

A: I definitely believe that all fish are affected by light but we just need to change our fishing style according to conditions. The old saying goes that walleye “eyes” are very sensitive to bright light and high sun. Thus the reason they’re hard to catch during the middle of the day. Right? I on the other hand, disagree with this theory. Take for instance walleye tournaments. All of the fishing takes place during the highest sun of the day but fish are still consistently caught.

Personal experiences tell me that nothing can be overlooked during bright days. Some of the best catches I’ve had came from very shallow water where walleyes were visible with the naked eye. As far as tactics, this is what I do on sunny days versus cloudy days. Sunny days put walleyes very close to heavy cover such as trees, stumps, rocks and weeds. On cloudy days however, I believe walleyes disperse over bigger areas and aren’t so cover oriented. They’re more out in the open if you will. Thus the reason walleyes seem to be easier to catch during low-light conditions.

Q: I heard that this year you guys are only allowed to fish the Illinois side of the river. Where were the majority of the anglers fishing last year and what impact will that have on the tournament? How much weight do you think it will take to win the tournament? What baits do you plan to use?

-Jason, Ames, Iowa

A: Jason you are correct, we are limited to Illinois waters only for the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship at the end of the month. Ironically, most of the fishing done last year was on the Iowa side. I’d guess the percentage of fishermen in Iowa waters last year was around 80 percent so that will have a big effect on this year’s tournament. The reason we are limited is due to the slot limit being dropped. Any fish over 15 inches can now be weighed which should make for bigger weights than last year. I’m guessing it will take about 15 pounds a day to make it to the final 10. With only 50 pro anglers this year we’ll see some big fish caught due to the lack of boat traffic.

As far as baits, there are three presentations that will be effective. One will be trolling lead core or Fireline with diving crankbaits such as my personal favorite the No. 5 Shad Rap. Another method that will work is pulling three-way rigs upriver or handlining. With three-ways you can either use live bait or shallow-running crankbaits like the original floating Rapala in sizes No. 7 or No. 9. These two presentations really dominated last year’s event and I look for it to work again this year.

The third presentation will be working wing dams. Of the 50 or so dams that are available for us to fish, not all of them will produce. Generally, only a few are consistent enough to generate tournament-winning fish. The most popular method to fish wing dams is the Lindy Rig and live bait. Simply anchor above the dams and work the front side. If the fish are on them it doesn’t take long to find out. I hope to see you at the championship in a few weeks. The weigh-ins are at the Wal-Mart store in Moline, Ill.

Q: This may sound like a trivial question, but when you have both leeches and minnows with you, do you keep them in separate livewells or do you put them in the same one? Also, do you hook your minnows through the mouth or through the middle of the back? Thanks.

-Sam Finder, Baxter, Minn.

A: I personally keep minnows and leeches separate. My minnows go in the livewell so they have plenty of oxygen and room to stay healthy. Make sure you have a screen on your drain hole so they don’t get trapped down in your aerator. As far as leeches go, I try and keep them in a cooler by using a Leech Tote container from Frabill. Leeches must stay cool to stay healthy so ice is a must. Also, don’t put too much water in your container. Use just enough to keep the leeches wet and change water daily.

Hooking minnows can be done several different ways. No. 1 is through the back. I only do this when using slip bobbers so my minnow stays horizontal in the water, which is a much more natural presentation than having your minnow hang vertical. When using something like a Lindy Rig with a plain hook or a floating jig, I always hook them softly through the lips to keep them alive. Lively bait and Lindy Rigs are a must.

And last but not least, how many times have you had your minnow fall off your jig while either casting or vertical jigging. Here’s my personal favorite method of hooking minnow on jigs. Instead of hooking through the lips from the bottom up, first put your hook in the mouth of the minnow and through the bottom lip. Now turn your hook 180 degrees and go into the gill and out through the top of the back. This really pins the minnow on your hook two ways so it won’t fall off. Remember that you’re giving the minnow action with your jig so it doesn’t matter if it’s dead or alive. Try this next time you’re using jigs on the water; you’re going to like it.

Jason Przekurat is fast becoming a household name in walleye tournaments with his recent title as 2003 RCL Walleye Tour Angler of the Year. Przekurat also has the title of 2000 MWC World Walleye Champion with friend and fellow Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour pro Eric Olson. With career tournament winnings of more than $160,000 and five top-10 FLW Walleye Tour finishes, it looks like Przekurat is on his way to a successful career in tournament fishing. Przekurat hails from Stevens Point, Wis., and is currently sponsored by Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Garmin, Minn Kota, Rapala, Lindy Fishing Tackle and Gander Mountain.