Ask the Walleye Pro: Joe Whitten

Q: What is Lake Erie like near Cleveland? Will the championship in late September be a slugfest or a tough tournament?

-Walleyerube

A: Lake Erie adjacent to the Cleveland area is totally different than the western basin of Lake Erie. The Cleveland area is deeper and clearer, with very little structure involved and a thermocline established. The weather, water temperature, and current will control the baitfish and walleye migration. If the water temperature is cooler you could see some big weights. However, if it’s a typical late summer expect to see some long runs come tournament day. I personally feel it will be a slugfest (30 to 35 pounds per day) for half of the field. The other half of the field will struggle locating and finding fish on a day-to-day basis. The most versatile angler that has the ability to use Dipsey Divers, jets, downriggers or leadcore will be the winner.

Q: Is leadcore line affordable? How much would it cost to spool up one reel with leadcore? I saw a lot of people doing this on the Mississippi River last week and I realized I better get some for myself. Also, can you buy a line counter as a separate attachment or do you have to buy a new reel that already has one? The reason I ask is because I have several baitcasters but none are equipped with a line counter.

-Pete D., New Trier, Minn.

A: Pete, leadcore is very affordable. Cabela’s 18-pound, 200-yard spool costs $14.99. That’s enough to spool four Diawa SG27LC reels with five colors or 150 feet (each color represents 30 feet) or two larger Diawa SG47LC reels with ten colors or 300 feet on each of them. If you don’t want to invest in the Diawa SG27 or SG47 line counter reels you can purchase a separate line counter. However, these are far less accurate than the Diawa line counters.

I personally prefer the Diawa SG27LC line counter reels with five colors of leadcore. It’s easier during a tournament to tell my co-angler what depth to reel up to as I’m approaching a break line or a hump. Without the capability of knowing the exact amount of line out on the line counter, it could result in a lot of snags or fowled lures which in turn means less time fishing. If you decide to use your baitcasters for leadcore, pay close attention to speed and color changes in the leadcore. If your lure ticks bottom, reel up enough until the lure is wobbling just above the bottom. This technique should be successful.

Q: When I’m running my basic jig setup, what is the best line to use? I usually use 1/4-ounce or 1/8-ounce jigs with my 6 1/2-foot Fenwick rod. My line is typically a monofilament of 6- or 8-pound test. Should I explore using a copolymer or fluorocarbon or are those lines just for trolling? I actually just bought some Gamma copolymer. Will this work well for jigging with a spinning reel?

-Dennis, Moose Lake, Minn.

A: Dennis, for pitching jigs I like to use a line with a lot of visibility. I found that it’s easier to detect subtle hits or strikes with a line like Berkley Sensation 8-pound test. If I’m vertical jigging I prefer Berkley Fireline 14/6-pound test. I then add a 2-foot leader with Silver Thread 10-pound test copolymer. If it’s a heavily snag infested area I will tie up additional 2-foot leaders with the Silver Thread for quick changes. Any lines with low stretch will be your best bet. The Gamma copolymer you purchased should be just fine.

Q: Why is the fishing better on the Mississippi River when it’s nice and sunny out? For most lakes and rivers, the bite is better with cloud cover. I find this odd.

-Henry G., Hager City, Wis.

A: Henry, that’s a very interesting question. I’ve had the same results on Pools 3 and 4 of the Mississippi River over the past several years. It’s all about water clarity. On the Mississippi River, most if not all areas are stained or tinted. When the sunlight penetrates the stained or tinted water it makes the visibility of your bait or lure easier for the walleye to see. Therefore, you catch more fish.

Joe Whitten is a veteran professional angler, having competed on the FLW Walleye Tour since its inception in 2000. A Toledo, Ohio, native, Whitten is an expert at open-water trolling, a popular tactic on his home waters of Lake Erie. With three top-10 finishes and nearly $70,000 in career FLW Outdoors earnings, Whitten is one of the most consistent walleye pros on tour. In fact, he is currently the only Walleye Tour pro with three year-end, top-five finishes in the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year race. His sponsors include Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Minn Kota and Matzuo America.