Having a handle on five basic spring Rainy River techniques, Joe Henry says, will tilt the odds in your favor.

In the North Country, the Rainy River is one of the only places in March and April to open-water fish for walleyes. It’s also one of the few places it’s truly possible to catch multiple trophies in a day.

As the ice gives way to open water, thousands of walleyes are making their way to their spawning grounds. Depending upon the spring, open water often appears the third week of March, but every year is different. The best way to keep abreast of the open water on the river is to keep connected with Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau’s website and social media. They give daily updates on the progress of the open water, fishing reports and any other pertinent info.

A handful of fishing techniques stand out to catch walleyes during the spring walleye run. These techniques are valuable; keep them to yourself!

Vertical jigging

Tackle during this time is simple. A good jigging rod, a handful of jigs and either minnows or bright plastics will do the trick.

For most, a jig and minnow, preferably an emerald shiner, is the go-to bait during this cold-water period. Brightly colored, glow and gold jigs are a good start. Most of the walleyes will be hungry, but want the bait slow, as they are not in the chasing mode. Don’t worry about using a heavier jig. A light jig can raise up off bottom and move too fast in the current. There is also less control. Depending upon the flow of the river, start out with a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce jig and go from there. Don’t be afraid to go heavier if the water is moving quickly. This heavier jig will slow down your offering, just the way the walleyes want it.

Slip jigging

On occasion, walleyes will want a little “angle to the dangle,” meaning, they like a bait presented more horizontal. Try working a section of water by slowly using your trolling motor or, if strong current, kicker motor to move slowly upstream. Pull your jig slowly forward and drop it back until it hits bottom. Sometimes, it never makes it to the bottom as walleyes normally hit it on the drop. Drift back downstream and use a trolling motor to slow-drift if necessary and repeat.

Pitching shorelines

Some anglers prefer casting and working the shoreline. The key here is a controlled drift, making sure you are not ripping downriver too fast. Some years, the current works good for this; other years, the assistance of an electric trolling motor is helpful.

Vary your jigging technique until you get dialed in. Cast your offering up stream at about ten o’clock and slowly work the bottom with short, little jumps or a slow, steady retrieve. Experiment. Get your jig with bait in front of some pre-spawn walleyes and they will grab it.

In this cold water, especially when casting, many anglers prefer plastic baits on their jigs and do very well. Plastics seem to shine in cold water. If pitching jigs into dirty water or mudlines, plastics can actually out-fish live bait. In turbid water, plastics seem to have better “fish calling” qualities than live bait. They are louder, vibrate more and distribute scent.

Again, using bright-colored plastics in this stained, and sometimes-stirred-up water is a good choice. It can also be helpful to have some action or vibration on the plastic body, such as ridges, a paddle tail or a twister tail.

Long-line trolling crankbaits

Believe it or not, slow-trolling a crankbait can also be super effective. Putting your lure in front of many walleyes will get active fish to respond, or for more inactive fish, reaction strikes. Trolling not only puts big fish in the boat; it is a good technique to cover water and figure out where the fish are.

This time of year, do not overlook shallow water. Water that is 3 to 7 feet deep can hold a lot of fish—and big fish. If you work a few sections of shallow water with limited results, slide a bit deeper. With the naturally stained water and spring runoff, light penetration in the shallow depths is better and fish will see your offering easier vs. in the deeper depths.

Trolling crankbaits with a 3-way rig

Very simply, having a three-way swivel with one rung of the swivel going to your rod and reel, one two feet down to a 2- or 3-ounce weight, and the third with about a 6-foot leader of mono or fluorocarbon to a snap with a shallow-diving crankbait.

This rig can be slow-trolled against the current to cover water. The beauty of it is, it can be fished in multiple depths. Slide from a 20-foot hole and work your way up to a 5-foot sandbar and back down the other side. Maintaining occasional bottom contact with the weight will keep your crankbait in the strike zone.

The walleye season on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River is open through April 14. From March 1 through April 14, there are special spring fishing regulations for Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River. This is a catch-and-release season only, but most anglers aren’t here for fillets. They are here to have the chance to catch monster walleyes, and potentially numbers of them.

For more insight and tips for fishing throughout the year, check out the articles in every issue of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.