Jason tells us his patterns for finding walleye during the day.

Catch them by day in weeds
If you’re not fishing in weeds in June you’re missing out. While sizable weed-walleye populations are present in most waters, they are especially prevalent in stocked lakes and reservoirs now. A lively leech dangling beneath a slip bobber near the deep weed edge works, but I prefer amore proactive, mobile approach that covers lots of territory and puts my presentation in front of more fish.

I love to pull spinners along the deep weed edges. Fishing spinners in weeds is fun, easy, and best of all, requires only the simplest of equipment. I tie my own spinner rigs using a 3-foot section of 10- or 12-pound- test fluorocarbon, which I favor because of its enhanced abrasion resistance and low-stretch characteristics. Snell a number 2 or 4 octopus hook onto one end of the fluorocarbon leader. Thread five red beads onto the leader and a plastic clevis for the spinner, and then one more chartreuse bead. Finally, tie a quality swivel onto the end of the leader, opposite the hook. Snap a number 3 hammered silver or gold Colorado spinner blade into the clevis. Your spinner rig is complete. I also use a braided main line to present my spinner rigs in the weeds. I thread a 1/4-ounce bullet sinker onto the braided line and tie the mainline to the spinner rig’s swivel. Dress the hook with a large, lively leech, and you’re ready to fish.

Pulling spinners in weeds is a fast-paced, mobile presentation. Position your boat along the deep weed edge, often in 8 to12 feet of water, but it can be much deeper in very clear lakes. Use a trolling motor to get your boat moving parallel to the weed edge and try to maintain a relatively consistent speed between 1.2 and 1.5 mph. Lob a long cast behind the boat and adjust the boat’s speed—or the length of line between the rod tip and the bait—until you feel the spinner occasionally deflect off the weeds. Using a long, sensitive spinning rod will help you to maintain control of the spinner rig and differentiate between snaggy weeds and hungry walleyes. When a strike occurs, drop the rod tip back toward the fish, wait a second or two to ensure that the fish has worked its way up to the hook, and then drive it home with a sweeping hook-set. MWO

If you like walleye fishing, check out the June issue of MidWest Outdoors magazine, available at a newsstand near you. You may also subscribe to MidWest Outdoors online or by phoning 800-606-3474.