“Rippin’ Walleyes”

The Aug.-Sept. issue of In-Fisherman has an article on fishing for eyes using spoons with a yo-yoing or sweeping action. Has anyone tried this technique?

I never have, but I’ve read out on Erie they use spoons a lot. I was brought that spoons for pike fishing. I’ve thought about trying to find out what types of spoons they use on erie and give it a try up on the pond. Does the article give specific spoon makes/models??

When I lived in SD, we used to vertical jig spoons in the 2-3oz. range. This was a dog days of summer tactic we used when we found fish on humps in extremely deep water, 60ft. The only problem there was we had to keep what we caught, back before slots were around.

I have seen this article and my impression is they’re talking about the same technique as rip jigging, but with a heavy spoon instead. While I know of one person who has decent success using spoons on walleyes, I know the art of rip jigging properly can be difficult. Also, the ripping info I’ve seen prior to this focuses heavily on lake walleye. Not to imply that it can’t work on rivers, but current will add to your challenge.

ive not had much luck with jigging spoons in the river…. but Ive heard from reliable fisherman that they sometimes do……

my best day was at hidden falls (pool 2 ford dam)…. and on that day you probably could have caught walleyes on bare hooks… they were on a tear…. and I caught them on jigging spoons too! I tried it after I got tired of catching them with everything else….

It’s a SAD day when you’re “tired” of catching fish! LOL! My, my………………………what are we do to with a problem like that? LOL!

“Honey, you’re home early?!?!”

“Yeah, the dang fish wouldn’t leave me alone!”

LOL! Say, I think you should seek therapy if this problem persists!

I have had real good luck rippin’ buckshots below the RW dam during the cold months… but of course the half a minnow head on there doesn’t hurt either!!!

I’ve also heard of walleyes being taken (actually quite large walleyes) while trolling big spoons in search of norderens… if the forage is indeed something like good sized ciscoes, then why not!!!

Bird out

Oh, by the way……………..

I think both you guys need FTR therapy!!! Which of course requires more time on the water and less typing!!!!!!

I’m trying to work on that but this dang thing called a job keeps getting in my way! :O)

Yep… the ‘ol double-sided sword they call a job……..

oh well, gotta have the “toys” to play!!!!!!!!!!!

hmmmm could I be the “other” of the two you refer to? you can bet I would RATHER be fishing…. I work downtown Mnpls… and I walk down to the river every day and peer at it wishing I was out there….. actually Ive looked at that little pool under the stone bridge (between St anthony falls and the 35w bridge)… and seen many intriguing current breaks and structures….. has anyone fished this? I have never seen anyone in there… maybe its off limits? sure looks good….. I would be SHOCKED if there wasnt walleye, smallmouth and cats in there.. in pretty fair numbers…… with as far as I can tell ZERO pressure…..

but this is NOT going to be the year I get out a lot…. not until my house is built.. probably mid November…. then I will be hitting the river hard and fast…. hopefully all winter….

The article mentions 4 different spoons with a picture of 3 of them. They should be traditional bass spoonsin sizes 3/8 to1 ounce measuring 1 1/2 to 4 inches.

I have used swedish pimples on the river in winter and early, early spring and late fall. I actually think it falls into the same times that you would use a sonar or other such blade bait.. Just like any technique at times it works and at times it doesn`t. Havn`t figured out yet the why and where fors yet. If I do I will wright a book, and make a million, and know more work and retire to fishing.

Tom P.

I have used ‘one-eyed shiners’ with some success on the river. I like to use these and other blade baits when the fishing slows because it seems to trigger a bite. In fact, there have been times that everyone in the boat starts catching more fish when jigging, if someone is also ‘ripping’ a shiner or blade bait.

I know alot of fisherman think that these types of baits only ‘snag’ the fish but if you know how to fish them properly, that rarely happens. If you keep a tight line on the drop, instead of letting the bait free-fall, you catch most of the fish in the mouth.

I agree with you on the blade baits, Trevor. We cast them out parrallel to the backside of wingdams and let the current sweep them into fish that may be laying on the bottom. We cast them with just the tail hook attached and they dont get snagged as often as people think they would.

ahhhhh sonars… a subject near and dear to my heart…… I agree about the “snagging”, in fact you rarely simply snag a fish laying on the bottom… Im pretty sure most of the walleye and sauger that get snagged were making an aggressive move to the bait, but the fast up and down jiggin action that you use, sometimes foils their timing… so they end up OVER the sonar wondering where it went.. then BAM you hit them from underneath on your next rip……

I keep a rod rigged for sonars all the time, I use a short stiff action rod, because I want the hooks to hit home when I sweep upward…..

the best time for me is usually in the afternoon say between 1-3 PM, my favorite color is orange, size 1/2 oz….. they seem to work best when the fish have been hit hard by jigging and have suddenly went neutral/negative… the fast move of the sonar seems to trigger a couple of fish…… if the “boat” has been hitting fish jiggin every drift, but suddenly it slows/stops I pick up the sonar and usually nail a quick 1-2 nice fish……

the above techniques are for fall/winter/spring….. but summer I have had good luck casting them… Ive never bothered removing any hooks, Ive caught fish casting them in lakes, and rivers…. I particularly like to use them in a sandy spot where its easy to let them sink to the bottom before starting a retrieve…. they are also dynamite on white bass, and they cast better than almost anything Ive ever used… are you in the boat and the whites are just out of range? put on a sonar and start catchin em……. Im also in the ranks of those who catch walleyes on wing dams with them….. if you get the imitation sonars, they are pretty cheap and you can afford to loose them…..

Ive also had awesome luck jiggin them in canada in rivers up there and on rock reefs in the summer… its something that those fish have NEVER seen… and they WILL respond……

its a technique I try almost everytime I go out……

just my 2 cents worth…..

Hey, Leo how ya do’n. I’m the new guy see Pool 14. Good

artical, I saw it too. I’m from the southern Pools, and though

we don’t use spoons per’say we use a lot of what we call

zonars or fibrating baits. I personally use them in different

situations all year long, but especially in the late fall, early

spring and summer. Use a short 6-12″ jiging motion, letting

the bait touch bottom after each pull with the rod tip. Summer I us it to catch big Flatheads in deep 20’+ holes. Here’s another Walleye summer technique that is over looked by 92% of fisherman, as I see them troll by me, wondering what the “H” I’m do’n. After you make contact with walleye trolling, most guys just continue on. But try going back on them (use your finder to see what you motored over, then pull out your zonar and work the area over, any aggressive fish will jump on it. I’ll be posting an artical I had published several years ago on Spoons/vibrating baits real soon . See ya GoFish

Edited by kreading on 07/18/01 08:11 PM.

RiverEyes, I’m with you on those sonars. Made my own when I belonged to a fishing club. Still have a bunch. Nickle blanks were 30 cents, clip-on hook 17 cents, lead was free and paint was nominible. Didn’t hurt that much to lose a 50 cent lure that always catch fish.

After the white bass are finished surface feeding and settle on the bottom, troll throuh the area dragging a sonar along the bottom(tail hook only) and you can alway pick up a few more.