Fishing flats - Mississippi River – Walleye - Mississippi River – Walleye

Rainman 2,

Not sure what time of year you are talking about so I’ll go thru the seasons for my favorites. Keep in mind these are presentations I use on normal pool levels. In the fall thru early Spring I cast them with jigs/plastic combos. I will position my boat up river running my trolling motor just strong enough to slow the boats drift speed . Fan casting off the side of the boat works good for me, I usually throw my offering up river a bit and let it drift naturally with the current. If your boat is going faster than your jig, try going lighter to get more of a natural sweep from your jig/plastic combo if not getting bit.

Once the water levels start to rise, in most cases prior to pre-spawn, 3-way trolling with live bait or cranks is a good producer for me if those fish are still holding more main channel. If the water levels get to high those fish that you were targeting 2 weeks ago in low water will move in closer to shore getting out of the main river flow, that’s when I go back to casting my jig/plastic combo.

Through out the summer months 3-waying bait and long lining cranks are hard to beat with normal pool levels. If we encounter a low water year, like we had this past one, drifting with light jigs/bait or split shot rigs a top of the flat is a top producer for me.