Anglers couldn’t have asked for a better Labor Day weekend on the Rock River, weather was great and so was the fishing. Walleyes, Pike and White Bass all on a tear, biting frenzy, going nuts, jumping into the boat, what ever you want to call it the fish were biting.
I guess you will have to click on READ MORE to see how, where and when these fish were caught
Anglers Thank You for joining me to find out how the Rock River bite was going this Labor Day Weekend. Fishing was awesome; I made it out Saturday, Sunday and Monday with all three days producing fish. All three days I only fished four to five hours to get limits of walleyes two out of the three days. Monday the toughest with only three nice keeper for the frying pan but lots of 14 ¾ to keep you on your toes. Also lots of Pike in the 18 to 24 inch range were biting and taking your jigs, I would get cut off at least four times an outing. Time to give my sponsors call for some more jigs.
Here’s a nice walleye a good friend [A.K.A] Kraz caught Sunday vertical jigging on the left in 7 fow 1/4oz jigs tipped with half of a night crawler. Color this day was lime/green, glow/green and pink/white.
The key to catching walleyes on this weekend was technique. Two ways were working, which pitching 1/8oz jigs the safest, and vertical jigging a close second.
Well do I have you confused yet
well let me explain? With very little current this summer it was hard to get your boat to move. So lots of anglers would use there trolling motor to move. Which in return made lots of other anglers mad because they think they were trolling. There a fine line here and I’m not going to get into it now.
But one thing I can help you vertical anglers out with is when you decide to move pull your lines out of the water until you get to you next fishing spot. When current is strong and you use you trolling motor to slip the current is a safe bet and legal to catch walleyes like this one on the right.
Ok let’s get down to the real thing here and that’s catching fish not trying to report anglers to the DNR. Matt (A.K.A) rancor and I made it out Monday to find fishing a little tougher than the last two days but did manage to get three nice keepers in the boat and lots of shorts and Pike to keep us interested.
All the fish this weekend like in all the photos were caught in 7 to 8 foot of water using 1/8oz jigs with half of a night crawler. Color did matter, each day was different but glow/green won all and all like this photo on the left Matt caught.
Click on photos for a larger view
Anglers please let fishing be a fun sport and not a problem because you think someone is trolling. Let the DNR do there job and you will catch more fish.
Thanks for the report Jeff. If us anglers continue to read the posts Jeff and others make there appears to be some consistency here. Pitching and vertical jigging. Go figure huh?
Now only if can continue to remember to bring my control for the trolling motor. One couple asked me if I remembered to bring it this time. 
Nice of them to remember me and Z-man paddling.
Regarding the great trolling debate. There really is not a debate. Laws are laws. And you can have great fun while obeying them. It is not a matter of being mad or jealous (I can only speak for myself). As a warden told me when I worked with them on a project lack of understanding is not an excuse for breaking the law.
Looking forward to more great tasting walleye in the boat.
Opps I think I just jinxed myself
D
Good report Jeff.
That to me is the closest thing to heaven on earth. At times when I am fishing alone or with buddies, we will actually pitch all day long even though we know there may be a better bite trolling. Just to feel that good ol fashioned “thump” on the line is something a guy can never get sick of.
I can honestly not think of a more enjoyable way to catch walleyes than to pitch light jigs in shallow water.
Steve,
I know I would never do that 
You Da Man Jeff
That thunk of a walleye nailing a pitched jig is “the 2nd best feeling in the world”
Nice fish Jeff!
You have been on those Rock WALLEYES all year!
Great report Jeff
. I was just wondering why you are not able to troll the Rock up your way? I have checked with our local DNR and it is legal for us to troll down here. Good thing it is, if it wasn’t, I had been breaking the law for alot of years.
What’s bad about this trolling debate is that lots of anglers are accusing the vertical jigging anglers for trolling also. We all no what trolling is. When pulling boards or long lining behind the boat. But with very little current anglers use there trolling motor to go down river. Even though threre lines are vertical other anglers are accusing them of trolling. It’s really sad when I’m on the water these days and all I see is anglers yelling at each other