Walleye On The Dropshot
by Don Allphin
June 11, 2007
Last week I spent a few days on Starvation Reservoir. Though fishing was not the primary reason for the trip, I was able to steal a few hours each day to target a few smallmouth bass, walleyes and perch. One dilemma, in which I constantly find myself, is not having the tackle ready to shift gears from bass to walleyes or perch. I have 14 rods in my boat and none of them is set up for anything but bass. If the walleyes are hitting crankbaits or jigs, I’m generally alright; but if they want live bait for example, I’m hopelessly lost until I can make a quick run to the bait shop.
So, I went prepared with a few night crawlers this time just in case some walleyes or perch showed up unexpectedly. While playing lifeguard to a bunch of teenagers in canoes, I noticed some fish on my finder in 14 feet of water. All I had rigged was a dropshot on light spinning tackle. I quickly threaded one half of a night crawler on the dropshot hook, dropped it down to the bottom and immediately hooked a two-plus pound walleye. And then, over the next two hours, I boated five more fish with the largest approaching four pounds. I also caught several perch that measured 10 to 11 inches in length.
I had never really thought of using a dropshot to target walleyes, but conditions at Starvation were perfect for that presentation. To refresh your memories, a dropshot rig is one in which the weight is on the bottom and a hook is tied directly to the line above the weight. This presentation allows the weight to touch bottom while the hook and bait hover above. A large mat of grass covered the bottom from the shorelines out to at least 20 feet deep. The dropshot rig kept the bait just above the grass where the fish were feeding.
Sandy areas precluded the growth of grass but as soon as the sand transitioned into rock, the grass appeared. It was on one of those transitions that I found the fish. From then on, I had no problem finding perch or walleyes. And catching them was as easy as dropping my line straight beneath the boat.
The next few weeks should provide some great perch and walleye action. Those who target walleyes all the time will have other methods for catching the tasty critters, but my little dropshot method would compete nicely I’m sure. Give it a try and as always, let me know of your successes.
About The Author
