Walleye fishing is very popular in many areas including the Detroit River. The larger fish can put up a strong fight and they are considered to be one of the best tasting fresh water fish around. Not only do they taste good but they are easy to filet and prepare as a meal making them the number one choice for many anglers.



The Detroit River is an excellent place to fish for walleye especially when they travel into the river from Lake Erie to prepare for the spawning season. During this time it is estimated that approximately ten million walleye will travel this river in search of a place to spawn. It can still be a little cold during this time of year but it is worth bearing the chilly weather if you want to land a good size walleye. Make sure you dress warmly and carry an extra set of clothing in case of an emergency and you can enjoy all the benefits this river has to offer this time of year.

From the middle of March into the late part of May is when the walleye will be traveling to the Detroit River to spawn filling the waters with this tasty species. It is during this time of year that many walleye tournaments are held. It is not unusual for you to find many fishing boats running up and down the river in search of the walleye.

Fishing Techniques for Catching Walleye

Your fishing technique will depend on many different things such as the clarity of the water and the weather. However, in most all scenarios the best techniques used for catching walleye on the Detroit River are trolling and vertical jigging. Trolling is best used when the walleye are more scattered out in the river because this method covers a wider area faster. This makes it easier than jigging for walleye. It is for this reason that the technique of trolling is recommended for the months between the end of May and the beginning of March.

Vertical jigging is the most popular technique used on the Detroit River during the spawning season. It has several advantages over trolling such as more people can be in the boat together and when the river is crowed vertical jigging can be a little easier to use. The hardest part of vertical jigging is locating the walleye. You can use a fishfinder to help you locate the walleye to save you some time searching. You can also search for areas in which the minnows and other baitfish are gathered together and most likely, there will be some walleye nearby as well.

After locating the walleye you simply drop your line in a vertical direction right into the middle of the fish. The walleye can't resist taking a meal that is so easy and all you need to do from this point on is set the hook and reel them in. The jig is designed with a long shank hook and round head to increase the odds of reeling in the walleye in a vertical position. Hooks made with a shorter shank or a different type of design could slip out of their mouth and cause you to lose your catch.