Openers don’t carry the same weight as they once did.

The plethora of trout-fishing special regulations areas and wild trout waters has diluted the opener for that species. Most bass anglers take advantage of the springtime catch and release season, diminishing the significance of that opener.

Muskies see no closed season. But walleyes, which typically end up on the fillet table once they reach the 15-inch minimum, still conjure up excitement when they become legal prey in early May.

In Pennsylvania, walleyes inhabit reservoirs, a smattering of natural lakes, impounded rivers and free-flowing rivers. It takes a versatile angler to consistently catch walleyes in these various habitats.

Doing so means identifying the cover and forage options available to the fish, and also recognizing the seasonal stage they are in, which for the season opener typically is the post spawn.

RESERVOIRS

From shallow, windswept reservoirs such as Pymatuning, to deep, riverine impoundments like Youghiogheny River Lake, our state’s walleye lakes come in many forms.

Some feature significant levels of submerged vegetation. These typically have fairly stable pools, and are not subject to annual drawdowns that stifle weed growth. Others, such as our many federal flood control reservoirs, do see such major fluctuations. Creek channels, submerged foundations, and shoreline laydowns are often the features that collect walleyes in lakes of this type.

In addition to cover options, food is another major consideration.

Walleyes are top level predators, never far from a food source. Expect walleyes that live in lakes that host pelagic forage fish such as gizzard shad, alewife and emerald shiners to respond differently to their surroundings than ones where yellow perch, minnows and young sunfish supply their primary food source.

Besides food and cover, water clarity too is a variable. Walleyes have a decided sight advantage over prey species. On clear water lakes expect them to be most active when light levels are low, such as the twilight periods and at night. And while there is often a nighttime bite on dingy water lakes — particularly for larger walleyes — in general turbid water lakes provide better daytime fishing than clear ones.

Early season strategies consider the many variables just explained. In lakes that feature submerged weeds such as milfoil, pondweed and coontail, it’s likely at least some of the walleye population will be using this cover option. Jigs tipped with ribbon leeches or half of a nightcrawler are ideal for working the edges of emerging weed beds.

For extensive weed edges pulling ‘crawler harnesses behind a bottom bouncer sinker is a good option for covering lots of water.

If perch and panfish become a nuisance, switch to an artificial night crawler or leech.

Jigs (tipped with crawlers or leeches), jigging spoons and blade baits are all good options for targeting submerged creek channels.

When working depths of 15 feet or more, fish vertically, using your sonar unit to spot fish. Modern electronic GPS mapping options, when available, increase the accuracy of this tactic.

Where pelagic baitfish are present in significant numbers, open water trolling is often the most effective way to catch walleyes. Use your sonar to locate areas of open water holding baitfish as well as their depth. Target depths the same or slightly shallower than baitfish levels, as walleyes will generally be feeding “up.” Present minnow-shaped (emerald shiner/rainbow smelt lakes) or shad-shaped (gizzard shad/alewife lakes) lures on trolling rods.

Serious trollers invest in line-counter level wind reels to increase the accuracy of their setups, and for precise duplication of productive set-back distances. Night trolling during the spring is one of the best ways of catching lunker lake-dwelling walleyes.

RIVERS

Walleyes are river fish by nature. Our state offers excellent river walleye fishing throughout all three of its major drainages.

On impounded rivers like the lower Allegheny, the Monongahela, the Ohio and the lower Susquehanna, expect good numbers of walleyes to remain in the general tailrace areas below dams the first month of the season. Walleyes collect in such areas before the spawn, upriver migration stopped by the physical barrier. Tailrace areas also tend to be rich in food fish, oxygen and habitat.

Jig-and-minnow are classic river walleye presentations, and for good reason. They provide precise presentation of an effective bait, whether you’re casting and retrieving, or vertically jigging it over a deeper pool. On lakes, minnows become less effective on walleyes as the water warms, yielding to leeches and crawlers. But on rivers, minnows remain effective well into the spring.

Focus on tailrace areas (being sure to remain out of any restricted areas), but also check areas near feeder streams, which also collect walleyes at this time.

Free-flowing river sections like the middle Allegheny, and much of the Susquehanna and Delaware, feature good walleye fishing as well. On the middle Allegheny I find active walleyes feeding just downriver of heavy, standing-wave riffles. Foraging walleyes nose up to these fast-flowing areas, lured there by the native baitfish that prefer such habitat when the water is warm. Steadily-retrieved suspending hard jerkbaits and soft swimbaits often excel in this situation.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.