When asked the most appealing aspect of walleye fishing, many anglers would respond to its quality as table fare.

I’d counter that the species adaptability to exist in many environments demands the utmost in angler versatility for consistent success.

This is doubly true during springtime, when the fish have concluded spawning and are on the move. With walleye season opening this weekend, many anglers will be fishing local rivers, the subject of this week’s column. Later we’ll look at post spawn walleye tactics in lakes and reservoirs.

IMPOUNDED RIVERS – River fish by nature, walleyes are delightfully at home in flowing waters, including those impounded by dams, impoundments typically created for navigation and/or hydroelectric power generation. The pools created by such dams retain some qualities of a river, namely modest current.

Typically, a significant portion of the walleye population will be found near the discharge area of the dam as spawn-driven upriver “runs” are halted by the barrier. The habitat found here is conducive to spawning, as well. While warming water will eventually fuel a dispersal from tailrace areas, for the first month or so following the spawn a wealth of fish can still be found there.

Key areas to focus on include slack or low current areas near the downriver side of a dam. Lock chambers and closed dam gates can create such spots. These areas can be restricted from boat traffic, so watch for buoys and signs warning of such. Even so, they present quality opportunities for shore anglers. The situation varies from dam to dam.

The downriver approach walls of lock chambers generally create slack water areas beyond restricted areas and are a good bet for boat anglers. So are the first deep hole or two downriver of the dam. Some of the best areas feature rock bars or wing dams that break up the current.

Boat anglers can score on walleyes by casting or vertically jigging jig-n-minnow combinations, blade baits, and jig-n-plastic combos. Concentrate efforts in the deeper pools during the day, while working shallower as the evening twilight approaches and ‘eyes go on feeding sprees. The evening twilight is also tops for the shore/wade angler since movements to thinner water make the fish more accessible.

FREE-FLOWING RIVERS – Free-flowing rivers that retain their natural riffle-run-pool character often harbor good walleye numbers. Lacking barriers such as dams, however, can make the fish a bit more challenging to find.

Though walleyes are sometimes thought of as being somewhat docile, timid fish, the truth is that they are topnotch predators. As natural rivers warm, expect to find walleyes feeding in-and-around riffles and runs that feature significant current. The reason for this is simple: This is where much of the food is found.

Various species of shiners, chubs, darters, and dace, among others, use riffle areas as their feeding grounds, utilizing the buffet of tasty organisms carried by the current. Naturally, walleyes follow, filling another link in the food chain.

For the boat angler, a sound tactic is to drift with the current, firing across-current casts out in the faster water. The sweet spot is often where the fast riffle joins the slightly deeper run.

Suspending hard jerkbaits in the four-to-five-inch size range catch the attention of feeding walleyes, baits such as Rapala’s Husky Jerk, Bomber’s Suspending Long A, and Yo-Zuri’s 3DB Jerkbait. Walleyes often respond better to a steadier retrieve, so resist the urge to give the bait much added stop-n-go movement.

Soft swimbaits also excel in this situation, ones like Storms WildEye Minnow or Shad. These pre-rigging swimbaits – which feature a belly hook in addition to the classic single swimbait hook – are well suited to catching ‘eyes that zero in on the lure in the faster current. Soft swimbaits also allow one to control the depth being fished simply by altering the rate of the retrieve.

As much potential water is missed during a drift – since the boat is moving at a good clip – it’s smart to make multiple passes to cover all areas. Riffles too shallow to be drifted in a boat provide good options for the shore/wade angler.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle