Finesse tactics, such as split shot rigging, can be used to fool the toothy, but wary, walleye.

Power fishing is a term commonly used to describe the mind-set behind many of today's fishing tactics, particularly those used for walleyes and bass.

In the walleye world, this often means trolling crankbaits over open water in search of the fish that roam main lake basins as they look for food. Or it can be using heavy bottom- bouncing sinkers to pull a nightcrawler-tipped spinner rig along a weed edge to pluck walleyes keying in on young yellow perch.

These methods, productive as they can be at times, are far removed from the finesse tactics that serve as the foundation upon which walleye were often taken before it became more common to use bigger, heavier stuff. Split shot rigging is among the purest forms of finesse walleye fishing.

The spit shot rig, as the name implies, employs light split shot as the weighting system. Coupled with a light wire livebait hook and a small swivel, the split shot rig does little to interfere with the natural movement of the livebait it presents.

This is one of the advantages of the split shot rig. It presents livebait in a highly natural form, in that there is very little to weigh down the bait. Whereas, the ricochet of a crankbait deflecting off of a rock can be a trigger, in this instance the triggers are those presented by the livebait itself, unencumbered by heavy weights or fast, unnatural movement.

Another aspect of the split shot rig is that it must be fished slowly. When walleyes are active, slow may not be the way you want to go. This is especially true during tough conditions, such as following a cold front.

A split shot rig demands that it be fished slowly, even if the angler would like to move it faster. Retrieve it too quickly, or backtroll it too fast, and it will rise off of the bottom, out of the zone you intend to fish it.

Employing the split shot rig will force you to fish slowly, even if the three cups of coffee you drank urge you to fish faster.

Here are the basic components that make up the split shot rig:

The hook itself should be a light wire model. The common denominator regarding hooks for this application is that they feature a fairly wide gap and that they be constructed from light wire. Hook size is determined by the type and size of the livebait being used. Night crawlers and leeches are common baits during the summer, with minnows being more productive in the fall.

As for split shot, the idea is to go as light as possible. Split shot rigging is a shallow water presentation. If the fish are holding in deep water, a slip-sinker rig is a better option.

Split shot rigs are good for casting on the shallow flat, or for backtrolling (or drifting) along the shallow edge of the breakline.

Buying shot in a dispenser that holds various sizes allows you to tailor you selection to the conditions. Removable shot is convenient in that you can pop off a shot or two to lighten things up, plus you can reuse the shot.

The ears of the shot make it more likely to snag, however. If hang-ups become a problem, you might want to switch to round shot.

Split shotting falls in line with the KIS (keep it simple) philosophy. Rigging with a light hook and enough shot to keep things close to the bottom is the essence of the system.

If line twist becomes a problem, tie in a small, high-quality swivel. Place the swivel in front of the shot. The snell length, i.e. the distance from the shot to the hook, can vary. Longer snell lengths allow more freedom for the bait but less control for the angler. Eighteen inches to two feet is a good snell length to start with.

Split shot rigs can be presented by casting and retrieving, or by slowly moving the boat along with the aid of the trolling motor or allowing the boat to drift with the wind. Consider using an anchored position for casting. Work the bait slowly, incorporating plenty of pauses to ensure that the bait touches bottom often.

When using the boat to present the bait, it's common to let out a fair amount of line. 100-foot let-outs are not uncommon. This gets the bait away from the boat and allows it to touch bottom with minimal weight. Long rods and low-stretch lines shine in this application.

Split shot rigs fish best with spinning rods. A long (7- to 7½-foot) light-action spinning rod will pick up slack line without putting too much pressure on finicky fish.

Fluorocarbon lines work well in this situation because they are less visible underwater than monofilament and have less stretch.

Six- to eight-pound test is right for this type of work. Tie in a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader of two to four feet by means of a double uni-knot or a small ball-bearing swivel.