Mike Weinkauf and a nice Mississippi River walleye.

Max-Gap Mississippi Walleyes
(Airs February 19th – February 25th and May 21th – May 27th)

This week, it’ll be for voraciously feeding fall walleye on a Minnestoa stretch of the mighty Mississip!

When it comes to walleye…big walleye in fact…one thing you can make book on is that during the fall period they’ll be in a “feed to fatten mode.” putting the feed bag on, when food is still abundant, is simply nature’s way of instinctively telling fish to store up energy prior far more lean winter months that lie ahead.

In large rivers, such as the Mississippi, where today’s host anglers will be hunting for walleye, at Redwing Minnesota…two primary factors are involved. First, is the consideration of anything about the river system which can concentrate food. Commonly, these include any type of current break such as wing dams, rip-rap, leading edges of deeper holes and large dams. Dams tend to dead-end baitfish movements, create deep holding pools and form eddies in the current where baitfish tend to feed and generally hang out. As a result of baitfish location, factor number two is the annual upstream fall movement of walleyes to capitalize.

But what else can anglers take from the fact that fall walleye location is often based on their extreme instinctive need to feed?

First and foremost, just as this weeks anglers, Mike Weinkauf, Ted Takasaki and Eric Olson do, it’s knowing in advance that the walleyes they do find will definitely be of a mindset to eat. Also, that big baits produce big results.

The reason for this lies in what I've always referred to as the “expended energy principle”—fish feeding for maximum result are always best off targeting large food types, which provide considerably more calories than the fish burns off in the process of catching them.

Historically, come fall for trophy walleyes, that’s meant big minnows, commonly on jigs or rigs. But on this weeks “Good fishing,” times are changing and we’ll be sharing how the newest innovations in soft-plastics and jigs are taking the walleye fishing scene by storm. As proof, monster walleye, munchies and max-gaps are whats in order, so make sure you check it out.