Top Locations For Ice Fishing Walleye in Rivers

Safety should always be on the forefront of your mind when it comes to rivers. Once 4 inches of thick, solid ice arrives rivers can cough up big catches throughout the winter. The trick is learning the winter whereabouts of walleyes and having the right tactics and baits to tempt them into biting. Here are my top spots.

Find Big Bays, Backwater Areas With Depth

Bays and backwater areas are walleye winter hotspots, especially on large rivers. These areas appeal to walleyes provided they have sufficient depth or are close to deep water. Walleyes move into shallow bays to feed at night. In large backwater areas with deep holes or a channel, they might stay in these spots during the day.

Bays and backwater areas are productive for walleyes on rivers because they are often wintering locations of forage. Here, water current is either slow or virtually non-existent. Many minnow species and panfish hold in these fertile zones to escape the main channel current and to feed on various aquatic invertebrates and other miniature morsels. Voracious predators, walleyes never stray too far from their food sources. So, with quick access to food as well as shelter from fast moving currents, it's not surprising that you can find walleye in bays and backwater areas.

One-piece flotation suits provide the best in on-ice protection. 

Work a variety of areas when fishing bays and backwater areas. Concentrate on breaks between deep holes or channels and the shallows. Also, depending on the size and shape of the area, look for tapering flats near the mouth. Rock or riprap can hold walleyes as well.

Fish Points

Points extending into deeper water are also good river areas. Where there's considerable current flow, look for walleyes on the downstream side of points. They'll hold in the slack water areas of eddies on the edge off breaks or in deep holes.

When current flow is limited on dammed rivers, walleyes actively cruise points when feeding so be sure to fish the entire point and edges. Work deeper areas in the day and look for fish to move up shallow at dusk and night to feed.

Points found on the edges of tributaries are particularly productive at late ice. Venturing into streams of large rivers and exploring slow-moving water areas where pre-spawn walleyes stage can produce fantastic action. Look for walleyes in deep holes or where slack and fast moving water meet.

Try Islands

River islands near deep water often hold walleyes. Start your search downstream of the structure. This is where current breaks, eddies, and sometimes tapering sand points or bars exist. Deep, slack water holds fish during the day. At night they may move to shallower waters and feed on the island's points and sandbars.

Also fish side channels near islands. These form on the shore side, opposite of the main river channel. The secondary channels still contain current flow, but less than the main river. Look for walleyes to hold in deep pools or slack water in these channels.

Check Bars, Inside Bends

Bends on medium to small rivers produce good fishing spots. The river current is faster on the outside of the bend than the inside. The slow current on the inside of the turn causes sediment to drop, forming tapering bars. This is where you should focus your efforts. The outside of the turn holds the faster current and deep, river channel.

Fish the bar from the shore to the edge of the main drop-off as walleyes may hold anywhere on it. Look for weed edges at early ice, as well as holes and boulders that create current breaks. Depending on water depth and river flow, walleyes may station off the bars during the day or simply hold in holes. Come twilight and night, however, they'll move up on the shallow areas to feed.

Fish Human-Built Structures

Many rivers hold human-built structures. Constructs often use rock and riprap to prevent shoreline erosion, extending well past the shore into the water. Walleyes hunt and hold in these areas. Good options include the holes in front of large boat launches, riprap shoreline near deep water, and structures near the base of small dams or lock systems.

A walleye taken from a river back bay during overcast conditions. 

Road causeways found on large rivers are one of my favorite areas. They're often made of riprap and created to connect islands to the shoreline. On rivers, these bank barriers usually contain culverts to allow flow to pass through, but much less than the main river channel. Walleyes hold in these buffered areas year round if they provide sufficient depth and food. Early ice healthy weed areas, deep holes, breaks and slow tapering flats are all prime areas to look for walleyes.

Remember, river ice is never safe so always tread with caution. Wear a one-piece flotation suit for the best protection. Once outfitted, fishing rivers in winter will put you on less targeted fish. They're also prime spots to hit during dusk bites during the mid-winter doldrums.