Late Fall River Walleye: Jigging the Detroit and St. Clair in Cold Water

Pictured: Carl Linker with a beautiful fall St. Clair River walleye.

When the leaves are off the trees and the boat launch is half empty, some of the best walleye fishing of the year is just getting started. Cold water pushes fish into the deeper, slower stretches of rivers like the Detroit and St. Clair, and they feed hard before winter. You don't need a lot of gear to get in on it. You need the right jig weight, baits that keep working in cold water, and some patience with your boat control.

Where to Find Them

In late fall, walleye slide off the shallow flats and settle into deeper water with some protection from the main current. Look for:

• Current seams. These are the edges where fast water meets slow, along breaks, points and the inside of bends.
• Deep holes and channel edges. These are usually in 18 to 35 feet of water, often holding tight to the bottom.
• Hard bottom transitions. Look for gravel, rock and clam beds where the bottom changes.

Marks glued to the bottom on the down-current side of a hump or break are worth a few drifts.

Go Vertical, Stay on the Bottom

The classic river presentation is a vertical jig. Drift or slip with the current, using your trolling motor to keep your line as straight up and down as you can. When your line starts angling behind the boat, you lose feel and you start snagging.

The rule we follow is simple: use the lightest jig that keeps you in contact with the bottom while staying vertical. In soft current that might be 3/8 oz. In the main river or on windy days, you'll be into 1/2, 3/4 or even 1 oz. Bring a range and change as conditions change.

The Cadence That Catches Cold Fish

Cold walleye don't chase. Keep it slow and short:

1. Let the jig touch bottom.
2. Lift it 6 to 12 inches with your rod tip.
3. Let it fall back on a semi-slack line, then pause.
4. Repeat, tapping bottom every few seconds.

Most bites come on the fall or right as the jig settles. Sometimes it's a tick, sometimes the line just feels heavy. When in doubt, set the hook.

Three Baits, Three Moods

Walleye can change from one drift to the next, so we keep three different looks rigged and rotate until the fish tell us what they want.

1. The 4" MinR: When They Want a Baitfish

We designed the 4" MinR for spring and fall walleye on the Detroit, St. Clair, Niagara and Saginaw, where the water is cold and deep and you need heavy jigs. Its wider back carries a 1/2 to 1 oz jig without looking out of proportion, and the tapered belly helps it drop cleanly to the strike zone. It's softer than most walleye minnows, so the flat, forked tail keeps working even when the water's cold.

Colours: 003 Chartreuse Glimmer or 018 Bionic Tiger in stained water; 015 Ghost Shad or 005 Houdini when it clears.

2. The 4" Spear Tail Worm: When the Bite Gets Tough

When fish are short-striking or just looking, slim down. The 4" Spear Tail Worm is a slim, ribbed worm built for vertical jigging walleye. Its spear-shaped tail quivers with very little movement, which is exactly what you want when you're barely lifting the jig off the bottom. Try shortening your lifts and adding longer pauses with this one.

Colours: We named a few after the rivers they were made for: 164 Detroit River Brown, 173 Detroit River Leech and 001 St Clair River Pearl. 263 Goby and 223 Goby Ice are good natural options, and 104 Chartreuse / Silver Flake is a bright choice for dirty water.

3. The 5" 50cal Grub: When They're Aggressive or the Water's Dirty

When the river's stained or the fish are feeding, go big. The 5" 50cal Grub has a large profile, an oversized curly tail that swims at any retrieve speed, and a ribbed body that pushes water and adds vibration. That makes it easy for walleye to find in low visibility, and it's a good way to sort out bigger fish. Don't be surprised if a pike crashes the party.

Colours: 209 River Rat and 071 Black/Chartreuse Tail for murky water; 282 Pearl/Chartreuse Tail or 040 Pearl when it's cleaner.

A simple way to fish all three: start with the MinR to find active fish. If you're marking fish but not getting bit, switch to the Spear Tail Worm and slow down. If the water's dirty or the bite turns aggressive, tie on the 50cal Grub.

A Few Extras

• Add a stinger hook. Short-striking cold-water fish are common. A small treble trailing off the jig hook converts a lot of those taps.
• Check your plastic often. A bait that's slid down the hook won't fall or swim right.
• Dress for it. November on the river is cold and wet. Layers, a good rain shell and dry gloves will keep you fishing longer.
• Know the rules. Seasons, limits and slot sizes differ between Ontario and Michigan waters. Check the current regulations for where you're fishing.

Stock Up Before You Go

All three come 10 per pack, and all three are part of our Buy More, Save More pricing: 10% off 5+ packs of the same colour, 15% off 10+. If you're near Wallaceburg, order online and pick up free at the Factory Outlet, open Wednesday to Saturday, 9 to 5.

Tight lines, and send us your fall walleye pics. Tag @anglerschoice and you might end up on our wall.

Shop the 4" MinR · Shop the 4" Spear Tail Worm · Shop the 5" 50cal Grub