How to catch walleye. The rip or snap jigging technique is a very under utilized technique for walleyes. I am on the water alot and I rarely see walleye fisherman use this rip jigging technique. Equipment for rip jigging include a graphite medium rod with a soft tip. For reel use an open
spincast. Line use flouro carbon or one of the other no streach lines in 15 to 20 pound test. Having a graphite rod with a soft tip and a super line that is no strech will make a big difference in your jig fishing success. It will allow you to feel the walleye bite which is sometimes very soft.
What kind of jigs do you use for snap jigging? You can use hair jigs or use a plain jig tipped with super bait (I like the 3 to 4 inch gulp alive shad). For a plain jig I like the Northland weed weasle . Color green , yellow, black are good. Tie your line directly to the jig. Anoter tip is to use a jig no heavier then you have to . That means a 1/8 oz to 3/8 oz jig. When the conditions are no wind use the 1/8 oz.
Yes walleyes will bite even if flat calm conditions. When windy go to the 1/4 or 3/8 oz jig. Rip jig techniques can be used for casting and trolling. For casting fish the deep weedline during the summer is prime time for rip jigging. That usually mneans a 10-12 ft depth. I like to mark a section of the weed line with colored marker bouys (use two about 30 yards apart. You can use a waypoint on your gps.
Position your boat just outside the weed line (20-40 ft). Use your trolling motor. Make small under hand casts in front of the boat. Let the bait fall to the bottom (your line will quit coming off the reel). Then rip the jig quickly taking your rod from the 9 oclock postion to to or 11 or 12 oclock position. Then very importantly watch the line as it falls carefully. Your strikes will come as the line falls. Repeat the rip jigging working the bait back to the boat. You can vary your ripping with a just a short pop or a full rip.
When fishing the weeds concentrate on inside and outside bends or points (ambush spots for walleyes). In learning how to catch walleye techniques try the ripp jigging method.