White River Above Beaver - Feb 15, 2010

[Zack Hoyt]

Water temperatures are near 40 degrees and water levels are moderate. Walleye should be staging to come up out of Beaver Lake to begin spawning. Water temps will have to rise several degrees for the fish to begin moving.

[Jason R.]

What is the best way to get at the walleye with a fly? I'm assuming a sink tip and minnow patterns- similar to fishing for whitebass. Any estimates on how long it will take for them to move? I went out to the white the other day and tossed a few clousers around, knowing I was too early but I just needed to fish for something and i haven't ever caught the walleye run before.

[Zack Hoyt]

Definately a longer sink tip or full sinking line. The full sinking gets the fly down better......type 6 is recommended. Streamers no doubt on the fly. I prefer mine longer and skinny. Shad colors always work. White/grey, white/black, and chartreuse/white. Don't be afraid to take the popular trout streamer patterns and match colors to the local baitfish. If you are fishing on the white.....smaller rainbow patterns work great. These fish are pretty agressive, so a very fast retreival will get their attention. Also being a streamer and a deep fishing technique, dont be afraid to go larger on your leader/tippet or even just use a single size of line the whole way.