Border Water Walleye Beatdown (St. Louis River)

Captain Jarrid Houston takes us on a tour of the St. Louis River on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border, one of the more underrated walleye fisheries in the region. We have an action-packed day of multi-species fishing on the river and share a few tips that will help you put more fish in the boat this season.

Most people are familiar with jig fishing for walleyes, especially with the Northland Tackle RZ Jigs however there are a few nuances that Captain Jarrid has learned in his time on the river. He says color does matter in the stained water and opts for a bright presentation allowing walleyes to find his offering easier. This is particularly effective when casting around shallow bays or areas where walleye group up before and after the spawn to feed.

When using a bottom bouncer in areas with a lot of cover and snags Houston will use a very heavy rig cut his harness short while bending the arm nearly vertical so that when he puts the long rods out he can drop it straight down without using planer boards and just tap bottom as he trolls along.

Maybe the most fun thing about this style of fishing and on this body of water is how diverse the fishery is and how many different species of fish you can run into from bass, pike, perch, and walleyes all the way to catfish and rough fish you just never know what’s on the other end of your line.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway of this whole video however is that you don’t have to conform to what the calendar says you should be doing. Pay attention to what the fish are telling you and adjust accordingly because sometimes going out of the box results in the biggest fish and the best days on the water.