I’ve been fortunate to having had the opportunity to fish on several of the country’s more productive walleye rivers, various sections of the Ohio included. Though minor differences exist from river to river, few angling situations have more in common than does river fishing for walleyes. This is especially true during the cold weather months.

Catching fish first means finding fish. This is simplified on walleye rivers during the winter months. During the late fall, particularly if river levels rise a bit, walleyes begin migrating upstream, working their way toward potential spawning grounds they will use the following spring. Barriers such as dams impede their progress. Tailwaters sections of dams tend to be rich in forage species, so it’s of little surprise that walleyes tend to stack up there. Hence, unless extremely high water levels create abnormally strong currents, discharge areas below dams can be counted on to hold good concentrations of walleyes.

Though tailrace areas attract most of the angling attention, not all walleyes run up to a dam to spend the winter and early spring there. Slackwater areas of the pool itself will hold plenty of fish, ones that see little fishing pressure, at least when compared with the tailraces. Walleyes seek out areas of reduced current when the water is cold. They don’t have to expend as much energy to remain in such a location. Baitfish species are also present in many instances, for the same basic reason. Once you find them, river locations that provide reduced current and plenty of baitfish will tend to attract walleyes year after year. Generally, you can count on them being productive for years to come.

Rivers are dynamic environments, though, and subject to changes brought about by nature. Floods can alter fish-holding areas. High, cold water during the spring can negatively affect baitfish populations. Winter fishing tends to be slow when there are low levels of baitfish in the river. The fish seem to sense that it’s not worth expending the energy to attempt to feed. Or, maybe they go into the winter period in weaker condition because of the lack of food. This may explain why they don’t bite well during winters when shad and minnows are scarce. However, the dry weather of 2005 and the dry spring of 2006 should equate into plenty of food for walleyes this winter.

Slack-water areas are places where the main force of the river has been deflected or reduced. On the Ohio, this commonly occurs below rock/ gravel bars that are washed out into the river at the point where a small tributary enters the main river. Chunk rock, gravel and sand are deposited in the river when the feeder streams are running high.

The resulting rock bar acts like a wing dam of sorts, deflecting the force of the river out toward the main channel. This creates any eddy effect below the rock bar, a place where the current actually reverses itself. Such places are easy to find, in that they tend to collect junk and debris following a period of high flows. When the water level is normal or low, these places are likely to freeze first, since there is little current. Most of the larger rock bars will also be marked with a navigational buoy, put in place off the tip of the bar to warn boaters of the shallow-water hazard.