IMHO the walleye are not feeding. ie not going after bait. They only are hitting the jigs because they consider them a nusiance. ? ? No expert just an opinion. If you troll go very very slow.

PS you can also "cast" a jig bouncing along the bottom with luck.
...

 

I like jigging this time. 3 reasons for me

1. It's something diffrent I can troll later in the year and its nice to just stand there and do nothing and waste no gas.

2. If you find the fish there is usally more than one there and I can stay over them longer pulling more per pass.

3. I like feeling them hit the jig. you loose that trolling

just my reasons and views

 

Water temps below 40 I vert. Above that Im trollin. I do like takin kids out and short lining fish in the summer but bigger fish come trollin after the water warms and way to many little critters for jigs and such then. Guess whats 2cent worth!!!!!!!

 

I like to jig in the morning and troll in the afternoon. As falcon2082 says, its the best time to catch big fish in the western basin. Every 10 lb. plus fish I've ever caught was in April or early May trolling in the afternoon.

 

I do both but once april 1st rolls around I'm trolling because I'm a big fish hunter and I have to because I fish at least 2 tourney's every April and need to find and catch big fish for them. This April after the 19th when the tourney's are over I plan on going up and doing some hardcore jiggin with the girlfriend for fun, I wish I can do more of it because I do enjoy it, my woman will LOVE it, she likes perchin and feeling the bite so she is going to love walleye jiggin, I got a new rod and reel with her name on it. I hope we get decent conditions and a warm weekend before the jig bites over...after the 19th at least.

 

Kevin liven the dream you fish tourneys and you found a girl who loves to fish. I bought a pink rod reel combo for my women and she loves to troll so I always have to use my gear. Oh well atleast she loves to fish. I feel a women who is a prejected seven on the sexy scale becomes a nine if she loves to fish. my two cents worth.

 

I like to jig fish as well as troll this time of year. Go out and jig up a couple fish shy of a limit for the boat then head for the deep water and troll. I personally don't keep the big fish but like to have some slots open for the guest and a trophy for them. I didn't have have my biggest walleye mounted so I'll have to break 13#'s to consider a replica. Anyone on my boat can keep whatever they consider a trophy as long as their limit is open. If we don't top off with large fish we can make a short stop on the way in and finish the limit with "eaters. April may has got to be the FUNNEST time of the year to fish for walleye.

 

Agreed Shorty...on the otherhand..we're spoiled rotten all year, there really is no bad time to fish erie. Being a Cleveland rat 50 times a year I gotta say the islands in April is epic in my book, maybe because of the long winter, maybe because of the islands, the atmosphere up there being the warreye capital of the world, the boats the bait shops the fisherman, maybe because of the chance at hooking a fish of a lifetime..I don't know I just love it.

 

She also like to go for swims at boat ramps in the winter. LMFAO

 

Best autopilot and fish cleaning service a guy can ask for. makes her sexiness 9.5

 

I like to jig fish as well as troll this time of year. Go out and jig up a couple fish shy of a limit for the boat then head for the deep water and troll. I personally don't keep the big fish but like to have some slots open for the guest and a trophy for them. I didn't have have my biggest walleye mounted so I'll have to break 13#'s to consider a replica. Anyone on my boat can keep whatever they consider a trophy as long as their limit is open. If we don't top off with large fish we can make a short stop on the way in and finish the limit with "eaters. April may has got to be the FUNNEST time of the year to fish for walleye.

Shortdrift,

I usually start out on the troll and if the bite is a bit tough we will head in to "jig a limit of eaters". But as stated in my post and a couple of others, I decide to troll more this time of year and then I would rather cast weight forwards come the end of May because the bigger fish are in town. I remember a Sunday last year we had 3 Fish Ohio's on with in 4 hours and at least I don't get that much here in the Western Basin.

 

I split the difference. Feeling the bite and setting the hook is action we cant pass on and since we have a lot more time to troll than jig we will jig until we get our fix yet leave time to troll up some pigs too. A lot of times jigging is so hot you can quickly get near your limit and head to the basin for Mr. Big and finish the ticket and have the best of both worlds in the same day. The reefs are a short run to the trolling water so its convenient. Many times the lake will lye flat and the sun gets bright and the reefs slow - Perfect opportunity to troll . Although we do make sure we get our jigging fix! Like some of the others my girlfriend loves jigging too! She randomly brought up her wanting to go jig the reefs the other day and I almost fell out of my chair! I'll have the tri-fecta if she could add filleting to jigging & trolling

These plans have the adrenaline pumping!!!

 

I like some of the others have said enjoy doing both this time of year.I love catching four or five pound eyes on jigs in ten ft. of water.Kind of like hand to hand combat with a pi$$ed off eye.On the other hand doing the slow troll with your Reefrunners and Ripsticks is great also knowing that at any time one of your boards could just stop and start to sink.You just know that the fish could easily be a ten pound plus fish.Also love casting harnesses for them a little later on.Life on Erie is grand!!