Sweep the rod tip up and set the hook. Use the lightest jig you can get away with. As spring approaches and days get longer, walleye shake off the winter blues and become more active. They migrate slowly towards spawning areas, travelling along shorelines to rivermouths and gravel bars. From mid-March to the end of the winter season, many anglers key in on staging walleye off rivermouths.
Fishing can be good when pods of fish arrive, but they're soon thinned out.
Shoreline areas featuring prominent points or reefs adjacent to spawning areas, however, will hold cruising schools of feeding walleye, but attract fewer anglers. Last-ice walleye use a variety of depths and structures, so it pays to experiment with locations. Stay as portable as possible. Use a sled or pack to quickly transport gear. Last-ice fish are aggressive.