Andrew Martinsen's Walleye Fishing Update Columbia River Fishing for Walleye on the Columbia River The Columbia River is one of the best hot spots around for walleye. There are many great spots along this river where the Walleye are large and abundant, just waiting to be caught. Preacher's Eddy is one of the favorite spots for anglers on this river, and this spot is really effective during the early months and when the water level is high. The Willows is another all time favorite on this river, and this spot is located just below Preacher's Eddy. On the Oregon state side of the river, starting at the Giles French Park ramp and going all the way down past the grain elevators, and these areas are also very good fishing spots during high water periods and early in the season. Walleye fishing on the Columbia River improves throughout the whole river area come May and June, and this is when the fishing really starts happening. Keep an eye out for bottoms which are rocky, and the water is between twelve and thirty feet deep. The Avery ramp and Browns Island area offer excellent reefs which are usually teeming with Walleye around this time of year. Maryhill State Park, which is situated on Highway 97 past the bridge, is an excellent spot for anglers on both sides of the river. Miller Island also has been marked as a favorite spot by many anglers during the early summer months. Walleye fishing early in the season past the point of the John Day Dam on the Columbia River may not be that good, but once March hits all of this changes. The months of March and April are when the spawning preparations start, and the Walleye start to pack up close to the dam, below the actual structure. This is when the trophy Walleye can be caught easily, with weights of up to fourteen pounds. During this period the water level is normally high, and the fish will hang out in the eddies in the river for protection against the strong currents. Towards the end of April, the Walleye start to spread out to different areas of the Columbia River because the spawning is ending. They will bite much more consistently, with a larger number being caught, but catching that big trophy Walleye will not be as easy as it was earlier in the year. Now is the time to locate deep areas of the river with rocky bottoms, because the odds are this is where the fish will be. Bottom walking rigs that have night crawlers attached to the tip can be used during trolling to get the attention of the Walleye and get some action. This method is preferred by many anglers when it is impossible to vertical jig because of high flows. Spinners, crankbaits, stickbaits, and jigs can be used as well by experienced anglers, and the main thing is to keep your bait on the bottom, because this is where the Walleye feed. Get The Acclaimed Secret Sauce Walleye Bait Recipe!