The Snake River below Little Goose Dam -

A year-round fishery for walleye, but like most great fisheries, certain windows consistently produce the best action. At Hells Canyon Sport Fishing our guided walleye season typically runs from February through June. This is the time when both trophy fish and great numbers of keeper size walleye are possible.​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Pre-Spawn Trophy Walleye

From February through April our clients have a prime opportunity to target pre spawn trophy walleye. During this period the largest females stage along key stretches of the river as they prepare for their spawning migration. This is when your chances of catching that Trophy of a lifetime are the greatest.

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​One of the most productive areas is the mouth of the Palouse river near Lyons Ferry. This unique section of river draws staging walleye as they move upstream into the Palouse River arm to spawn. It creates a unique  hotspot where anglers can consistently encounter large fish.

Our preferred technique during this pre spawn period is slowly trolling large deep-diving crankbaits upstream. Trolling these plugs through staging areas allows us to cover water efficiently and trigger reaction bites from these otherwise non aggressive fish.

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Choosing the Right Plugs

We rely on a variety of popular plug options like the Berkley Flicker Shad to the proven Bandit Walleye Deep. In the last few years other deep-diving plug styles have come to the market that work just as well. These lures are designed to reach the depths where staging walleye hold during late winter and early spring.

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Color selection can make a difference depending on water clarity and light conditions. These plugs come in a wide variety of patterns from chartreuse and fire tiger to natural baitfish colors. For anglers who enjoy customizing their gear painting your own plugs can be an awesome way to experiment and dial in a custom presentation that the fish haven't seen before!

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Spring “Eater” Walleye

As the season progresses into March, April, and early summer, the focus often shifts from trophy hunting to catching excellent numbers of eater-size walleye. While quality fish still remain in the area, anglers typically see an increase in action from the smaller males that stay active after the spawn.

At this time of year we move several miles upriver to areas like Texas Rapids and even further up to fish below little Goose Dam. Here, trolling worm harnesses or vertical jigging with a Jig and Crawler becomes the go-to technique. These rigs—featuring spinner blades and nightcrawlers—are extremely effective for covering water and enticing aggressive feeding fish.

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A Year Round Fishery

Although our guided trips focus on the late winter through early summer window the Snake River continues to produce good numbers of walleye throughout the summer and well into the fall. For anglers looking to experience one of the Northwest’s most awesome walleye fisheries the stretch of river between Little Goose Dam and the mouth of the Palouse River offers opportunity nearly every month of the year.

 

Whether you’re chasing a true trophy during the pre-spawn bite or filling the cooler with great tasting eater walleye the Snake River remains one of the region’s most rewarding places to fish.