Walleyes at First Ice: Clinging to the Current

I’ll shoot you straight — I won’t share my spots, but I will share proven tactics. Early ice is a short, action-packed window if you know where to look. Walleyes haunt points, reefs, and breaks, but one setup consistently produces: moving water near healthy weeds.

Find a feeder creek, river inlet, or spring and you’re in business. My go-to? A river tributary spilling onto a flat with green weeds before dropping into deeper water. It’s a prime ambush spot and the perfect way to start your first-ice season.