I fish the Connecticut River in Massachusetts for walleyes. This is a medium to large size river system which originates in Canada, travels through VT, NH, MA and CT to the ocean. The season is mid to late June (now actually). Water temps are in the upper 60′s to about 70 degrees. Clarity to approx. 6′ – 8′. Stained water. Due to my physical limitations I cannot cast jigs for very long periods, so I am trolling more & more. Have caught some walleye and smallmouth trolling Rapalas & casting jig/plastic combos. But not many. Some of the “power” fishermen I know say they do very well on walleye in these same sections. We do not use live bait, but prefer artificials (personal preferance). I am thinking about using a standard minnow spinner rig and Gulp or Fin-S fish minnow, on a Gapen Bait walker or just flat-lining. Or a Rapala on the same weight system. Are these my best options under the circumstances? Or am I missing something? Haven’t considered crankbaits – yet! Thanks for any input.

You are heading in the right direction. The first step is pinpointing the ideal location where walleye and small mouth bass like to hang out. For the Connecticut River conditions, walleye favor islands and shoals with shallow water drop offs to deeper water depths. Another favorite of theirs is shoal areas. Either one of these locations mixed with moderate water currents are hotspots. Another breed of fish you should consider tracking are trout. These frequent the Connecticut River as well. Any fast water area such as rapids and runs is where trout like to congregate. Other favorites include pools, springs and anywhere tributaries enter. Next, take into consideration the time of day and what fish activity presumes to be. Feeding frenzies most likely will occur during active fish times. Here is when the typical location is anywhere from 15 to 50 feet of water depth. Walleye and bass will travel these depths vigorously in effort to pursue their next meal. Take advantage of this by using a bass bug floating line with a six to eight weight line and nine-foot leader. Taper this 1 – 2x and the fish should jump at the line. Other baits to consider during active times are a Pop-n-R Rebel bait that is either 1/8 ounces or _ ounces in weight or a four to six inch sluggo. Based on the information you provided, it sounds as though you are fishing primarily during neutral activity times for the fish. Here you can fish at the surface level or just below the surface. It is really a matter of personal preference. Fish tend to travel five to fifteen feet in distance for a meal. Ideal baits here would be the Rapala that you mentioned. Either a floating size seven to nine or sinking five to seven sized Rapala would work. You could also give a Jensen speed trap a shot. Crainkbaits would be another viable option during those annoying inactive walleye times when they hang out on the bottom surface.