Winter Walleye: Finding January Gold on the Snake River

The Snake River in January might seem like an unlikely time for trophy walleye fishing, but the locals know better. While fair-weather anglers are sitting at home, some of the year's biggest walleyes are cruising the deep waters below Little Goose Dam.

Where to Find Them

Winter walleye fishing on the Snake is all about finding the deep holes. In Early January, I launched at Lyons Ferry just after sunrise. The air was crisp, hovering around 30 degrees, but the water temperature held steady at 42 - perfect for active winter walleye.

The most productive spots this time of year seem to be:

• Deep bends below Ice Harbor Dam (30-45 feet)
• The channel edges near Lower Monumental Dam
• Deep holes around Lyons Ferry

What's Working Now

Winter walleye aren't interested in fast presentations. The key is slow, methodical approaches that give these cold-water predators time to react. My go-to setup has been a ¾ oz whistle pig tipped with a night crawler. Vertical jigging near the bottom has been producing consistently.

The Reward

After a successful day on the water, there's nothing better than turning those golden fillets into a family dinner. Here's where proper preparation makes all the difference. Winter walleye tend to have firmer meat, making them perfect for filleting - if you have the right setup.

Interestingly, they are a little tougher to bleed and I suspect that has something to do with the slowdown metabolically with the colder temps.

I've learned that having a dedicated cleaning station with fresh cutting surfaces for each fish makes a huge difference in both the quality of fillets. Using disposable cutting boards means never having to worry about cross-contamination or lingering fish odors on permanent boards.

Looking Ahead

As we move through January, watch for subtle temperature changes that can trigger feeding activity. Even a one-degree increase can spark a feeding window. Next month, we'll explore how these patterns start shifting as we approach the pre-spawn period.

Until then, tight lines and stay warm out there!