Hydrology...understand how the river works, how it flows what is on the bottom and where those pockets, shelfs and rocks are how do they change or effect the surface water, how can you spot those things in other areas....and think where are the fish likely to be within the area, how do those areas change when the flow is higher or lower? Variation on your set-up until you nail the combo (leader length, weight, etc) ( after you have success, then fine tune it to really get into them) Variation on your cast to thouroughly cover an area when casting. You need to work to catch fish, work the area thoroughly, you catch one fish and no others, think what was different about that cast, drift, set-up, etc??? Once again confidence is big, you need to be in the mental zone, watching everything you do, ensuring everything is good and paying attention goes a long way towards success. You need to have the confidence level high enough to be tuned in and focused, but not so much you cannot relax and have fun while you are out there ( hint leave your inner a-hole at home~some people just cannot deal with other people~if so this run might not be for you). Don't give in to the negatives, the snaggers, the frustration that can occur, the fish that pop off, etc.. Remember although we all like a walleye meal, it is not a game of numbers, it is not a game at all. It is about you interacting with nature and the walleye and your friends and fellow anglers in a common pursuit and love of the sport while creating your own environment for your success. Many of us have put untold countless hours into our pursuit of the spring fish legally and have great success. Some of us have been on this path since childhood. Although we can help direct and shorten the learning curve for people it still comes down to your own efforts. We cannot catch your fish for you magically, nor do we want to. We want the members of this site to increase their knowledge and experience level by getting out there and trying the things that are suggested in an effort to try to help you formulate your own successful game. The journals are a good long term key element to help towards your overall success...take the five to ten minutes and jot it down, every trip you go out on...the set-up., the conditions both water and weather, the success or failure of certain elements of your overall game that trip. I keep a year around log for the river and I have always kept one as a log on the lake boat for chasing walleye out there as well. They are an invaluable reference for future game readiness...Ok, I will step off the podium and leave it to some of the other members....Become one with nature, become one with the water, become one with the walleye, welcome all success and failure and learn from it...then focus your knowledge and your energy to maximize your time, interactions, and success with those elements.

You're right about position. Sometimes, in a line of guys, the middle few guys will just be killing them and you may be sitting on an end and not hitting a thing. The next day they may be near the top or bottom of a drift. Another important note is not to be afraid to change weight, color or leader length. A little bit more lead may slow you down and taking some off will produce less hangups. Some say that color doesn't matter, but I'm a firm believer in changing up when the bite is slow. Another factor is confidence and I think it makes all the difference in the world. If you fish with confidence you'll catch more fish. The best times are when you're right on. Everything is perfect; from your drift to your weight and leader length, everything is in sync. Your confidence is sky high and you feel as though you're going to get a hit on every cast. You have total concentration in what you are doing and you could even feel a walleye fart on your jig. While this is going on, guys are just freakin' out; wondering WTF is going on. They are getting more and more frustrated as you reel in another fish. They are dwelling on the fact that you are catching fish and they are not. Then you leave with your limit.

As I have said so many times a journal is your best start. Everyone (I hope) has caught a limit or two but how many guys step back and ask why?? What is the water level, what is the temp, what size leader am I using, how much weight am I running, what size jighead, what size tail, what color combo, where am I fishing. It really is no more than putting in your time and paying attention to details. When I guide guys or take buddies fishing that have not fished the run I really have a hard time sharing what I do, it is hard to remember to show someone things that have become automatic to guys that fish it all the time. It is not having a secret spot, it is doing twenty little things right every time you fish. It is no more than being focused and paying attention.