St. Peter said that snap weights work well in bigger seas and offer light-biting walleyes little resistance that often seals the deal. In-line sinkers are great when the bite is hot and you need to get the lines back in the water quickly. Usually, a 1-ounce sinker is about right for the 12- to 24-foot depths walleyes frequent during the spring and summer months. St. Peter favors metallic colored blades on his harnesses.

"Copper was really hot last year with red or orange beads," he said.

To learn the tricks for catching Saginaw Bay walleyes, call Bill St. Peter at (989) 239-2450. Linwood Beach Marina and Campground is a good place to launch canoes and camp. For more information, call (989) 697-4415. For bait, tackle and fishing reports, contact Frank's Great Outdoors at (989) 697-5341 or www.franksgreatoutdoors.com. (Cont'd)

Tittabawassee River
Many of the walleyes found in Saginaw Bay are the result of natural reproduction.

"There was a time when 80 percent of the walleyes in the bay were the result of planting," fisheries supervisor Jim Baker said. "In recent years, that ratio has totally reversed. Now, 80 percent of the walleyes found in the bay are the result of natural reproduction."

The majority of walleyes spawn in the Tittabawassee River and tributaries of the Saginaw River. With thousands of walleyes converging on the Tittabawassee River, it's a can't-miss choice for opening day.

The hottest fishing on the Tittabawassee River occurs when winter hangs around a little late. Cold weather keeps the spawning walleyes in the river system until the season opens on the last Saturday in April. It helps if the spring is fairly dry, too, so high water doesn't flush the fish out of the system. Most years, there are plenty of post-spawn 'eyes in the river to produce great fishing.

Walleyes in the Titt can be caught using a variety of methods, but the most popular is vertical jigging. Anglers use 1/8- to 1/4-ounce leadhead jigs and slip the current to present their baits to walleyes hugging the bottom. The jigs are tipped with a twistertails, minnows or pieces of crawler. The trick is to use a trolling motor to keep the line vertical while lifting and dropping the jig in the faces of hungry walleyes. Usually, a limit of 1 1/2- to 3-pound 'eyes is easy if there is even a fraction of those walleyes still in the river. Some years, a few of the big spawners are left in the river for lucky anglers. Anglers also do well trolling slowly upstream with crankbaits or by casting and retrieving them. The hot fishing can last into mid-May most years, and savvy anglers wait until after opening weekend to hit the river.

You may access the Tittabawassee River off Gordonville Road, downstream of Midland, behind Gamm Hardware in Freeland, at Center Street public launch in Saginaw, West Michigan Park, Wick's Park and a boat launch near Rust Street and the Saginaw River downstream of the confluence with the Tittabawassee.