“That’s basically dead water, not somewhere a walleye will sit,” he said.

As holes dissolve downstream, they often produce a debris field. You’ll see deadheads and other debris — regrettably, some manmade — piled up, each spring bringing new erosion, uprooted trees and dock sections.

“Walleyes will use downstream structure, like a logjam, if there’s current and a clean bottom. Just don’t expect to find numbers of fish there,” he said.

Water clarity plays a role too. Neustrom finds that walleyes are more dispersed in colored water, say following heavy rains or the spring melt. They find solace from the current behind shoreline-oriented structures, like pools below wingdams and flooded timber. Oppositely, clearer water concentrates fish and they like massing in Neustrom’s holes.

So, let’s assume walleyes have assembled in a hole. By using electronics, you have a feel for its shape and depth range and also locate the head and corners; time to anchor and soak a jig. River goers regularly “slip” and slow troll holes, blanketing large tracts of water, but never sit over fish for long, which can be detrimental. “Remember, these fish are likely neutral, even negative, so you need to keep the bait in their faces,” he stresses.

Neustrom picks a spot, anchors and only relocates as necessary. His technique is thorough, too, giving sleepy fish a chance to pinpoint his presentation. Doing so requires precision anchoring.

“I drop anchor 10 to 15 yards above the front edge and let out 50 to 60 feet of rope,” he explained. “Anchored correctly, the bow of the boat ends up on the lip and the back over the beginning of the break.”

Naturally, there are variations in anchoring distances and rope length, but his calculations provide a sound start.

Once situated, Neustrom first addresses active walleyes. “If there are any hot fish, they’ll be on the top of the break.” His technique is simple but requires some artistry and practice. Neustrom casts upstream at the 10 o’clock position — 2 o’clock angle off the starboard side — letting the jig set down and begin tumbling downstream.

This is the perfect place to define his presentation — plenty of live bait, some plastics and always a jig. He carries an array of weights, too, but a certain few see the most action. Depending on current speed and depth, he operates with 1/4- to 1/2-ounce jigs, with a 3/8-ouncer tied on most of the time. The trick is selecting a jig that reaches the bottom, rolls with the current but doesn’t get hung up.

Color also carries weight — pun intended — as does sound in certain circumstances. Neustrom likes chartreuse and green in clear water and goes to orange and pink in cloudier conditions. Contrasting two-tone jigs are universally preferred.

Turbid water begs for noise. River-going walleyes utilize all their senses, vibrations to the lateral line included.

“Rattles draw attention,” Neustrom said. His pick of the litter is the Northland Fishing Tackle Buck-Shot Rattle Jig, which was designed with dirty rivers in mind.

Collared or spinner jigs have river written all over them as well. The rotating metal not only acts as an attractant, but also slows jig speed. Big profiles and slow movements are superb characteristics in a river jig. The Blakemore Road Runner Walleye Head and Patterson’s Real Bait Walleye Flasher are two spinner jig options. Neustrom counts on a Northland Whistler Jig, which features a spinning, airplane-prop-styled collar.

Bladed and spinning jigs work beautifully with his retrieve, too. After casting, instead of ripping or snapping back to the boat, Neustrom drags the jig, letting the blades do their thing. His foundational retrieve is a “hold and drag, hold and drag” cadence employing two foot pulls. Again, the key is maintaining contact with the bottom, but not donating jigs to the river.

Out of the chute, Neustrom tips his jig with a minnow, preferably a live rainbow.

“They’re tough and aerodynamic, cutting nicely through the current,” He hooks them through the chin and out the top of the head, keeping the presentation as linear as possible.

To fish faster, or create an even larger, more aggressive stature, Neustrom uses a color-matched grub body instead of live bait. Four inches is about right.

It’s worth peppering a position before relocating. “River fish come and go,” he explained. “They’ll arrive in waves in a good spot. And even if I don’t catch one immediately, if the spot feels right, I’ll give it a workout.”

Now that’s a whole lot of river intel from this Lord of the Lakes. But I’ve seen him operate. There isn’t a set of circumstances he can’t master, moving water included.