• Walleye are found throughout the Saginaw River in winter.walleye image by Elena Vdovina from Fotolia.com
  
  A tributary of the Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, the Saginaw River is located in southeast Michigan and is 22 miles long. Named for a Chippewa Indian word that means “land of the Sauks,” the Saginaw River is a premier destination for ice fishing, particularly for walleye, which is found throughout the river during the winter season.
  
  

Use Fishing Lures by Location

• The website All About Fishing recommends jigs, spoons and crankbaits, which work well in the deep structure of the river. Walleye prefer Swedish Pimples, Jigging Rapalas, Rocker Minnows and leadhead jigs, which work best from Vets Park to the Tittabawassee and Shiawassee Rivers' confluence.
  
  

Know What Time of Day to Fish

• The website Travels recommends fishing for walleye after dark or at dusk along the shallow flats near the sides of the river's mouth. The website All About Fishing recommends trying shallow depths in the morning, but as the sun rises, moving into deeper waters, while the website Saginaw Bay finds that fish will bite all day on the Saginaw River, but early morning and late evening are best.
  
  

Know What Time of Year to Fish

• Ice fishing for walleye and other fish on the Saginaw River is best in early- to mid-January, but it can be at any time of the year that occurs after several weeks of subfreezing temperatures, according to the Michigan Sportsman magazine website. Some walleyes enter the Saginaw River from the Saginaw Bay in the fall and spend the winter in the river, while others travel to the river throughout the winter. The website Saginaw Bay recommends late December through mid- to late February, as long as weather conditions are right.
  
  

Know Where to Drop Your Line

• When ice fishing on the Saginaw, one of the safest bets is Wicks Park, which is near the Shiawassee and Tittabawassee Rivers' confluence. According to the website Saginaw Bay, areas near other ice fishermen are usually the safest to fish. Other popular access areas include Vets Park in Bay City and the Department of Natural Resources ramp at the mouth of the river.
  
  

Avoid the Bay City Power Company

• The Bay City Power Company area of the Saginaw River should be avoided during ice fishing season, according to the website Travels, which reports that the power company discharges warm water into the river up to five miles east of the city, which warms the water and makes ice fishing difficult.
  
  

Keep Your Lure Near the River's Bottom

• The website Travels recommends staying close to the bottom of the Saginaw River and Bay when ice fishing, with six inches or less from the bottom a good rule of thumb.