Believe it or not, there are plenty of other things to do in the fall besides deer hunt - just ask former walleye fishing pro, Lance Valentine. Valentine has been setting his sights on walleye for over two decades, fishing the Michigan Walleye Tour (MWT) as well as the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) for five of those years.

In 1998, Valentine switched gears, becoming a charter captain, and putting together a course he calls, "Walleye 101." In Valentine's words, the goal of Walleye 101 is to create fishermen. "I make the distinction this way," he said, "There are people who are fishermen, and there are people who go fishing - we try to create fishermen."

Beginning on Feb. 12, 2007 from 6 to 9 p.m., Valentine will begin his seven-week "Walleye 101" class at Freeway Sports on the corner of U.S. 23 and Thompson Road.

Valentine explained that his course is broken down into broad sections, enabling the students to learn the basics from the ground up.

"Our first week - we don't even talk about fishing," Valentine said. "It starts with the walleye itself - where you find them, what they eat, what their habits are - just getting to know the fish."

In the following weeks, Valentine discusses river fishing, proper use of a sonar device, natural lake fishing for walleye and some of mid-Michigan's hot spots, basic and advanced Global Positioning System (GPS) usage, open water walleye fishing, and a wrap-up session that includes a question and answer session, and specifics on boat riggings.

A course like this must cost a fortune, right? Wrong. The seminar is open to the public and completely free of charge. Valentine simply asks that you e-mail ahead to reserve your spot, thereby ensuring that they have enough space and chairs for everyone.

Valentine says that over the years, he's seen more women and children becoming interested in the sport, and says that passing the passion onto others is what it's all about. "If I can help somebody who has never fished for walleye before, teach them the basics so that they know what to do, then they can pass it along to somebody else," Valentine said.

In addition to the seminar, Valentine coordinates several fishing expeditions throughout the year, and considers them to be a sort of "graduate class" hands-on experience on the water.

Trips typically range in price from $200 to $250 per person which includes three nights of lodging, three evening meals, breakfasts each day, a commemorative sweatshirt, gift bags filled with fishing goodies, boat launch fee, way points, techniques, maps, tips and advice and a huge raffle on the last evening. Due to increasing popularity, it's now necessary for interested anglers to put a deposit down on the trip.

"I put it all together for them," says Valentine. "The only thing left to pay for is gasoline for their boat and daily lunches, everything else comes in the package."

Valentine noted that you don't necessarily have to have a boat or the previous Walleye 101 experience to tag along. "Lots of guys bring their own boats, and most times, we can find room for people who don't have their own equipment," said Valentine. "It's for anybody who wants to catch fish and have a good time."

Earlier this month, Valentine took a group of about 70 fishermen down to Sandusky, Ohio for some fall walleye fishing on Lake Erie.

Valentine said what makes fall walleye fishing so fun is that the fish are very aggressive and very hungry during this time of the year. "They're preparing for their long winter, putting on weight and getting ready to spawn in the spring," said Valentine. "There isn't a lot of bait at this time of year, so when they find food, they usually stay there in groups, once you catch one, you're probably going to catch several more."

Ty Eickoff of Fenton was one of the lucky guys who went to Sandusky. In his second year on the trip, Eickoff said all three guys in his group limited out on walleye each of the three days they fished. "We had a ball," Eickoff said. Referring to the pink and white bait color they used, Eickoff said that the anglers had huge success with Reef Runners. "It was one of the most successful fishing trips we've had down there," said Valentine. "It really allows them to put all the knowledge together and see how successful they can be."

Future trips include a February ice fishing excursion to Saginaw Bay, a trip to Port Clinton, Ohio in April, then back to Saginaw Bay in May and again in July.

For more information on the upcoming Walleye 101 seminar or future fishing trips coordinated by Valentine, visit the Web site at www.walleye101.com. After attending walleye school, you might just find yourself in a school of walleye!

©Tri-County Times 2006