You cannot fish them in NY from 3/16 thru 5/1 (when they spawn).
So, pre-spawn fishing is kinda not good.
However, if I was going to break the law for some walleye.............................why not go all the way.........................dynamite.
(edit) - just saw - "before the season closes".
In that regard, slooooow!
Crawler harnesses would be good.
But the water is cold, so slooooooooooow!