Fall Walleye Fishing
After the summer peak and normal summer feeding and swimming patterns, fall walleye fishing will commence. During this time, lakes undergo many changes, which lead to changes in where fish will locate and how they will eat. It is important to know when these changes occur so you can most successfully catch fish on your next outing onto the lake.
Post-summer occurs when the weather begins to change. Daytime temperatures will remain high, but the nights will start to cool considerably. Walleyes are still active eaters during this time, but you may find out they are no longer located in their typical summer haunts. This is because during this time, Northern pike will move into weedbeds where walleyes normally congregate during the summer and drive out the other species. They will then find a new location in the lake, typically in deeper waters. If you are trolling your normal weedbeds in late summer and are not getting as many bites, this may explain why this is happening. Long, thin crankbaits are a good type of walleye fishing lure to use during this time, as are slip bobbers, especially if you are fishing deep waters. If you are fishing with a slip bobber, try using a brightly colored jighead. Not only will it lure a fish visually, it will also help you when you have a strike. Instead of nibbling on the end of your bait and swimming away, a hungry walleye will go for the jighead and the likelihood of it getting hooked is far greater.
You may have heard other anglers talking about lakes “turning” in the fall. This happens when surface waters begin to cool and then swift winds disrupt the lake’s water currents so that all the lake’s water becomes the same temperature. Walleye fishing is generally not a very successful venture when a lake “turns.” It is best to wait a couple weeks after turnover has occurred. Shallow lakes will experience turnover sooner in the season than will larger, deeper lakes. When turnover occurs, walleyes begin to spread themselves out into more locations than they were in the summer.
After turnover, when the waters have cooled, walleye activity remains fairly high. As these fish are moving from summer to winter locales, they will be spread out across a lake. The best walleye lure to use during fall fishing is a jig. This is because after the waters have decreased in temperature, walleyes will not work hard for a meal; they will not follow and chase after bait like they would in the summertime. When using a jig, your bait can remain virtually motionless in the water, prompting a lazy fish to go for an easy meal. While leeches and nightcrawlers are highly successful live baits to employ during summer fishing, chubs and large minnows will work best in the fall.