Pre-Summer and Summer Walleye Fishing

Once spawning has been completed and water and air temperatures begin to rise, walleyes will become more active and therefore will also be easier to catch. The summer fishing season can be categorized into pre-summer, summer peak, and summer time periods. Not all types of walleye fishing lures will be effective during these times, but if you know how the fish will be behaving you will know what type of equipment to use during these periods of change from cool to warm weather.

The pre-summer time period can be defined as the time between spawning and normal summer patterns. It is a time in which fish are moving away from their spawning locations to their summer stations. At this time, water temperatures are at about 60 degrees. Since walleyes are on the move during pre-summer, fishing will be inconsistent because they are not going to congregate in the same location like they normally do during the summer. They are also not very aggressive during this time and will only go for an easy meal that is literally dangling right in front of their noses. This is why bobber fishing is a great technique to employ during pre-summer. You can adjust your bait to the exact depth where your targets are swimming. During pre-summer, walleyes are often found in shallow areas, such as rockbeds and shallow shorelines. Using a bobber will allow you to easily fish these areas without getting your bait stuck. If you are trying to fish a reef, using crankbaits can also be effective.

The summer peak, the time of year before normal summer feeding patterns are established, is arguably the best and easiest time to try your hand at walleye fishing. This is because the fish are finally hungry and binging on food; because of this, they feed very aggressively and strikes can occur extremely quickly. Using live bait during the summer peak will be highly effectual. One way to fish with live bait is to backtroll and employ a slip-sinker. Backtrolling will allow you to move slowly in the water and control your boat well, so you can create patterns in the water with your bait that will attract a hungry walleye. If you are using leeches with a slip-sinker, one tip to keep in mind is to also use a floating jighead. That way, your bait is hovering atop the bottom instead of lying on the lake floor.

Summer walleye fishing presents less of a “hit or miss” angling situation because by this time, the fish have established identifiable feeding and swimming patterns. During the summer, walleyes are generally located in the depths of the water; the water temperatures have warmed enough that the deep waters are not too cold, and the sun is overhead during the day, requiring these light-sensitive fish to find refuge in deeper waters. However, if you are not having any luck fishing in the lake’s depths, try abandoning conventional wisdom and attempt to fish weedbeds. Though they are much shallower than other locations in which walleyes normally locate, they have definitely been known to make their summer homes in weedy areas. This is particularly true if you are fishing a heavily stocked lake or a non-stocked lake that is heavily fished. Weedbeds provide food and oxygen, and can become full-time homes to many walleyes. The best time to fish weedbeds is when vegetation in the area is green, normally during spring, summer, and early fall.

Since walleyes are engaged in their summer routines, you can easily identify the best times to go fishing. This is normally early in the morning and late in the evening, when these fish normally eat. Trolling crankbaits is a wonderful technique for summer fishing, especially at night because they appear shiny even in dark waters. Trolling crankbaits works well in shallow, weedy areas, but you can also cast if you are pinpointing a specific area, such as a rockbed.