Although I don’t do it as much as I used to, I still enjoy getting after walleyes at night. Across all of walleye country, there are lots of places where you can catch them under the cover of the moon. They can be caught casting from shore or trolling in a boat. Another appealing aspect is that the presentations are pretty simple: We cast either a crankbait or a jig tipped with plastic. An angler that’s trying to catch walleyes at night can get all the baits needed into a small tacklebox. Here’s how you can take part in this walleye action that’s going on right now.
There are lots of bodies of water across the range of the walleye that will provide big fish. Some lakes, rivers, or reservoirs have a reputation for turning out trophies. If the walleye-of-a-lifetime is your goal, center your efforts on those water systems.
Often the best trophy walleye producers will be large, deep lakes with clear water. Not always, but often. Lakes such as this are home to baitfish that make the walleyes fat. The food in deep, clear lakes make walleyes heavy, and because the water is clear, the walleyes can often be easier to catch at night.
But there’s another reason why the walleyes go on a night-bite in the fall. Those baitfish that make the walleyes grow big are fall spawners. They’re in the shallows laying their eggs at a time of year when the walleyes are interested in adding some fat to their body to get them through the winter months. Those baitfish are very susceptible to hungry walleyes when they’re in those shallow areas.
To take advantage of this night-time opportunity, you need to do a couple of things. First, you need to identify a potential hot-spot.
The fall-spawning baitfish will usually spawn in shallow water that is close to deep water. Shorelines or off-shore shallow sand or rock areas will be good starting points.
In lakes that don’t have fall spawning baitfish, a night-bite can still occur. Look for areas with current. Go out during the day to current areas and see if baitfish are present. If they are, walleyes will visit at night.
If you’ll be fishing from a boat, make sure the boat is clear of unneeded equipment, and know where all the equipment that you might need is. You don’t want to be looking for baits or a net or hook-outs when the fish are biting.
If you’ll be wading, check out the area for rocks or logs under the water that you could trip on.
Arrive at your spot before the sun goes down and get set up. Keep quiet. When fish are shallow, they’re oftentimes spooky.
Now about the lures. When trolling, a traditional walleye crankbait such as a Lucky Shad will usually do the job. If you’re casting to water less than five feet deep, a KVD Jerkbait might be better. Use the largest size that the fish will hit. If they won’t hit the crankbaits, try a jig tipped with an action tail plastic.
Much of the time you’ll have the water to yourself at night this time of year. If you get on a good walleye body of water at night now and for the next few weeks, your chances for action and a truly big one are very good.
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