DRIVE WALLEYE WILD THIS FALL EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS TO TARGET WALLEYE DURING THE EARLY FALL
BY BRITTON RANSFORD
MACK’S LURE
With all due respect to spring, summer, and winter — all marginal times of the year with debatable qualities — none of those fraud seasons hold a candle to fall, the clear heavyweight when it comes to all things that actually matter, including football, hunting, campfires, and delicious, warm cocktails. And walleye fishing, of course. Ask any proficient walleye angler when their favorite time to target these predator fish is and nearly all of them will tell you it’s fall. It’s a transitional time for walleye and, as the temperatures get cooler, they begin to put the feed bag on to prepare for the winter ahead. Thus, like you and I, the more they eat, the bigger they get. However, while walleye fishing is never easy, fall changes make targeting these fish an extra challenging task. So, as an expert walleye angler
with over five years of experience and having single-handedly brought a few dozen walleye over the rails, I’m here to walk you through how to effectively master this tricky, yet rewarding, time of year.
At the same time, however, vegetation in shallow water is also beginning to erode and baitfish are forced out of their typical cover and into deeper open water, which just so happens to now be walleye territory.
Turnover & Other Scientific Things
Locating Walleye After Turnover
The first thing you need to know when attempting to land walleye this fall is how the changing environment and, more specifically, lake turnover impacts walleye behavior. Don’t worry, understanding lake turnover is actually pretty simple.
Once water conditions stabilize, the walleye, now in feed mode with winter on the horizon, become aggressive and begin covering vast areas of water chasing a dwindling source of baitfish. Because these fish are constantly on the move, they become more difficult to find. Luckily — or hopefully — you have electronics to help you pinpoint certain areas.
In a way, it’s a lot like the air in the atmosphere — hot air rises and cold air sinks. In late summer, the water at the top of the lake is much warmer than the water at the bottom, but as we head into fall, the colder air temperatures begin to cool the top of the water column, which leads it to sink. And as it sinks, it pushes the water at the bottom of the lake up. Boom, turnover.
beauty of fishing in the fall is “ The that once you find walleye, you’re likely to find a pile of them.
BRITTON RANSFORD | MARKETING DIR. | MACK’S LURE
But now, due to the decomposition of organic material (which uses up oxygen) in the previously deeper water, we’re dealing with a lack of oxygen in typical walleye hotspots, including shallower shelfs and weed beds where prey take cover. So, while wind and other factors reoxygenate the water, walleye begin to scatter into deeper water (with more oxygen) and for a brief time may become very lethargic, leading to difficult fishing.
For this time of the year in most Northwest lakes, it’s good practice to begin surveying for fish in 20- to 30-feet of water, then working your way deeper to 50- to 60-feet, seeking out drastic drop-offs, but also wide-open basins. They may also be suspended, but because the walleye and baitfish are exposed in open water, they’ll be easier to spot on your electronics. Don’t be afraid to troll with lures in the water while you look for fish. Because they’re aggressive this time of year, you can get away with trolling up to 2- to 2.5 mph. This allows you to cover more ground to locate schools, while still being able to trigger an enticed fish. The beauty of fishing in the fall is that once you find walleye, you’re likely to find a pile of them as they tend to school up and hunt for prey in groups. Be sure to mark that spot on your electronics and fish it over and over again. FOLLOW @MACKSLURE ON IG
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