With the passing of the Dog Days of Summer, fishing becomes a lot more consistent and predictable. Cooler water temperatures make it much easier to pinpoint and target specific fishing locations. Years of fishing the Wisconsin River has taught me how to look for and approach these locations while targeting walleyes, one of my favorite fall targets.
Three Primary Locations
When fishing fall walleyes, look for three primary locations. One is deep river pools or basins, and the second is very shallow rocky areas that are less than four feet deep. Both locations will hold and concentrate fish in the fall due to their distinct characteristics. The last location is very specific and is usually in that mid-range depth of four to eight feet of water. This spot won’t hold a number of walleyes, but it will hold the largest fish.
Location #1: Deep Water Basins
The deep-water basin will hold fish all year long, but primarily these are smaller walleyes in the 12- to 14-inch range with the occasional larger keeper. I truly believe that these smaller fish rely on the old adage of safety in numbers, which is why they all school together. Targeting these fish will get you numbers, but rarely quality.
Location #2: Shallow Rocky Areas
My second location of choice is shallow backwater areas, rocky rip-rap shorelines and gravel bars in less than four feet of water. These locations hold numbers of baitfish, especially as the water warms on sunny days. Larger walleyes know this and will take advantage of unsuspecting baitfish hanging out in these shallow locations. They are easy prey. This is not necessarily a numbers game, but you will definitely see larger keeper-sized fish in these locations.
Location #3: Structure Loners
The final locations target the largest walleyes in the system. These are loners or what I like to call nomads. These large walleyes don’t associate with the other walleyes, but rather frequent areas very much like a big musky or pike. They know that they are the top of the walleye food chain, and they don’t have time to hang with smaller walleyes and compete for food. They prefer to conceal themselves in a very specific location, like a certain downed tree or boulder in the water, that gives them good cover and allows easy access to prey with minimal effort.
Presentation Tips
For most of these applications, I use a simple 1/8- or 1/4-ounce jig that is tipped with a fathead minnow or plastic, but in some of the shallower locations I like to toss crankbaits like Rapalas or Flicker Shads in natural colors. Keep a slow presentation and work the areas thoroughly for maximum results.
Phil Schweik | Hooksetters Guide Service | Web: www.hooksetters.biz | Phone: 715-693-5843
