For many people, fall is the time to go hunting and they
replace their fishing poles for a bow or a shotgun. My
situation is different, I keep fishing; less people on the
lake, hungry fish and fall colors. What’s not to enjoy?
The fish I truly love to target in fall is the walleye,
especially at night. Most nights there are very few of us out
on the water. Without question, the full moon periods offer
the best production, especially if there is some wind. The
wind pushes the baitfish around causing the walleye to be
more active. I have a lot of success either before turnover
or post turnover. Turnover is when the surface water cools
and sinks; it will mix with the deeper water making the
whole lake the same temperature. Turnover causes the lake
to become oxygenated again. This process can take a couple
of days to a couple of weeks depending on the wind and air
temperatures.
Once the water stabilizes, the fishing will become
awesome. Autumn is a great time for both numbers and
trophy fish. I love to use crankbaits in the fall. It seems that
they are the best presentation for walleyes that are constantly
moving, chasing the baitfish and loading up before winter. In
fall, the walleyes will suspend over open water. Most of the
time, I catch the fish five to 10 feet down in 20- to 25-feet of
water. I choose to fish main lake points with scattered weeds
and rocky bottoms. On a night with some wind, this is as
close to guaranteed success as I’ve seen.
I like to use a two-bait approach. The first is a suspending
stick bait, like a Smithwick or Bomber Long A. My
favorite colors are chrome/blue and chrome/black. I will
almost always use a six-foot, six-inch spinning rod with
a reel spooled with eight- or 10-pound monofilament
line. The retrieve I employ is a slow crank and pause
method. Normally the fish will bite when the lure is
paused. Most of the times, the strike will feel more like a
weed; it is very subtle.
The second approach utilizes a medium diving
crankbait. The depth they dive is approximately 12 to 15
feet. The crankbait colors are different than my stick bait
preferences. With the medium diving crankbaits, I try to
match the baitfish of the lake. Perch or crappie patterns
seem to work best for me. For the crankbait presentation,
I choose my bait-caster rig spooled with 10-pound
monofilament line. The retrieve I use is a steady retrieve
with an occasional pause approach. In fall, I never use a fast
retrieve.
Make sure you know the body of water you are fishing
well when fishing at night; use caution and watch for
hazards, like floating wood or shallow water. Having a good
GPS will help make you aware of your surroundings. Be
sure you know the local lake regulations as the speed limits
after dark are likely different than during the day. Also, be
well versed on the lake’s size limits.
For those of you who prefer to hunt in the fall, that’s
great. For me fall is the right time for the night walleye bite.
Author is the owner of Dave Duwe’s Guide Service, in Southeastern
Wisconsin.
