Some of the best walleye fisheries have gin-clear water, which makes them challenging when targeting daytime walleyes. A spooky fish by nature, the walleye will often be “boat shy”in transparent water. Add afternoon boat traffic and landing a limit becomes even more difficult.
Many anglers will look for walleyes in deep water under these daytime conditions. Or, they’ll search for fish living within the security of thick weeds. But if you really want to cash in on a good catch, and improve your chances of battling big fish, relax until the sun goes down.
All those pleasure boaters will have called it a day, surrendering the lake to you (and maybe a handful of other smart anglers who have keyed in on the pattern).
OK, the sun’s last rays are just disappearing. Now what? First you’ll want to identify some key locations to fish. Many walleyes will continue to cruise deep-water structures after dark. But aggressive fish will move up into skinnier water to take advantage of concentrated forage in the shallows.
Rocky humps, gravel bars and even sand flats will produce fish. But if you really want to get into bigger numbers and larger fish, key in on the weeds. Here, you’ll get to fish that have been in the weeds all day – plus – that existing population will explode with the influx of walleyes moving up from deep water to join their buddies at the buffet.
I like to concentrate on weed beds that are predominantly cabbage. The outside edges of a bed typically hold the best concentrations of feeding fish. And inside turns or defined points on the weedy edge are those “spots on a spot” that can really produce. Ideally, you’ll keep your bait in areas where the the weeds top-out about two feet below the surface and run your bait just above those tops.
As for your plan of attack, keep in mind that you’re still in clear water. Just because the lights are out doesn’t mean Mr. Wallace can’t see you. He can. And he’ll still spook. So bait presentation should be as far from your boat as feasible. Long casting will work. But a more productive approach is long-line trolling, preferably with your Minn Kota electric trolling motor.
Fish may go on alert as your boat passes above them, but they should be relaxed again by the time your bait passes through with the promise of an easy meal. Speaking of “meal,” let’s discuss the types of bait that are proven performers.
Perhaps the most popular is a shallow-diving minnow bait like an original Rapala. Floater. I like using the 7-inch model because it has a larger profile for greater visibility in low light and it has triple trebles for better hook-ups. Plus, I always want to catch bigger fish – and big baits are more apt to equal big fish.
The other top-notch bait I always use is a spinner rig. Make a snell with a big chartreuse or orange Colorado blade (#4 or #7) and a bunch of beads in the same colors, then tie on a treble hook. Attach the snell to your line with a swivel to prevent line twisting. Then gob on a big nightcrawler or hook a couple leeches to the treble.
Run the rig way behind the boat without any weights. At the proper speed, this killer rig will run just beneath the surface and trigger violent strikes from lurking walleyes. It’s a blast!
A few recommendations for your nighttime rendezvous with clear-water OEeyes:
- Wear your PFD!
- Use an electric lantern or outfit your boat with interior lighting.
- Net your fish (you don’t want to hand-land them in low light, it’s dangerous).
- Drive slowly with the big motor. Be safe.
- Have a full charge on your trolling motor battery.
- Keep a tidy boat.
- Bring a cell phone or marine radio in case you get into a jam.
- Use your Lowrance GPS to keep your bearings.
There’s a magic to walleye fishing at night. It’s quiet, cool and often very calm. The water skiers and daredevil PWC drivers are all tucked away in their cabins (thankfully!). Ideally there’s a bright moon, which makes fishing all-the-better and aids in visibility for better boat control. And when the moonlight fight is on, there¹s no better feeling in the world.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for more than 25 years. Watch the award-winning “Good Fishing” and “Outdoor Secrets” television shows on Outdoor Life Network (OLN), WGN-TV, Fox Sports Net, Fox College Sports, The Sportsman’s Channel and WILD TV.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
