How to Catch Walleye in the Fall Months

If you are planning to go fishing for Walleye, you probably already know the importance of planning ahead. If fishing for Walleye in the fall, this is a fantastic opportunity to plan, prepare and compare to last year’s fishing experiences. This will help you improve your chances at catching this year and being successful.

Walleye are found in all types of waters- both big and small, slowing and still- and everything in between. The more walleye fishing trips you make, the better able you will be to get your techniques right and be more successful on future trips.

Here are some hints, tips and ideas that we have gathered from a considerable number of years at walleye fishing and that we hope will be helpful in teaching you how to catch walleye in the fall months.

Tips for Crankbaits- Crankbaits are great for catching walleye, especially in lakes and rivers but it’s great if you can learn the best tactics for making them work. Some popular ones to try are:
Rapala Husky Jerks
Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogues
Bombers
Excalibur Shad-R
Rapala Shad Rap
Rebel Shad-R

You may want to get several different brands and different types of action and then experiment with them and see which ones work best for you. It can vary from day to day depending on water conditions so always having different choices is a great idea. You will usually want to cast with a slow to moderate retrieve to attract walleye but again, you should experiment until you find the right action for that day.

Fish the shallows- Don’t forget to look in the shallows for walleye. They often stay in more shallow waters looking for warmth and fish as much as 6 pounds have been known to be caught in shallow waters.

If you don’t have any luck in the shallow water, especially in the fall, then go ahead and head for deeper waters. Look for underwater islands, sand bars, rock bars and other areas where walleye may congregate.

Also try any place with a dip in the water or near channels. If trolling is allowed where you are fishing, this is also helpful in using crankbaits for walleye in the fall.

You may find that the walleye in your waters are being finicky on a particular day. But that’s okay; it just means you need to mix up your tactics a bit.
Try to probe wider or fish from a boat on flat lines. You may also try trolling with downriggers. Try to cast out 40-80 feet from the boat and in a quiet area if you’re not getting the results you want.

Troll for early fall walleye- In the late summer or early fall, trolling is one of the best tactics to use for walleye no matter what body of water you are fishing in.

However, if your fish are located deeper than 15 feet in the water, a new tactic may be in order. Try vertical jigging instead. You can lower your lure to the depths that the fish are hanging out and then pump the rod up and down a bit to jiggle the bait and get the attention of the bass.

Just remember not to be too anxious to snag it as bass are sometimes harder to hook due to their tough jaws.

Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best walleye fishing information possible. Get more information on walleye fishing in the fall here: http://www.askwalleyefishing.com/