| Walleye Fishing | | | | daytime. |
| The best walleye populations are found | | | | Night fishing with a slip-bobber and |
| in Midwest lakes that are sandy, | | | | leech is an excellent way for catching |
| windswept, and moderately fertile. | | | | walleyes in spring. Anchor on the edge |
| Generally, these lakes have a walleye's | | | | of a break just before sunset and cast |
| favorite food, yellow perch, in healthy | | | | into four to eight feet of water. |
| numbers. | | | | Trolling with a shallow-running minnow |
| These types of lakes are also likely to | | | | plug also works. There is usually a |
| carry a wide variety of other gamefish. | | | | good bite for three to fours hours after |
| Most have largemouth bass, sunfish, | | | | dark. |
| crappies, northern pike and maybe | | | | Mid-Summer Fishing offers a less |
| smallmouth bass and muskies. | | | | favorable Bite |
| The location of walleyes depends on the | | | | Most walleyes hand around at depths of |
| oxygen content of the lake. Many | | | | 12 to 18 feet along the edge of the |
| fertile lakes lack oxygen in the depths | | | | break during the day. Slow trolling |
| in summer, forcing walleyes into the | | | | with a slip-sinker rig with a leech or |
| shallows often 10 feet or less in depth. | | | | casting with a jig and minnow are good |
| Spawning | | | | methods of catching them. During summer |
| The ideal spawning habitat for walleyes | | | | nights, troll in eight to ten feet of |
| is created when constant waves expose | | | | water along the tops of the midlake |
| rubble along the shoreline. This | | | | flats, next to the drop-off. |
| perpetual motion of water keeps eggs | | | | Mid-summer is the least productive |
| aerated and prevents them from silting | | | | walleye-fishing season because yellow |
| over. | | | | perch and other baitfish reach an |
| Walleyes are best suited for larger and | | | | attractive size. When two to three inch |
| or rounder lakes where spawning is ideal | | | | perch are readily available walleyes |
| (wind-swept shorelines). Spawning | | | | become harder to catch. |
| begins when the water warms to about | | | | Fall offers a good Bite for Walleyes |
| 48°. During this time and up to 10 | | | | Walleyes tend to go deeper around the |
| days afterwards, females rarely bite. | | | | middle of September, moving back into |
| The smaller males will bite during this | | | | weeds at night, especially green ones. |
| time. Luckily for fishermen, walleyes | | | | During the day, they tend to stay at |
| go on a month-long feeding binge after | | | | depths of 25 to 35 feet, along the edge |
| spawning. The best places to fish at | | | | of a break. Steeper slops generally |
| this time in usually in water 15 feet or | | | | hold more walleyes than more gradual |
| less. The low angle of the sun's ray | | | | ones. The fish are feeding more |
| allows them to stay in the shallows all | | | | aggressively when they enter deeper |
| day, because it has little effect on | | | | waters, and midday fishing improves as |
| their light-sensitive eyes. | | | | well. Larger baits, like a three to |
| Where to find Walleyes | | | | four inch minnow on a jib or slip-sinker |
| Walleyes are found most of the time in | | | | rig, work well. |
| 30 feet of water or less. In deep | | | | Ice Fishing for Walleyes |
| lakes, walleyes are found along | | | | Early in the ice-fishing season, |
| shorelines and shallow midlake bars. | | | | walleyes can be found in 10 to 12 feet |
| Shallow lakes, for these reasons, | | | | of water on points along the midlake |
| support many more walleyes than deeper | | | | flats. Around the middle of January, |
| ones. | | | | they are more likely to be found in 18 |
| Most walleyes are caught at night or in | | | | to 30 feet, on the ends of cabbage humps |
| cloudy, breezy weather. Breezy, choppy | | | | or the same points along the midlake |
| waters help deflect the rays of the sun, | | | | flats. |
| allowing walleyes (who are light | | | | Walleyes generally move to shallower |
| sensitive) to venture out of their | | | | waters when snow cover is heavy, the sky |
| regular hangouts. On calm, sunny days, | | | | is overcast, or it's early or late in |
| walleyes spend most of their time in the | | | | the day. They usually go deeper when |
| shade or near weeds. The low angle of | | | | it's midday, in sunny weather, or under |
| the sun in the spring makes cover less | | | | light snow cover. |
| important. After the fishing opener in | | | | Ice-Fishing Equipment |
| mid-May, walleyes are moving through | | | | · Light tackle |
| shallow water in search of food. Look | | | | · For tip-ups, use a six-pound |
| for them at this time on points, inside | | | | mono leader, a split-shot or two and a |
| turns along sand shoreline breaks, and | | | | size 4 hook. |
| rocky midlake humps. Lakes and rivers | | | | · For jigging, use a three-foot, |
| with murky waters that screen out the | | | | medium-power jigging rod, a small |
| sunlight should be fished during the | | | | spinning reel and six-pound mono. |