Walleye are prized for their eating quality and the challenge they present. Catching them consistently requires understanding their specific behaviors.
Low Light Feeders
Walleye eyes are adapted for dim conditions. They feed most actively at dawn, dusk, and night. Bright midday sun often pushes them deep and inactive. Plan your fishing around light levels.
Bottom Orientation
Walleye typically hold near bottom, relating to structure and depth breaks. They cruise flats, position on points, and follow contour edges. Keep presentations in the lower water column where walleye expect food.
Slow Presentations
Walleye are famous for subtle bites. They mouth baits before committing. Live bait rigs with extended leaders let fish take bait without feeling resistance. When they tap and stop, wait. Hooksets come after the fish moves off.
Trolling Tactics
Covering water with crankbaits or spinner rigs finds scattered walleye efficiently. Speed matters – often 1-2 mph works best. Vary speed until you establish what they want. Electronics help identify productive depths and structure.
Live Bait Excellence
Minnows and nightcrawlers catch walleye consistently. Leeches work well in warm water. Present them naturally – subtle movement, proper size, fresh bait. When artificials fail, live bait often saves the day.
Seasonal Movements
Spring brings walleye shallow for spawning. Summer disperses them to main lake structure. Fall sees feeding binges before winter. Winter fishing works through ice over deep basins. Follow the calendar to follow the fish.
Current Appeal
River walleye and reservoir walleye near dams often relate to current. They face upstream waiting for food to wash to them. Position baits upstream and let them drift naturally into fish.
