Walleye Fishing - Summer Walleye Hunting

Randy Johnson posted on July 16, 2005 00:01 :: 4598 Views

Walleye Fishing - Summer Walleye Hunting

With summer bearing down on us, the walleye action is really starting to pick up. When the summer sun raises water temps into the 70 degree+ range, walleye daily activity also increases. Although some may find the going a little tough, this time of the year, those who are willing to change the way and where they fish for walleyes, can still take home some nice catches.

As walleyes move from early season hideouts, in favor of deeper summer haunts, there's a period of time the fish are in transition. When there aren't that many fish shallow, and there aren't that many deep, fishing can be sporadic at best.

However, as more and more fish move to their summer hangouts, the action can only get better. Walleyes don't all do the same thing at the same time, and when it comes to feeding movements, it's like they take turns. Some will be inactive, some may be starting to feed a little but won't move far to take a bait, and others may be extremely aggressive and willing to take just about anything you put in front of them. Summer location can include deep, offshore structure, like sunken
islands, bars and humps. Look for structures that have most of their mass above the thermo cline. Structure that is too deep will see little walleye activity, if any, until after the fall turnover.

Summer Walleye Hunting Remember larger structures often out produce the smaller ones, simply because they can offer more feeding opportunities for 'eyes on the hunt. The larger structures will require you to spend a little time watching your electronics, and less time fishing. Walleyes can be anywhere, and it doesn't pay to fish where they're not. To find them, you can save some time by passing over the entire structure, making note of where you saw the largest
schools of fish.

One of the best places to start your search, is near a fast drop into deeper water. The top of deep structure can play host to perch, baitfish, insects and crayfish. Active walleyes will often be found near the top edge of a break, where they can quickly move up to grab a bite to eat.

Another place to find summer walleye, that is often overlooked, is the transition line where hard bottom meets soft. Where gravel or rock, changes to mud or silt, a transition line is created, and can concentrate fish.

Once you've found a potential area, and have marked a few
fish, it's time to get down to business. The early season presentations of rigging and jigging may still produce, but quicker methods, like trolling spinners, really start to pickup. Rising water temps can push a walleye's metabolism to the boiling point, and increase the chances that he'll react to a speedier technique.

RandyMan's favorite lure this time of year is a spinner and live bait combo. To get a spinner in the "zone", it's hard to beat a spinner and bottom bouncer combination. A bouncer can get a bait where you want it, and run relatively snag free. Also by keeping it close to the bottom you can react to sudden depth changes. You can also lift the bait off the bottom, to get it in front of any high riding fish that you mark on your depth finder. You'll want to keep the spinner snell short, three feet or less is best. Longer snells allow for more drop, and result in more snags.

Mid summer walleye fishing can get tough, but it doesn't have to be that way. The key is to find them, and then find out what they want. Most often, what they want is something with a little speed. Think about it, not only does a walleye's metabolism increase, but so does it's prey.