Where to Find Walleye by Season

Walleye fisherman have discovered that walleye migrate frequently during spring feeding sessions and in search of summer and fall refuge. Walleye are particularly fond of feeding near sandy or rubble areas with gradually tapering depth, along with some current current.

Walleye typically prefer lakes that possess dams, rivers, or inflowing creeks with sandy/gravel bottoms as these features attract them. If these features do not exist on a lake, walleye will seek shelter in dams, rivers or inflowing creeks with sandy/gravel bottoms.

Spring

One of the best places to catch walleye in springtime is near shallow spawning areas. At this time of year, male walleye are actively searching for females to mate with while also preparing to lay eggs – often within just 24 hours or less! Spawning typically happens quickly allowing walleye to enter and leave without much delay – leaving behind nothing behind them but memories of an amazing time spent fishing the local waters!

After their spawn, fish will typically remain dormant for several weeks before slowly returning to deeper water for feeding purposes and eventually returning to their summer patterns by staying within a zone that spans from deep to mid range of the lake.

Rock ledges, reefs and gravel shorelines can all provide great opportunities to find active walleye in the springtime. Rocky shorelines in particular can provide both shallow and deep waters as well as plenty of natural structure to hold fish. Under certain circumstances, even a weedy or bare rock point that leads into deeper waters may offer great chances to locate walleye in its early season form.

It is key to explore different locations and times of the day as some spots come alive at various points in time. If a location fails to produce results at its initial visit, try returning later on during the day as this could mean missing some amazing opportunities by being there at an inconvenient moment in time.

Walleye can often be found near islands, drop-offs and points – especially the Detroit River – as it produces large numbers during its spring migrations. You should also look out for irregularities along the edges of drop-offs like clusters of deep rocks or twists or turns in structures; and areas where lake bottom changes from rock to mud or compacted sand to sand, as these changes in sediment can trigger walleye into ambush mode and make for good hunting spots.

Summer

Walleye fisherman often find comfort and food in deeper, cooler waters in summer. After leaving their shallow bay spawning grounds, walleye typically move towards deeper reefs, bars and sunken islands of the main lake for comfort and feeding purposes. Walleye also tend to seek areas that transition quickly between rock to mud or rock to sand – often these zones contain hard bottoms with soft edges that allow walleye to move in and out without fear of predators being disturbed by them.

Walleyes also hunt baitfish during this time of year, along with transitions in the water column. Baitfish have the ability to survive at deep temperatures and walleyes will focus on them and any larger minnows nearby. Professional fishermen refer to such deep areas as “chalky” water; use lures with an off-colored hue in these deep areas so walleyes have an easier time seeing them.

Walleyes often travel to the mouths of rivers and streams when water conditions are calm and clear, although they also often congregate at discharge pools below dams, as well as on sandbars or humps in shipping channels of lakes. Experimentation using sonar and temperature gauges as well as trial and error will assist anglers in discovering walleye hotspots. Keep in mind that walleye are vagabonds; constantly searching for better conditions. By learning to find them consistently, anglers can put walleye into their boat quickly – giving anglers maximum bang for their buck in any season – making Great Lakes walleye fishing so exciting and satisfying.

Fall

Walleye fishing returns to shallower areas during fall months – usually 20 feet of water or less – typically nearshore reefs, rock piles, humps and remaining weed beds where they can ambush prey while stockpiling weight for winter. They tend to be more sluggish than during the summer and require multiple casts before biting, with gold, orange and chartreuse being popular choices when casting lures. Rattles or blades add noise that helps attract walleye in murky water conditions during autumn!

Once weeds begin to die due to cooler water temperatures and shorter days, walleye instinctively know it is time to shift from summer feeding habits and feed more aggressively on larger forage species to prepare themselves for winter. Transitional fish may be hard to locate since they move frequently through productive areas; once found however they can be quite aggressive feeders.

Walleye often gather in predictable spots during this transitional period, such as deep ledges, brushpiles and rocky points. Areas that mark easily on sonar units are great places to start searching. You could also look out for large schools of shad or minnow in deeper regions where perch may be lurking nearby.

Walleye are at their most active during dawn and dusk when feeding most frequently, making these peak times crucial to successful fishing. Moving around wastes time and can compromise results. In fall it’s also beneficial to use lures with scents mimicking forage species they are targeting; yellow perch lures often attract strikes from walleye, as do lures containing scent similar to that found on yellow perch minnows or even emerald shiners and smelt as key forage species found in many lakes – once these species reach prime feeding stages walleye will eagerly devour them up.

Winter

Walleye fisherman know that winter brings with it deeper basins, where walleye must hunker down for survival. Walleye will often stage around deep shad balls, creek channels that drop off into deeper waters and rock bluffs; additionally, they could be found near mud flats that boast ample vegetation.

Fishing along dams and inlets where moving water attracts baitfish can be fruitful; walleye will soon move closer to shore looking for food as winter progresses and the lake freezes over, as their need for feeding intensifies and the impending spawn arrives. Be on the lookout for walleye near gravel shoals where their spawn will occur!

As winter progresses, walleye move into natural lakes fed by feeder streams. Moving water acts like an attractant to late-winter walleye that will gather at where a creek or stream enters their lake home base; smart ice fishermen use current to position themselves along these corridors and drift in the direction of their baitfish target.

Northern feeder lakes boast walleye that are active throughout the day, unlike Devils Lake where bites tend to come and go quickly. Morning and evening are generally considered prime time, though opportunities do exist during other parts of the day as well.

Anglers in search of winter walleye will typically use a jigging rod and minnow as bait. A float and minnow combo, or even just plain hook with grains of worm can also produce results. Keep in mind that winter walleye are slower than their summer counterparts and less willing to bite, thus increasing patience while fishing consistently until your offering gets taken. It may take several attempts before seeing what you offer is taken up; although this can be frustrating at times it is important not to give up; work the area until you get one taken up.