Night Moves The fall period can mean a lot of things to a
lot of people, but if you’re a walleye angler it’s simply your
best shot for nailing a real trophy. If you’re serious about
finding and catching big walleyes you absolutely have to put
the boat back in the water (or throw the waders on) at least
one more time. There are too many big fish to be had and there’s
no good reason for letting a golden opportunity like this slip
by. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s not. Fall has always
been prime time for big fish, and for good reason. For one;
it’s a time when walleyes have already started packing it on
and are about as heavy as they’re going to be. For another;
even though they’ve been feeding heavily they don’t let up and
the action can keep going right up until ice-up. While the fall
is a peak period for big fish you can break it down further
and find a peak within the peak. Night time is the right time
for finding some of the hottest fall action and is when the
season’s heaviest catches are made. You can take it one step
further and key on the three days before and after the full
moon. This short window of opportunity is something you really
don’t want to miss if you can help it, and worth making a few
adjustments in your schedule. From sundown to sunup walleyes
can really turn it up a notch, especially during the full moon
periods. The dark of the of moon seldom results in good night
time action and it could simply be a lack of light. Even during
the full moon the most consistent action occurs during cloudless
nights when the moon can actually cast a shadow. Heavy cloud
cover can slow things down, way down, and is something to keep
in mind when scheduling a night run for monster walleyes. Wind
and waves on the other hand can be a good thing and the noise
it creates can help cover your tracks and reduce the spooking
factor. Classic night time patterns include trolling shallow
rocky reefs and bars with long slender minnow imitating baits
like the Rattlin’ Rogue. The Rouge produces a nice tight wiggle,
even at slower speeds, and does so with a built in sound chamber
loaded with rattles. Those rattles can really make a difference
especially at night, and it would be a good idea to have a few
rattle baits ready to go. The key is getting a bait to run just
over but not on the structure you’re fishing. The Rogue is a
shallow running bait and requires adding a small weight a few
feet in front of the bait to get it down. One of the slickest
new systems for adding and changing weights has been developed
by Dr. Drop and is a lead free weight that you simply click
onto the line and it stays put. To remove it; just pop the line
free. The system allows you to add and remove weights in seconds
and makes fine tuning your running depth a snap.
The Author nets a fine night walleye
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Good rocky trolling runs are the longest you can find
because they allow you to keep your bait running in the
zone for a greater period of time. On the other hand smaller
structures might receive less pressure and you may be
better off giving up on the major more well know areas,
especially if they’re over run with anglers working the
night shift. Before you drop the baits it would be a good
idea to run the length of the reef or bar and get familiar
with it’s ins and outs and ups and downs. You’ll probably
also want to drop a lighted marker on each end which will
help you keep your bearings and keep your lures where
they’re supposed to be. It’s easy to become confused up
at night, even on a lake you’re familiar with. Other equipment
to bring along includes a good flashlight, a headlight,
and a big net. The headlight will help keep things lit
and make the job of getting a net under a big walleye
a lot easier. If you try to net what you can’t see you’re
probably going to miss it, and if you just catch one of
the hooks you’re probably going to lose it. Another hot
fall pattern for nailing night run walleyes includes wading
and casting current areas. |
Crestliner Pro Team member Reed Noreen of Andover, Minnesota
burns plenty of midnight oil in the fall, and has been able
to find areas overlooked by most other anglers and has had them
to himself. “I’ll look for smaller current areas like creeks
where they enter the main body of water. That isn’t a secret.
Another thing I’ll look for is any ditch or channel that can
hold current, especially after a hard rain. Rain and runoff
can trigger a shallow night time movement in areas that would
normally be dried up. If the water is clear enough you can actually
see the fish with a flashlight and can help you locate productive
inlets. You’ll also see why the walleyes are there because for
some reason those current areas will be loaded with baitfish.
That’s when the walleyes come in thick and you can even feel
them bump into your waders.” You can see why there are too many
good opportunities to stay home this fall. The chance for hooking
up with a fish of a lifetime is worth losing a little sleep
over. All it takes is a will because there is definitely a way.
See you on the water, at night. |