As predator fish begin their fall feeding
habits, their focus centers on large forage. Young of the
year perch, cisco, river shiners and chubs, along with other
forage, such as frogs, crawfish and even their own offspring
will be targeted. Successful trophy hunters will
match the hatch, almost scientifically, at this time of year.
Imitation of the forage base is very critical and a key to
productivity during the fall feeding binge!
Feeding forays are anything but mysterious! The fish
have to eat a lot as summer activity increases. The
perdition cycle is in high gear on reefs, large points and
adjacent flats, and in neck down flowage areas. Veteran anglers
can predict these movements, and position themselves for hot
late summer or early fall action on the biggest fish of the
year.
Big fish become vulnerable for longer periods in the fall
because they move into areas where baitfish are staging, some
remaining in the general area through winter. To catch
walleyes during fall transition and early fall consider the
tendency for walleyes to move up.
An obvious relationship exists between prey and walleye movements
during this transition period. Forage fish move shallow
during turnover and early fall because cooler water now becomes
available there. And walleyes follow their food to these
areas.
The sunlight penetration also makes a big difference as to
where the walleyes are located on any given hump. You
wouldn't think that sunlight penetration would go down as
far as 25 or 30 feet but in clear lakes it does. So
when fishing, pay close attention to the sun and make sure
that you fish the shady side of that hump. More active
fish will be found in this area.
I prefer shallow rock humps with big, boulder-sized
rocks. I also prefer them to be fairly close in proximity
to shore. They don’t necessarily have to be tied to
the shoreline, but they should be fairly close.
The rocks, if they are close enough to the surface,
absorb heat from the sun like a solar panel. The warmth
attracts minnows and you know the rest. A few scattered
weeds growing up between the rocks can be a real bonus.
Massive bait schools break up and walleyes head for
specific structural elements that funnel scattered, roaming
forage past specific spots. Look for long fingers or
spines that protrude toward the main lake. Roaming baitfish
usually congregate along these fingers and filter down them.
Walleyes wait at the tips. Find those spots and you'll
find big walleyes. Bright warm days are preferred to
cold, blustery ones. The sun is lower in the sky this
time of year, so light penetration is decreased. However,
bright days will cause the water to warm up, which will turn
fish on. Frequently, action will be better from mid-day
on.
A wind coming into the rock pile can be advantageous, although
I have enjoyed some nice catches on, calm days too.
Remember that the angle of the sun’s rays is not as direct
at this time of year so the fish can be quite shallow.
The direction of the wind will have a lot to do with how the
fish locate. Usually they will be working the windy
side of the rock pile.
These spots vary but are based on factors like: water temperature,
availability of baitfish, oxygen, light level, structure and
schooling tendencies. Success rests with proper presentation.
Once you have located the edge and fish, the next step is
to entice them to bite. Your bait presentation will
depend upon the specific edge that you have selected.
If the walleyes are directly below and concentrated on a physical
edge you can backtroll a livebait rig, jig, or a bottom bouncer
rig, keeping the bait among the fish you see on the depthfinder.
Lowrance’s
new X-15 |
This is one of the ways my Lowrance X-15 MT comes
in handy. If you find the fish strung out along
the edge, keep the bait moving and they will bite.
If they're clumped up in one spot, hover over them and
vertically jig them.Rocks also attract fish, try rocky
shorelines. Rock piles, humps or where rocks and
weeds meet or are intermixed, work it over thoroughly
with a jig or live bait presentation. |
Try to determine where fish are holding. Keep asking
yourself the question what is their pattern?
Constant bottom contact is essential even though it
increases the potential for snags. Use a small jig head
with a wide hook gap to deliver the bait in wavy conditions.
Leeches are an outstanding rock bait because they can take
the pounding.
Drifting the breakline on a windy day is a way to catch
trophy walleyes. The tackle is simple and the methods
are easy to learn. First, use jigs tipped with a crawler,
leech or minnow. The size of the jig should be just
enough so you have contact with the bottom.
Lindy's
Fuzzy Grubs |
For example, on a river like the Mississippi, I prefer
to use 1/8 ounce or 1/4 ounce Fuzzy Grub jigs.
The important factor here is the shape of the head. |
The head of the jig should be round or a stand-up type of
jig. This design helps when you are in an area that
has snags, especially in timber or rocks. When I am
on a large lake, because there is no current, I might switch
to a lighter jig, spinner or a Lindy rig.
With the cooling temperatures and the rough and tumble
weather of fall don't put that boat away just yet, get out
and fish the edges for some fall transitional walleyes.
You might be surprised at the wallhanger you hook into.
Keep these tactics in mind this fall and for more stories
or if you have a questions at
www.samanderson.com.
