Walleyes are adept nocturnal hunters best caught by night fishing. While most anglers are sleeping, walleyes are pursuing and feeding on unsuspecting prey that cannot see as well in low-light conditions. This nocturnal activity offers a prime opportunity for walleye anglers.
What time of day are walleye most active?
Walleye feed most actively at night, with a peak in activity around dusk. The best walleye ice fishing is during the 30 minutes before and after sunset in winter.
What time of night is best for walleye fishing?
The best times of day to fish for large walleye is around dawn and dusk. In particular, 30 minutes before and after sunset and sunrise are peak times. That said, walleye will continue to feed all night long.
Is walleye fishing better in the morning or night?
The morning is a great time to fish for walleye. In the morning, you can usually find good numbers of walleye that will move into the shallows to find an easy meal. Some good areas to fish are weed lines, points, timber, rocky shorelines and shallow flats. The best areas usually have quick access to deeper water.
Do walleye feed up or down?
Walleyes are basically bottom feeders, but don’t ignore those fish that suspend over drop-offs in deep lakes. Some of the best summer walleye fishing is provided by suspended fish.
What colors do walleye see best at night?
Scientists tell us walleyes should see red, orange, and yellow the best, followed by green. Theory also suggests walleyes see blue and violet less well, and these colors may even appear black.
Can you jig for walleye at night?
Active, vertical jigging can be deadly for night fishing. Dark colors are the best choices, because these are the colors walleyes see best during low-light conditions. Also, glowing baits can be effective for night fishing. They provide that little extra that will help the fish better see your bait.
What colors do walleye see at night?
A walleye lacks the blue and yellow cells, so it’s color vision is similar to that of the rare human beings with blue and yellow color blindness. What this means is a walleye most likely can see all colors as some shade of red or green.
What is the best weather for walleye fishing?
weather. The best times to fish walleye are when choppy conditions create current, diminish light penetration, and stir up shallow water causing baits to be more active. Windswept shorelines also will be especially good. A great time for big walleye is the three days before and after a new or full moon.
What month is best for walleye fishing?
The summer months of June and July tend to be the best for walleye. By this time, the spawning season is over, and most fishing venues will have a glut of small baitfish and shads, all of which walleye love to eat.
How good can walleye see at night?
Walleye are negatively phototactic, which means that, unlike humans who are positively phototactic, they see better at night than they do during the day. Equally important is the fact that many of the fish that walleye prey on, such as suckers and yellow perch, have difficulty finding their way around in the dark.
Are walleye attracted to light at night?
A few more night fishing tips to keep in mind: At night, walleye are attracted to light, so use lighted or glow-in-the-dark jug heads. Be sure to match your lure size with the bait size. Always use a slip bobber, and be sure to reel in the slack before you set the hook.
Where can you target walleyes at night?
Fish shallower at night: Many fish that hold in deeper water during the day move into more shallow areas to feed at night. For example, during midwinter, walleye are often found at a depth of 20 to 40 feet, but during the night they push up onto flats, underwater hills and points that are between 10 and 20 feet deep.
What triggers walleye spawn?
The pace at which the sun warms the water determines the pace of the spawn. Similarly, shallow water warms faster than deep water, so spawning starts earlier and proceeds faster in streambeds than in lakes and reservoirs. Deep inland lakes can take a while to absorb sufficient sunlight to reach the trigger temperature.
How can you tell a female walleye?
The anus on a male is circular while the anus of a female resembles a keyhole, and the female’s will become larger once it is time for her to lay eggs. Examine the weight of your walleye. A male will weigh less and look slimmer than a female, with a more streamlined appearance; female walleyes are rounder and plump.
Are walleye always on the bottom?
Assuming that Walleyes will always be close to bottom is a mistake. If bait fish are suspended 10 feet off the bottom, that is where feeding Walleyes will be located. The best way to look for Walleyes is using sonar. Most serious ice anglers prefer flasher- type sonar, because it shows the current depth of fish.
How far do walleye travel in a day?
Lawrence. Another study, on Lake Winnebago, showed 21 percent of the tagged adult walleyes recaptured 25 to 90 miles away from their release point. Other studies have pegged walleye movements at 120, 160, and as many as 240 miles. Most of this research, though, was conducted on large lakes and reservoirs.
Does lure size matter?
Decreasing lure size usually has a minor effect on catch rates. In contrast, even minor increases above the size optimum can yield major decreases in catch rates. If your catch rate falls off after upsizing, you are beyond the preferred size.
Do walleye like glow in the dark lures?
The benefits are not as apparent for freshwater species. Fishing in deep water during the day with glow in the dark lures did produce more strikes from kokanee and walleye. However, I found at night that glowing lures may actually scare finicky bass or trout.
Do walleyes sleep?
Smallmouth are mainly sight feeders and rely heavily on sunlight to see and attack their forage. Other fish, like walleye, sleep more during the day and are more active during the night.
Do walleye bite when it’s windy?
“A stiff breeze can be tough, but active fish often concentrate on the windy side of a lake or reservoir where the food chain goes wild and walleyes can use their keen sight and lateral lines to their advantage. The wind breaks up light penetration as well. We’ve all seen it.
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