nighttime walleye hunters

[addymark]

this summer has been the first year trying night fishing... I would head out for 8pm and consistently hit decent fish right before the sun went fully down. once total darkness hit i would have no luck. This thread just inspired to get out there around 11 and try it for a couple of hours. Lets see how this weekend goes

 

 

 

When walleye fishing during dark, I always do best around 11pm-2am. Around Rainy, the best walleye bite goes in certain time frames. 8pm is the last productive bite of the day for me, so the next feeding cycle starts around 11. I usually head out earlier though to get set up and get the eyes used to the adjusting light.

 

I like to fish sand and mud bottoms at this time, and anywhere from 1-12ft. Sometimes the walleye are virtually on shore, lol. I cast right at shore, just like bass fishing. I still use the same baits for the most part. But shallow cranks and flicker shads etc are a blast when there shallow.

 

I also like an area with some current, not heavy current though.

 

and as mentioned before, top water frogs and walleye are very fun, just not crazy productive. It's not everyday you get to experience a top water bite with walleye!

 

Oh, and I like black baits, anything black or with some black on it

 

 

 

It's funny you said black... I have been using an original rap black and silver getting hits, then my dad and brother have been coming and getting more hits on a lime green split rap. Might be more sound coming from that and less dependent of the colour.

 

 

Also had a nice musky follow on the surface in the propwash 2 weeks ago.. didn't have any musky gear but would have abeen a nice fish

[Hooked]

where i go at night i fish from shore and the water is about 6 feet deep at the deepest point lost of current as well the bite is pretty steady until around 3 am then it shuts down.

 

Remind me to follow you next time you go out.

[Jigs]

ive caught them around the island in front of my point where our boathouses are in 5 feet of water...

but its not exactly a solid pattern... but i did win a tourney there one time...

 

 

the tourney started at 12am till 2pm... i couldnt sleep... so i did some doghnuts around the island with floating rapalas... got some fish... and when we got up in the morning... it was blowing 30-40mph all day... only 2 boats weighed in fish....

 

That's really cool. Your brother mentioned them coming up that way at night to me too. Makes sense there's deep water nearby, rocks, weeds, lots of baitfish etc. Definitely close for me. I should try that sometime.

 

I bet you they come in the bay right in front of my place too. Probably really scattered though.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Jigs

[Harrison]

It's funny you said black... I have been using an original rap black and silver getting hits, then my dad and brother have been coming and getting more hits on a lime green split rap. Might be more sound coming from that and less dependent of the colour.

 

Dark coloured baits are the norm. Something the fish can shilouette against. i.e. when the frog deal is on, try a black pop r, spook jr , or frog bait right up shallow to the shorleine. It's a blast. I am super pumped to try the new mini live target frogs for the walters soon.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Harrison

[addymark]

Dark coloured baits are the norm. Something the fish can shilouette against. i.e. when the frog deal is on, try a black pop r, spook jr , or frog bait right up shallow to the shorleine. It's a blast. I am super pumped to try the new mini live target frogs for the walters soon.

 

 

i love fishing topwater. didn't think that would work for eyes but i will definitely give it a shot.

going to have to look into this frog migration as well.

[mike rousseau]

That's really cool. Your brother mentioned them coming up that way at night to me too. Makes sense there's deep water nearby, rocks, weeds, lots of baitfish etc. Definitely close for me. I should try that sometime.

 

I bet you they come in the bay right in front of my place too. Probably really scattered though.

 

 

 

 

they kinda concentrate on the rock coming off the point as well as the next point east...

 

ive seen em in less then 1 foot of water... ive also pointed my light in water...and it looked like somebody threw a roll of quarters in the water... so many eyes... but tough to catch...

[Jigs]

they kinda concentrate on the rock coming off the point as well as the next point east...

 

ive seen em in less then 1 foot of water... ive also pointed my light in water...and it looked like somebody threw a roll of quarters in the water... so many eyes... but tough to catch...

 

I would imagine. Casting might be a better option in such shallow water.

[fishindude]

Having limited experience catching nighttime wallies myself so far, there's not much to say that hasn't already been mentioned in here.

 

Although I would like to contribute these articles I came upon with some pretty good info methinks:

 

http://www.in-fisherman.com/2011/07/19/baits-for-shorecasting-walleyes/

 

and

 

http://www.in-fisherman.com/2011/07/18/boatless-fall-walleyes/

 

Last year my success came from bombing out long minnow baits and reeling them in steadily.

This year I plan to focus more on the soft plastic shad baits, and jig fishing.

 

Good luck all

[manitoubass2]

i love fishing topwater. didn't think that would work for eyes but i will definitely give it a shot.

going to have to look into this frog migration as well.

 

If your near a shallow sandbar, night fishing top water walleyes can be really productive.

 

It;s funny though, Harrison might chime in on his experience, but I find I have to have a very slow retrieve with a frog for top water walleye. I cast to my spot, let the bait sit for about 15-20 seconds, give it a quick jerk, then rest again. If I fish it any faster I never have any strikes. That might just be where I'm fishing though???

 

Another option is drop shotting minnows leeches or crawlers, works well before and after the bite really turns on, might help you land a few extras on your outing

 

 

 

[NAW]

I love the night troll for walters. All alone in the darkness, nice and quiet on the water.

 

There's a river that I fish a few times a year, and the only time I can seem to get a walter bite is a night. We don't leave camp till around 9, and return at 12ish.

 

There's current there, and lots of ups and downs, so I'm not sure the exact depth they hit at. Somewhere between 5 and 15 feet. Trolling wally-divers, or rattle traps.

[mike rousseau]

Had a close encounter with a boat running cigarettes last night...

 

Heard him coming so I turned my lights on... He then did a doughnut around my boat with a spotlight on me... I figured he was heading back for another load and was checking if I was a cop...

[manitoubass2]

Had a close encounter with a boat running cigarettes last night...

 

Heard him coming so I turned my lights on... He then did a doughnut around my boat with a spotlight on me... I figured he was heading back for another load and was checking if I was a cop...

 

That sounds pretty sketchy!

 

 

 

Yum salted dingers work well for nighttime walleye also. I use them mainly on a jig head and basically let them sit on bottom, or texas rigged with a split shot about 14" from the hook. I like the black/silver tail ones

Edited August 26, 2011 by manitoubass2

[walleyejigger]

I've had most luck at sundown till about midnight, later than that I find the bite really dies off,

 

Always had best fishing trolling raps and bombers over deep water, very slowly, just enough to get a little wiggle out of it

 

Best night was 12 pickerel between 4 and 7 lbs in a hour n a half span, we were even catching them while letting our line out

 

Best producing bait for me this tear have been Tennessee shad husky jerk and baby pike bomber

[mike rousseau]

I've had most luck at sundown till about midnight, later than that I find the bite really dies off,

 

Always had best fishing trolling raps and bombers over deep water, very slowly, just enough to get a little wiggle out of it

 

Best night was 12 pickerel between 4 and 7 lbs in a hour n a half span, we were even catching them while letting our line out

 

Best producing bait for me this tear have been Tennessee shad husky jerk and baby pike bomber

 

 

 

How do you guys choose wich Chanel to fish suspended eyes ???

 

Do you just drive around till you mark em on you sonar...?

 

Or did you stumble into these suspended fish like I have this week...?

[Harrison]

Here is the lil sucker I mentioned above that I can't wait to try up shallow at night for walleye

 

1 3/4" Live Target

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

My best walleye fishing on the st. mary's river is as the sun sets, and as late as about 1am. Best fishing for me is typically 9:30-11.

In the evening the fish seem to move onto the inside seam of the main current in shallows they won't go near in daylight. Some evenings I can even walk along the boardwalk downtown and see the fish in as little as a 2 fow. Typically I have caught my fish in the river in less than 10fow once it gets dark. As others have said, I don't even bother going down until it is getting dark as at least in my home waters, the fish become active at night.

 

On local inland lakes I seldom catch a fish once it gets dark, presumably because I'm not fishing in the right places.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Dr. Salvelinus

[Jigs]

Had a close encounter with a boat running cigarettes last night...

 

Heard him coming so I turned my lights on... He then did a doughnut around my boat with a spotlight on me... I figured he was heading back for another load and was checking if I was a cop...

 

Exactly why I stay near the bonfire around here at night.

[johndox]

When we fish Rice lake we always do night fishing for walleye and usually go out about 7:30 or 8 pm and troll the shore lines of islands etc till around 2 am and usually have good luck after dark. Being along the shoreline the water depth varies quite a bit but like someone said in a previous post make sure you are prepared with headlight and flashlights etc to make it easier to get the fish in the boat properly.

[NAW]

but like someone said in a previous post make sure you are prepared with headlight and flashlights etc to make it easier to get the fish in the boat properly.

 

Boat lights, head lamp, flash light, and sometime I'll take my 3,000,000 candle power spot light too.

[Kwan]

When we fish Rice lake we always do night fishing for walleye and usually go out about 7:30 or 8 pm and troll the shore lines of islands etc till around 2 am and usually have good luck after dark. Being along the shoreline the water depth varies quite a bit but like someone said in a previous post make sure you are prepared with headlight and flashlights etc to make it easier to get the fish in the boat properly.

 

 

yeah rice lake night walleye can be loads of fun i've never tried it on a boat, though

[whitbyboatguy]

A lot of people are mentioning the hours of the day for feeding times.

In mid July the sun is up until 10pm or so....but now it is going down around 8:30.

 

Does this time change during the year?

 

PS: to the person that asked about walleye taking time to adjust to the dark...all I can say is that I have heard it too, it makes sense and catching fish after sunset is usually tough.

Edited August 28, 2011 by whitbyboatguy

[ctranter]

I fish dams at night. Bite usually starts at around midnights and last until 3-4 am. Last week (my fav dam) spat out 3 walleye over 20". Kwan, not sure if I've run into you yet but maybe I'll see ya out there.

[Terry]

do walleye take a while to adjust to the dark

I don't know but

do you have to take time to adjust to the dark...not if you are outside the whole time.

if you go from a lighted house to the dark you need to adjust, that takes less then a minute

walleye that the 45 minutes as the light levels are changing to dark, I doubt they need much more time once it's dark as they were adjusting all along

 

just logical thinking , not scientific

[manitoubass2]

do walleye take a while to adjust to the dark

I don't know but

do you have to take time to adjust to the dark...not if you are outside the whole time.

if you go from a lighted house to the dark you need to adjust, that takes less then a minute

walleye that the 45 minutes as the light levels are changing to dark, I doubt they need much more time once it's dark as they were adjusting all along

 

just logical thinking , not scientific

 

 

 

I didn't see anything in this topic that suggested walleyes need to adjust to the lighting???? Maybe my eyes aren't adjusting well this am? hehe

 

I know when I night fish walleye, I get out early for my eyes to adjust, it just seems easier for me, I'm not stumbling around tripping on things and such

 

 

edit. Sorry Terry. Some good points there! But I should have quoted whitbyboatguy, lol

Edited August 28, 2011 by manitoubass2

[Terry]

I didn't see anything in this topic that suggested walleyes need to adjust to the lighting???? Maybe my eyes aren't adjusting well this am? hehe

 

I know when I night fish walleye, I get out early for my eyes to adjust, it just seems easier for me, I'm not stumbling around tripping on things and such

 

 

edit. Sorry Terry. Some good points there! But I should have quoted whitbyboatguy, lol

 

 

well here

 

I could of sworn I read an article saying that the eyes of a pickeral require time to adjust to the darkness once it is dark. While they are adjusting they cannot see anything and thus do not feed. I bet alot of them get taken during this time period my a muskie. Can anybody confirm this?

 

 

and here

 

 

Now there's an oxymoron.

 

Night is my Fav time for jerking up giant eyes. They are in the same water you get them at dusk, I give them a couples hours to "adjust" and then they will eat. Usually head out a couple hours after pitch dark. Works for me anyways.

 

and that is what I was posting to

 

so no sorry fro me

how about you.... lol

Edited August 28, 2011 by Terry