Fall walleye bite question?

What factors put the walleyes in the Fall feeding frenzy and approximately when do they start to migrate back toward the dams? Is it water temp, daylight hours, or other conditions?

I could be wrong at this and if I am I hope someone corrects me.I have noticed when the days become shorter and the water temps drop below 60 degres the fish start heading towards the dam in the fall. I belive that it is because the water temps are a little warmer and that will atract bait fish. So that will bring the walleyes up to feed.Like I said i may be wrong

Bait fish move towards the dam once the temps begin dropping. 60 Degrees is not necessarily the trigger but it is not long after that. On rivers 55-60 and on Lakes I really like the 50 number… This fall, watch the gulls, you’ll be surprised what they know.

From what I have read one must watch for the frogs to cross the roads in the fall and that is when the feeding frenzy follows. Also the three nights before and after the new moon are the best. River walleyes start there spawning migration in the fall, often schooling up in tailrace areas. You will find them near sunset and after dark near wing dams, riprap banks and rocky points. But water temp also plays a big part in there spawning sensations. Kinda like my home fish if I want them to breed I just have to mess around with there heater a bit get it a bit cold then turn it back up and poof I have fry…

Thanks to those who took the time to reply. But, I am a little bewildered I am pretty sure we have more walleye guys on here than anything and yet I can only get 3-4 responses to a question I would really love to hear different theories and opinions on?
So basically what I have gathered is when the water temps cool down, the walleyes and saugers will start feeding heavy again near the dams

Buddy Wats,

What I have found in some years experience, the saugers will be up to the dam first. They really like the tail waters. I think the bigger eyes will still be on wing dams, sloughs with current, and in some of the honey holes you know about through the winter. I believe the shorter days and dropping water temps are what triggers the feed. I have always started to get back into eyes when the water is back down to 72 degrees and dropping. Just a few more weeks

Bret

Bret is right to a great degree… the shortening days or photoperiod of this time of the year will trigger the intinctive preparations for winter. Certainly temps have to do with it also – if you recall the fall bite on Mille Lacs last year that would be a good example – we had a warm fall and the transition to fall feedbag / feeding frenzy / suicide bite didn’t start as early as usual. So both stimula are important… and as the prey goes – so goes the predators. Many of the reactions we observe are based on what the baitfish and other foods are doing in reaction to decreasing temps and daylength (frogs are relished by eyes.) Not a simple answer I know – but the theories proposed here all have a shred of truth or more.

Chuckles

Thanks guy’s that’s helpfull information….

PierBridge. Quick, send another msg. Your at 666 posts!

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Not a simple answer I know – but the theories proposed here all have a shred of truth or more.

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Like when their teeth grow back!

-J.

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PierBridge. Quick, send another msg. Your at 666 posts!

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bump….

Looking back over my notes of the past few years, it seems that here on Pool 14 the real feeding frenzy does not usually start until late October. Water flow also has a solid impact on where you will find fish. In years with high flow the sauger did not seem to migrate as early to the dam as normal to lower flow. I have much better luck with walleyes fishing the upper 1/3 of the pool in cool/cold water, but not generally at the dam. Occasionally get some nice eyes at the dam, but probably 7 to 1 sauger over eyes.
I love fishing wings and rip rap in November and later for the nicer walleyes. I don’t generally find the numbers that are there in early summer, but the quaility more than makes up for that shortcoming!
Running sloughs on the upper 1/3 of the pool are sometimes really hot in November through spawn also!
I have not been able to determine whether water temp, amount of light, flow, or water conditions are the primary trigger for migration, but I do know that where the food is plentiful, the walleyes will be there!

Late October seems about right for the saugers but I think the walleye bite gets better around late September to early October. Walleyes don’t migrate up below the dams like saugers do at least not in the numbers that you find with saugers. Walleyes can be found in their usual haunts for much of the winter.

Eyehunter

I agree with eyehunter here although we do find a lot of eyes very near the dam but not like the saugers. The colder it gets, the better it gets and the bigger the saugers. We’ll start going the third week in september and fish all winter, weather permitting. the farmer’s almanac predicts a COLD winter so i doubt we’ll have as many nice warm days as last winter.

So what is the main choice of bait when fishing these Fall Walleye?

Do you use three ways with live bait or troll cranks or cast jigs

My main bait will be paddletails, ringworms, and K-Grubs from B-fishn-Tackle Company. Coupled with the H20 Precision jigs, these plastics are deadly on the walleyes and saugers. No live bait for me Dragging and jigging are my strong areas. I haven’t really figured out the pitching part When the bite picks up, I hope to get several reports up on the success using plastics

Guess I should have been more specific shouldn’t I have Jon – no they don’t lose their teeth, but I really meant the theories in this particular post… Chuckles

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So what is the main choice of bait when fishing these Fall Walleye?

Do you use three ways with live bait or troll cranks or cast jigs

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I like to cast cranks and hair jigs until the water temps dip into the 50’s and then the plastics come out to play!

http://www.bfishntackle.com

Last year the paddletails were HOT until we got well into October. Then the ringworms kicked in.

I agree. The bite was real good last fall with plastics…no bait! I used mainly ringworms from Oct on. For me, it seemed “black w/white tail” was the ticket. I also did real well on some days “snappin’ 3 ways” with a crank bait. I can’t wait…with the nights coolin’ things off right now, it won’t be long!!!

Savage Tuna

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What factors put the walleyes in the Fall feeding frenzy and approximately when do they start to migrate back toward the dams? Is it water temp, daylight hours, or other conditions?

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I usually do best right about the time DeZurik finishes up on smallies and returns to pool 2….something about being in his boat that brings the piggies out to feed! They generally tend to quit biting for the rest of the winter, for me, the very next day.

This is a very old post but also a very good post. I spend almost all my time on pool 2 from shore up to the lock and down to the mouth of the Minnehaha. I use jointed perch raps and white pulse-r’s. I’ve learned alot over the last few years. The later it gets the better it gets especially at night. The colder water temps typically follow with clearer water. This year has been slower so far with dirtier water and not much of a night bite. Since the end of September I’ve caught 9 walleyes and 1 sauger.

This is a good thread. With the water temp a bit below 50 the crank bait bite still seems to be good. Last weekend with temps at 46 jointed raps were still still the ticket. Work them slower as the temp decreases. I like to make bottom contact and when i hit structure, let the bait pause. That will often trigger strikes.

The water has been dirty so I think that has delayed the bite a bit. With it clearing, it should pickup.

If I was shore fishing, I’d be pitching cranks on rocks or slowly dragging plastics along the bottom. Lotta good shore spots on both sides from hwy 5 bridge and north.

Thats what I’ve been doing. Slow and shallow is the key. I pitch parallel along the lock and do well. Over the years I’ve caught the majority with plastics. This is my first year pitching jointed raps on pool 2 but it has caught all of the bigger fish this fall. I love fall walleye fishing!

I found that you never stop the retrieve until the bait is at your feet. Biggest fish I caught along the shore were sometimes in a foot of water. It’s amazing how tight to shore those fish will be in low light.

Yes that is very important. I’ve caught alot of fish at my feet. Insane watching them take your bait on a full moon. They come out of no where. No need to reel them in just lift up????

This reminds me of a walleye that hit my swimbait right next to shore this past spring. Literally came out of the water after my lure, missed, landed half on shore, then rolled back into the river. Short flip back and I caught her! It’s just insane the kind of predators walleyes can be.

They’re very smart for a fish. Just enjoy catching them and releasing them.

I wonder if half the people that posted on the original thread are taking a dirt nap.

crawdaddy wrote:

I wonder if half the people that posted on the original thread are taking a dirt nap.

Not this one.

Jeff Fitzpatrick wrote:

This reminds me of a walleye that hit my swimbait right next to shore this past spring. Literally came out of the water after my lure, missed, landed half on shore, then rolled back into the river. Short flip back and I caught her! It’s just insane the kind of predators walleyes can be.

That had to be wicked cool to watch!