wild guide: walleye at dusk
chance they are even more “fishy” in the
evening. It is important to have more than
one good fishing spot. Because walleye
travel from one spot to another, it may be
clever to explore other sites, rather than
waiting passively for them to arrive.
Remember that the majority of people
who get little results are fishing too slowly.
Vary your speed between 4 and 5.5 km/h
(2.5 and 3.5 mph).
Night fishing and trolling with
elongated baits is the tactic of choice for
catching trophy walleye.
others. The best way to locate them is to
troll with crankbaits or jerkbaits. Models
from 12 to 18 centimeters like the Rapala
Original, which dives to a maximum of 4
meters, are very effective. The best colours
are those that reproduce the dress of
small fish, yellow perch or those that are
flamboyant such as orange. If ever you see
activity on the surface of the water, it may
be a bunch of ciscos or smelt chased by
starving walleye. Hurry to throw your lure
where the eruption occurred. You may get
a very nice fish photo. This type of fishing
often brings in beautiful specimens that
are the envy of anglers.
Conversely, if it is yellow perch and/0r
small cyprins, sticklebacks, sculpins, etc.
which are the mainstay of the walleye’s
Rapala Original Floater
www.rapala.ca
17 Wild Guide
. Summer 2017
diet, they will be easier to spot. The best
way to locate potentially productive
places for night fishing is to look for
them in broad daylight. With a really
well detailed map and a sonar, you can
spot the structures during daylight hours
that walleye will visit at night. Look for
underwater islands, spikes and proximity
to embankments adjacent to the shore or
to a land structure. All walleye frequent
shallow waters in springtime during the
breeding season. But those who feed on
perch and grass do so almost every night.
For night fishing, therefore, target places
with depths of less than 15 ft located near
deeper waters.
If you have good spots that are
productive in daylight, there is a good
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
THIS TYPE OF FISHING
By having better vision at night than
by day, the walleye becomes more skilled
at grasping your lure after dark. This can
make it even more difficult to feel their
subtle touches, meaning that if you feel
any movement at the end of your fishing
rod, immediately set the hook without
hesitation.
The best periods of night fishing are
usually between 10 pm and 1 am. But it is
possible, given the surrounding conditions,
to catch beautiful fish from dusk to dawn.
The full moon seems to be the best lunar
period for this type of fishing. It is also
necessary to take into account several
other factors depending on Mother Nature.
The wearing of a life jacket is not even
questionable–it is imperative to wear it. You
must also outfit your boat with navigation
lights that meet current standards. You
will be able to see the occupants of other
boats and be seen by them. Caution is
advised when traveling. Do not venture
into places not previously surveyed. To
facilitate the various operations aboard the
boat, you can use a lantern or internal boat
lights. Prepare all your equipment before
leaving because it is not very easy to do it
in the dark.
A subtle and quiet approach is necessary
to not frighten the surrounding fish. If you
arrive with drums and trumpets, you will
push the fish off the structure to places
unknown.
To increase your chances, vary your
retrieve speed, use lures with a sound
chamber and add scents to your baits. It is
true that walleye become more vulnerable
in darkness because it feels safer for all
the reasons mentioned above. However, it
is necessary to be subtle even during this
period.
The next time the sky is starry, take
advantage of it to try your luck. If your
daytime fishing results are not as bright as
you want, night fishing for walleye may be
the answer.