Hey there anglers! Most fisherman think of fishing for walleye in low-light conditions. Walleye activity does tend to increase, however it isn’t impossible to catch them midday also. We will discuss a few things that you can do to put the odds of success in your favor throughout this article. Whether you’re an experienced angler or just getting started, this article will provide you with everything you need to know about midday walleye fishing.
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Table Of Contents:
Where Do Walleye Go During The Day?
Before we can catch the walleye, it’s important to know where they go during the day
Weeds
One place that walleye congregate midday is in the weeds. Focus on thick weed beds and look for small voids and openings amongst the weeds. Walleye will group up in these areas during the day to find shade and stay cool. When you catch one walleye in the weeds, keep fishing that area. A lot of the times an entire school of walleye can be sitting in one small void in a weed bed.
Deep Water
Often walleye head deep during the day. Deeper water remains cooler and darker when the sun is high in the sky. If you catch walleye on a break line in 15 feet of water at sunset, try fishing the deeper edge of the break during midday. It may not be far away in most cases, only a few hundred yards can do the trick in a lot of situations. Keep in mind to avoid targeting walleye at depths greater than 30 feet. Typically fish caught deeper than 30 ft of water will suffer from effects of barotrauma
Shade
Another key thing to look for during midday is shaded areas. This is very common amongst bass fisherman, but seldom talked about in the walleye fishing community for whatever reason. Surprisingly, I have seen summer walleye sitting underneath piers in 5 feet of water during the day just because it provided ample shade. Look for piers, boulders, bridge pilings, or any other piece of overhead cover. Look at the sun position in the sky and fish the shaded side and you may be surprised.
Best Lures For Midday Walleye
Now that you know where to look for walleye during the day, let’s talk about how to catch them
Crankbaits
Crankbaits are a great option to search for walleye during the day. When fishing midday walleye, it is extremely important to cover lots of water to find aggressive fish. Deeper diving crankbaits tend to work better this time of day. Find crankbaits that dive 20 – 25 ft and use snap weights as needed for added depth. Flat line trolling and planer boards are two great trolling options.
Jig and Plastics
Another overlooked lure for midday walleye is the jig and plastic. Use your favorite walleye jig and choose your soft plastic based on the main walleye forage at that time of year. The difference between fishing plastics during the day vs. at night is your jig size. For midday walleye, choose substantially heavier jigs than you would typically use. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but it makes your presentation fish much quicker and more aggressively. This triggers reaction strikes from walleye and prevents them from getting too good of a look at your lure during the daytime. Use a snap jigging retrieve, and fish quickly.
Live Bait
Last but not least is live bait. Its hard to talk about walleye fishing during the day without mentioning live bait. We all know that walleye are finicky, especially during the daytime. One way to combat this is by using the most natural presentation you can get away with; live bait. Choose the type of live bait and rig you use based on the time of year and depth you plan on fishing in. Opt for the lightest weights and lightest line you can get away with. Live bait success during the day is dependent on stealth.
Techniques for Daytime Success
You have the lures and know the locations, but what fishing techniques should you use?
Midday Trolling
Trolling is a great way to cover water during the day. Not all walleye are willing to bite this time of day, and covering water is the best chance for your to put your bait in front of aggressive fish a lot of the times. Troll with either crankbaits or spinner rigs. Focus on large pieces of structure that can easily be trolled. If your state allows, take advantage of running multiple lines and consider spreading them out with planer boards.
Snap Jigging
Snap jigging is a fishing technique that refers to aggressively fishing for walleye with artificial lures. As the name suggests, you snap that rod upwards to pull the bait quickly off of the bottom before letting it go back down. Start your rod out at about 2 o’clock and aggressively snap it to about 12 o’clock. Let the bait fall on semi-slack line and repeat the process. all on semi-slack line and repeat the process. Instead of fooling walleye with live bait, you are triggering them with artificial lures.
Vertical Jigging
Vertical jigging is on the complete other side of the spectrum as snap jigging when it comes to walleye fishing. I like to think about midday walleye fishing one of two ways; either extremely aggressive or extremely finesse. Vertically jigging for walleye is one of the most finesse ways to catch them. Use your electronics and position your boat directly over fish in deeper water. Use a jig with your choice of live bait and hang it right above the fish’s level. The key to vertical jigging midday is to make sure you are on top of fish at all times.
Conservation and Ethical Fishing Practices
As responsible anglers, it’s crucial to prioritize conservation and practice ethical fishing
Catch and Release
Adhere to catch-and-release guidelines whenever possible to preserve the walleye population for future generations. Handle fish with care, use barbless hooks to minimize injury, and return them to the water as quickly and gently as possible. If you plan on keeping a few fish for a meal, release the larger fish to let them spawn.
Regulations and Limits
Stay informed about local fishing regulations and adhere to size and bag limits. These limits are in place to ensure sustainable fish populations and health
There you have it – everything you need to know about midday walleye fishing. Remember to always think outside of the box. Walleye can be found in very unique locations when the sun is high, so avoid getting trapped fishing the conventional sunset spots. Either fish extremely aggressively or very finesse, don’t settle for something in the middle. You need to either trigger a bite or fool them into biting. So put your newfound knowledge to the test the next time you head out on the water. Tight Lines!
More Walleye Articles:
- Ice Fishing For Walleye: Everything You Need To Know
- Midday Walleye: A Complete Breakdown Of Daytime Walleye Fishing
- Live Bait For Walleye: Everything You Need To Know
- Lure Talk: Full Guide On Fishing Crankbaits For Walleye
- Lure Talk: How To Fish Spinner Rigs For Walleye
- Trolling For Walleye: Everything You Need To Know
