So now in order to find the walleye you so desperately seek, you will have to do a little detective work. Dying weeds are your first clue that the transition has come. Weeds begin dying from colder overnight temperatures and what most people don’t understand is baitfish will only stay in the weeds as long as they are very green. When the weeds start dying, walleye leave the shallow-water weed areas.

The good news is, not all lakes are affected at once. Shallow, dark water lakes experience the transition first and deep, clear water lakes are not affected until later in the fall. The transition can be frustrating if you don’t know where to locate walleye. The thing to remember is, fish migrate to predictable areas and gather in big schools according to size. Locate the big ones and it’s like you found gold.

Your second clue that the transition has come is fish are not spread all over the lake anymore. Walleye tend to be in key spots in the deepest part of the lake. Now you might be asking yourself, what are the key spots? The best place to locate walleye is sandy areas. These include sand flats, sand points and sand humps. Typically in September you will find walleye in spots 15 feet deep and less. Later in the fall they travel to deeper water.

In spots 15 feet deep and less, a good quality sonar fishfinder can be your best friend. Walleye tend to hug the bottom so they may be difficult to see, but not impossible. Using bottom tracking and the zoom feature on your fishfinder will often pick up on walleye that hug the bottom. The rule for checking shallows is simple. Keep your boat in deeper water, cast to the top of the structure and work your way back down.

When water temperatures drop to 62 degrees F, walleye tend to migrate deeper. During this time they tend to be in places like sharper breaks or mid-lake humps of about 20 feet rather than 15 feet. Because walleye are more selective about where they stay, there is a trick to finding them. For example, if they are on a mid-lake hump with scattered boulders, they will be on the boulders. If it’s all rock, look for the sand and that is where they will be. If it is all sand, look for a rock pile. I know it sounds strange, but it works.

Precision with regard to location is very important. If you get it right, you will hit the walleye jackpot. Keep in mind as water continues to turn colder, walleye will be on structure that leads to the deepest part of the lake. Deep boulders become "fish magnets" because walleye find places where mud and hard bottom meet the deepest part of the lake.

This is due to the fact that deep water is warmer and holds food for them at this time of year. Shallow dark- water lakes that have a perch forage base, find walleye digging up Lake Manitoba fishflies and mayflies from the deep mud at the bottom of the Lake Manitoba Narrows. If you are fishing in deeper, clear water lakes, walleye may be at 70 feet looking for minnows, whitefish and other aquatic life. Fish are constantly moving as the seasons change. Keep this in mind as well as the other helpful hints mentioned above, and you will no longer be desperately seeking walleye in the autumn, you will have found them in abundance.

First it is important to learn their spawning habits. In the northern states, the spawning period for walleye can be anywhere from mid-April to mid-May. This depends on how early the warm weather starts in the spring. Keep in mind that walleye do not spawn at the same time. Some start early, but the majority wait until the conditions are ideal, and some procrastinate and don’t spawn until late in the spring.

Now the question to ask yourself is, what are the ideal conditions walleye need before they start spawning? The two most important things needed are water temperature and rock or rubble shore lines.

Water temperature is an important factor because it not only starts the spawning activity, but it plays a role in maximum reproduction. Walleye need the water to warm slowly and constantly without temperature swings or wave action. This is most important during the gestation and hatching period.

Rock or rubble shorelines are also extremely important due to the fact that this type of structure can provide a successful hatch. How does this happen? Well if walleye spawn on this type of structure, the eggs have something uneven to fall into, therefore protecting them from predators that like to feed on the eggs. Now it is important to know where the spawning takes place. The North and East shorelines are the most popular locations for walleye because these shorelines get the hottest sun of the day, which warms the water and makes the conditions ideal for spawning.

After walleye are through spawning, they move to the deepest structure to rest for about four to ten days. When their rest period is complete, they move back to their spawning areas to feed. This is when walleye fishing is at its best.

Walleye like to keep to the shallow points and shorelines. So you may find that you will have better luck leaving your boat behind and fishing from shore or from the pier.

Picking the right equipment is extremely important when fishing for walleye as they are extremely picky. Some suggested bait and tackle are listed below:

• Rigs with live bait or live bait with slip bobbers.
• Minnows and night crawlers or insect larvae e.g. Marabou jigs or similar lures.

Now all you need to know is the right time to snag these elusive fish. It is said that nighttime is the best time to catch walleye. This is true because walleye are notorious for being nighttime feeders. This is due to the fact that during the day there is tons of boat activity which scares the fish off. When the aquatic world turns black, walleye come out to feed. Night is when the predators prey and you can include yourself among them to guarantee fishing success. Remember nighttime is the right time for catching walleye in the spring. Keep repeating this as your mantra and you will become a fishing superstar.