On lakes with heavy recreational traffic and daytime fishing pressure, night fishing is one of the best ways to catch big walleyes. While there are many ways to catch walleyes in the dark--longline trolling flats with crankbaits and casting minnow imitators over the tops of reefs are both good options--drifting livebait beneath lighted floats is one of the simplest and most effective. It blends stealth and control for fishing key spots that concentrate fish after dark. Rig gear and mark locations during daylight, and be ready for fast action when the sun sets.

Tackle

Rod: 6 1/2- to 7 1/2-foot medium-power, medium-fast-action spinning rod.

Reel: medium-capacity spinning reel.

Line: 6- or 8-pound-test mono.

Rigging

Lighted floats come in several versions. Most common are those with lithium battery inserts that cause a diode to glow red at the tip of the float. Some have tiny replaceable Cyalume light sticks that glow for several hours. Others are coated with phosphorescent paint that must be recharged with a flashlight or camera flash at frequent intervals. These usually are lighter and less expensive than battery-powered floats, though they seldom glow as brightly and are more difficult to see.

Fixed floats are adequate down to depths of about 5 feet. Set deeper, rigs become awkward to cast. Slipfloats are more practical except in extremely shallow water. They require a sliding bobber stop to suspend bait at the selected depth. Rather than approximating the depth of the stop, attach an ice-fishing depthfinder weight to the hook and lower it to the bottom. Slide the stop up or down the line until the float is a foot or two below the surface when the depthfinder weight is on the bottom. Remove the weight and the bait will suspend just above the rocks or weeds.

Presentation

Many anglers concentrate on the tops of rock bars for walleyes at night. Bays with low-lying weedflats or the outer edges of heavy weedflats, where the growth switches to a low-lying carpet of sandgrass or other short vegetation, are also key areas. One ideal situation is an 8- to 12-foot carpeted flat with scattered clumps of coontail or cabbage to concentrate fish. Set float rigs to suspend bait two feet off the bottom, a foot above the weeds. Drift the area until you contact fish, then anchor and cast. Retrieve the float with frequent pauses to allow the bait to work.