Things depend, to a large degree, on the environment. In super-clear bodies of water like Lake Saganaga up in the Canadian Shield, it’s possible to target some of the biggest walleyes available anywhere by night fishing through the end of July. But on nearby Lake of the Woods, where algae blooms are common, casting or trolling the most productive reefs at night usually results in a skunking anytime after early prespawn. In clear lakes and rivers, some nocturnal walleye activity always will be present. In cloudy or muddy water, night fishing can be a bust in summer, though unusually heavy daytime fishing pressure can change that.

The overall key to location for night-shift walleyes is to look shallower. As summer wears on, location is determined more by forage location than by specific structural keys. Walleyes could be on sand beaches, long featureless weedlines, or classic structure. Wherever you look, don’t overlook 2- to 5-foot depths.

Longline Trolling

The night troller for walleyes has a specialized tackle box. It contains a short range of shallow- to deep-diving cranks and minnowbaits, from 4 to 7 inches long, most contrasting a dark back against a white belly, some with reverse countershading, a few “experimental” stealth bombers painted all black, and a couple with spots of glow paint or tape. One tray of the box has a little spattering of terminal tackle—a few split shot and some swivels. Ready, set, go.

The key to trolling for walleyes at night is to choose the right areas, know them well, and design trolling passes that bring the lure, but not the boat, over key points and inside turns. Otherwise, each trolling pass should keep at least one bait moving back and forth along the break from 2 to 5 feet, where weeds allow. Large balsa minnowbaits like the F-13 or F-18 Rapala and the Bagley Bang-O-Lure stay up best, ticking the tops of weeds at ultraslow trolling speeds. If the lure can be kept from fouling, it should be back at least 80 feet, preferably 150. The long line allows you to maneuver the boat so it doesn’t pass over key spots while allowing plenty of room to zero in the lure on it. Longlining also keeps the biggest spooking factor (your boat) some distance away from biting fish.

When the hot bite is truly shallow, no weight is required, and casting actually will work better where fish are concentrated. When the bite happens over 6- to 10-foot depths, a single split shot might be required. Vary the size of the split shot according to the situation. Start small, see if fish are willing to rise to it, and go progressively larger if necessary. On dark nights between moons and major solunar periods, walleyes may not rise at all. Go down after them with a #5 to #9 Rapala Shad Rap, Rapala Tail Dancer, or Reef Runner Lil’ Ripper.

On sharp breaks, the inside rod (toward the bank or top of the reef) should have a minnowbait or shallow-diving crank, while the outside rod could be rigged the same or with a deep diver. Suspending baits can be productive, especially the deep models, such as the Deep Suspending Smithwick Rogue or Rapala Down-Deep Husky Jerk. Stall the boat after a turn to see if a bait hanging in the fishes’ faces for a second or two triggers strikes.

Braided superline giveth and it taketh away in this situation. It giveth great sensitivity, to the point of telegraphing tiny specks of weed on the lure. It giveth great hooksetting power at a distance. But it taketh away the shallow pass, because its thin diameter allows lures to run deeper. Sometimes, 8- to 10-pound mono works best to keep a lure over shallow weeds and snags. Finding the right depth is critical, because on some nights, all the biting fish seem to be at the same level. In really shallow water, run the outside rod directly over the transom, straight behind the boat at least 20 feet farther back than the inside rod, if possible.