An In-Depth Look at Walleye Patterns

As postspawn walleyes begin dispersing from spawning sites, they filter back into the warming environment in search of food. Cover like weeds or wood may play a part, and if it’s available near spawning sites, check it out. If not, walleyes filter out into the main body of water, likely to primary structures within a few miles of spawning sites. If forage fish are present in the shallows, cover or the first drop-off to deep water likely will concentrate walleyes.

So will irregularities in the bottom. Once fish enter a seasonally appropriate area where food is available, they tend to gravitate into certain kinds of spots. Changes along the edge of the drop-off to deep water are a good example—points, corners, turns along a drop-off, an emerging weedline or timberline. So are clumps of heavier cover, or open pathways through dense cover. Something different.

This is the essence of structure-fishing theory. Change concentrates fish. Most folks equate it to changes in depth, easily visible on your depthfinder. True, those are among your most obvious options. But subtle changes also may be important, particularly when walleyes are shallow. Miniature rises and dips in the bottom, short clumps of emerging weeds, or a scattering of old timber may be more important than a fast drop to deep water, at least at certain times of the year.

As summer arrives, most aquatic environments bloom with forage opportunities, offering walleyes many locational options. They may use the first (primary) drop-off from major structural elements, the outer edges of shallow cover, the base of the drop-off where it meets the basin (if it’s not too deep); or they may roam across the basin, or suspend above the summer thermocline. In fact, all likely are simultaneous options. As a general rule, all the walleyes in a lake, river, or reservoir do not do the same thing at the same time, assuming that a wealth of food and locational options are available.

This concept bothers a lot of anglers. They prefer simplicity and singular patterns: “Go there. Do this.” But it’s seldom that easy. Walleyes have choices. So do you.

Summer usually offers a variety of fishing patterns at different depths, with different groups of walleyes becoming active at different times and under different conditions. In general, the shallowest patterns are most productive when light penetration is lowest. Sunset, night, and sunrise are obvious peak periods for checking out shallow rock piles, current inlets, and weedflats. Yet when the wind blows, waves break up light penetration, signalling similar prime feeding conditions. It’s another option for fishing relatively shallow.

Midmorning and early evening have modest sunlight penetration levels, and walleyes roaming primary drop-offs from major structures often are active under these conditions. Classic points, humps topping off above the thermocline (generally less than 30 feet), and the outside (deeper) edges of weeds or timber are classic choices.

Midday sunlight penetration is at peak levels, often shutting down shallow patterns and some middepth patterns in midsummer. It’s a good time to try the deep breakline meeting the basin or to troll open water for suspended fish. Sunlight penetration at depths just above the summer thermocline should be more to the fish’s liking. Recognizing different depth patterns and fishing them at appropriate times and conditions often key summer success.

With middepths being a primary focus in summer, structures needn’t be massively deep. In fact, tapering structures or areas of the lake bottom provide expanded areas of foraging opportunity at conducive depth levels, such as a large weedbed, or a sand-rock flat. Even so, changes along the edges of these areas, notably the primary drop-off to deep water, tend to key fish activity.