In fertile prairie lakes, walleye activity becomes progressively more daytime-oriented as the Summer Period approaches. There are no distinct visual signs and water temperatures to indicate when fish are in their Postspawn, Presummer, or Summer Peak Periods. Use these general guidelines instead: Presummer activity is usually triggered by water temperatures in the upper 50s°F; fish do not change location, but they feed more aggressively. Summer Peak activity usually occurs when the main lake’s water temperature rises into the low 70s°F for the first time. Summer Peak activity can be frenzied and often offers a short 1-to-2-week span that includes some of the year’s best fishing. In mid-eutrophic lakes, the heaviest Summer Peak feeding usually occurs during the day from twilight to twilight, and is shoreline-oriented. Walleyes can be found in the vicinity (often right along the bank) of deeper riprapped or rocky shorelines. Current areas also draw fish.

As water temperature climbs into the upper 60s°F and low 70s°F, indicating the arrival of the Summer Period, rock or riprapped bank areas that drop immediately into a foot or two of water become primary fish attractors. These areas commonly offer relatively hard bottoms. Once you’ve identified such areas, look for distinct features to help narrow the locational odds. Points, sections of comparatively deeper banks, tight groups of docks—anything out of the ordinary tends to congregate walleyes. Current, the other key walleye attractor, also draws fish. The common factor in these periods is that walleyes feed aggressively in shallower water than most people think.

Although some walleyes are likely to remain shallow much of the time, they aren’t always feeding. Cloudy, rainy weather and moderate wind blowing into a bank seem to enhance and focus shallow walleyes’ activity. Too much wind may roil water so badly that walleyes can’t feed effectively.

The Basin Bite

In summer, a true dispersal occurs. Walleyes spread throughout prairie lakes, taking advantage of their abundance of forage. Their locations are usually keyed by food sources—shiners, fathead minnows, small perch, bullheads, bluegills, and crayfish. Eutrophic lakes usually brim with food, and in midsummer, walleyes can be almost anywhere and still find available food.

In shallow lakes, huge groups of fish scatter across muck-bottomed lake basins, relating to the abundant forage roaming there. Lake basins are those deeper areas lying beyond the drop-off. Basin areas are composed almost entirely of muck and may be as little as 8 to 12 feet deep, but 20 feet is more likely. Although you can find walleyes almost anywhere in a lake basin, there is a science involved to fishing one.

The most productive basin areas are usually near Summer Peak holding areas. The basins near various bars in early eutrophic lakes, or those near riprapped or rock shorelines in mid-eutrophic lakes usually hold numbers of walleyes during the Summer Period. This is especially true immediately after the Summer Peak.

Is there anything you can look for in a basin that concentrates scattered fish? Yes: Comparatively hard bottom usually attracts and holds fish. Freshly dredged areas often offer harder bottom and attract lots of walleyes.