targeting fall ON CANADIAN LAKE targeting fall ON CANADIAN LAKES P
rior to fall turnover, walleyes in Canadian lakes can be spread through a variety of areas, from classic rocky structure like points and humps, to roaming offshore basins. But once water temperatures dump down below 55 degrees, the fish start to really cluster around rocky structures meeting the main basin of the lake, often with 40-plus feet of water nearby. Large Canadian shield lakes typically have loads of areas that fit the bill. In shallower natural lakes with limited deep water, focus on areas with deeper basins. Focus on steeper-dropping shoreline structures and mid-lake humps in fall, as opposed to structures in shallower, more sloping sections of the lake. Walleyes just plain relate to steeper drop-off areas during the cold water of fall, all other aspects being equal.
By: Al Lindner
Also, expect walleyes to be moderately deep, like 25 to 40-plus feet of water. Deep water provides stability for both forage species and walleyes. In fact, smallmouths in shield lakes use many of the same structures bordering the basin – just at shallower depths. You might catch smallies atop shallower rocks in 18 to 25 feet of water, and walleyes once you begin fishing deeper. In most shield lakes, the tops of mid-lake humps often have snaggy boulders which can eat your lures if you’re not careful. But once you drop a little deeper into the
transition zone between the rocks and the basin, the bottom often turns to a mixture of sand and softer mud bottom. If you fish right along this edge, using a combination of electronics and your sense of feel, you can minimize snags. And since this is the beginning of the fall walleye zone, you’ll be in good shape to catch ‘em! In the old days, we’d either lift-drop 1/2-ounce livebait rigs and big, lively chubs to tease big walleyes into biting, or vertically jig with a heavy jig and minnow combo, pumping 3/8- to 1/2-ounce jigheads in up-down fashion, to maintain frequent bottom contact and trigger strikes. In both cases, we’d lift-drop the sinker or jig to minimize snagging. And we caught plenty of fish! Nowadays, I seldom feel the need to fish livebait anymore. I prefer using artificial lures that have plenty of movement and action and are heavy enough to fish vertically beneath the boat. Hair jigs or jigheads tipped with soft plastics allow me to do that very effectively and are among my fishing deep options. Using heavy, #7 or #9 Jigging Rapalas allows me to move even quicker; their heavy lead bodies slice through the water to maintain a fairly vertical presentation. If you’re fishing just (Continued on page 23.)
Just Fishing . 22
Fall 2023
