Night Fishing

[Alaskan Joe]

I am fairly new to walleye fishing on the Lake. I have fished at night in the spring, and I am thinking about night fishing during the summer. Due to my work & family schedule, it is easier for me to get out at night.

Do the fish remain in the same areas during the day and night in the summer? Or, do the fish move into shallower waters? I often use bottom bouncers and worm harnesses during the day in the summer - Do I need to switch tactics for night fishing?
Thanks,
Joe

[just drownin` worms]

with the water warming to the mid to upper 70`s, fish move in slightly shallower at night but nowhere close to where they are in the spring. fish have been hitting between 50 to 60 feet during the day. Try 35 to 45 feet at night. I also use bottom bouncers and worm harnesses quite a bit and work well. dipsy divers on a 3 setting also work well. chartreuse has been a good color lately for me. have been getting reports of purple and black but havent had much luck with that combo. I do most of my fishing between evans bar and meyers reef. hope this helps.

[captainjoe]

I haven't been night fishing in a while but I used to troll with a rapela or flat fish. I'm showing my age. Last fall I seen many boats fishing with a small light on the ends of their poles (led)to detect a bite . When it's dark you can't run boards so your kind of locked into fishing in close and a limited number of rods. Depending on how many are on board. You have to go when you have to go. And anytime you get out there it's good. I believe the fish do come in at night to the shallows to feed. But alot depends on temperature. Sorry, not much help.

[nippissinger]

Hey Joe!!!!

They do tend to move in with the forage at night...depending what time you get out....
I have followed our local school till past 2a.m. and they seemed to hug the drop off near the deep water...I would keep the same tactic for presentation until you locate the feeders. then you can switch to still or controlled fishing which will eliminate the need for rod tip lighting...

[wakina]

Alot of fishermen use small in-line boards at night with lights attached so you can detect those pullbacks. Helps clear the lines from the motor noise.

[jeffhend24]

Joe

Did you ever try it? I'm curious to find out how you did. Think i'm going to try it for sure.

[Alaskan Joe]

Hi Jeff:

I did go out several times this summer. I was hoping that the fish would be more active at night, but it really didn't work out for me (July -> present).

The best luck that I had was right around nightfall. I had a few frustrating nights over huge schools, marked between the sandbar and meyer's, with little or no action. I mostly trolled harnesses and/or stickbaits, and I fished out of the SBH from meyer's to the roundhouse.

Fishing at night allowed me to get out more often in the summer, and I did catch some good fish, but I really don't feel that I have found the right way to do this yet....

Joe

[SemperFi]

Just curious, were you running jets and dipsys the same way you would during the day or did you adjust your entire setup? Did you work the contours around meyers, I know it tends to hold walleyes all summer.

[Alaskan Joe]

At night, I mostly have been running worm harnesses with bottom bouncers, and I have been using the reel clicker to detect strikes. Occasionally, when in shallow water, I will run in-line boards with glow-sticks on tattle flags. I do not run jets much (at night), and I do not use dipsies. Most of my fishing was 20-40 ft down in water that was no deeper than 55 ft.

[jeffhend24]

Interesting thread, thanks Joe