The Black and White of Walleye Fishing

The Black and White of Walleye Fishing

By Aaron Stonehocker

Walleyes are arguably one of the tastiest fresh water fish in the US, and in my opinion, the tastiest fish to catch in the state. On top of that, they also top the charts as one of the feistiest fish to land this side of (and in) the Mississippi river. Walleyes can be targeted in Iowa in a variety of waters from spring fed ponds and lakes, to rivers across the state. Walleyes can also be targeted in a variety of conditions thanks to their specialized eyes (where they get their name) and their ability to relocate based on time of year to suitable conditions regardless of the waterbody they call home. Anglers can target these tasty sportfish day or night, and I have called in a buddy of mine and local walleye expert: Jesse Miller of Ames, IA, to shed light on the ins and outs of day and night fishing walleyes across the state. I asked Jesse for his top day and night tips for targeting this sought-after sportfish, as well as seasonal tips for finding walleyes during Iowa’s four seasons.

Targeting Daylight Walleyes
Because the sun rises first thing in the morning, let’s start with the top day time tips for targeting walleyes in IA water bodies. According to Jesse, his top daytime tip is to, find the active fish. “I’ll move a lot during the day to find the most active walleyes in the waterbody I am fishing,” states Jesse. The most important thing is to go where you think the fish will be based on structure, bait fish, etc., and don’t be afraid to cycle through baits. “Sometimes all it takes is to put on a moxi tail instead of a paddle tail. Other times, it means being in the right spot but switching to live baits instead of an artificial lure to turn on their desire to bite.”

Targeting Nocturnal Walleyes
Now the sun is about to set, and it is time to switch to night tactics. Jesse’s top night tactic for targeting these specialized predator fish is to be where the bait is. “About two hours before sunset I really pay attention to baitfish locations and make a point to target these areas as soon as the sun sets below the horizon. From dusk until midnight is the best bight window in my opinion.

Find the bait fish during the day and smash these areas at night,” recommends Jesse.

While day and night tactics are solid for targeting these fish year-round, we do have four seasons in IA. I asked Jesse to elaborate on his particular fishing style for walleye depending on the time of year he is fishing. Let’s walk through the four seasons of walleye fishing in Iowa.

Spring
“In the spring, walleyes are moving out of their wintering holes and start to migrate up creeks and rivers. In spring, I focus on down stream of dams”. Dams are the most targeted areas this time of year for anglers trying to get a shot at early walleyes, but Jesse has a philosophy that can get you away from the crowds. “I don’t join the crowd right next to the dam. Instead, I will focus my attention a mile or two down river. The males typically pack in next to the dam, but the big girls will stage downstream right up until the point they are ready to spawn”. This is a great tip if you are in the market for a bigger fish, as the females downstream tend to be more mature than the males packed in close to the dam.

Summer
“In the summer, it is all about fishing the heavy feed windows”. These windows can vary but Jesse’s favorite revolve around, “Right before dark to midnight, and then again from two hours before daylight to two hours after”. One hot tip Jesse offered for summer, “I love to fish on sandbars that have a deep pool adjacent to them. Toss minnows or lures into the pool and drag them up onto the sandbar. They’ll chase minnows practically up onto the sandbar and I’ll catch them in a foot of water”

Fall
“In the fall, the walleyes put on the feed bag. This time of year, it is very important to not overlook the smaller rivers. I particularly enjoy a nice kayak float during the fall, dropping in at one bridge access point to another, making sure to hit all of the hotspots along the way: pools, sandbars, rock banks, etc. This regularly results in a limit of nice eyes in a single float.”

Winter
“In the winter, it is all about deep water where the fish can escape the ice cap. Find the deepest water and you will find the walleyes. I fish real bait and fish really slow come winter. A general year-round tip is to not overlook the little to no name rivers in your area.” Walleyes can be found in just about any waterbody with a fresh source of input water, which can pay dividends in smaller, spring fed waterbodies as well.

Walleye Summary
Walleyes are a species you can target day and night and year-round here in Iowa. We hope this helps you better target walleyes in your area. I also want to pay a special tribute to the best IA walleye angler that Jesse and I both knew: Jeremy Curd (1975-2017). Jeremy Curd, Jesse Miller, and Aaron Stonehocker all attended the Kirkwood Community College (Cedar Rapids, IA) Parks and Natural Resources program class of 2013. There wasn’t a day that Jeremy didn’t have fishing poles attached to the top of his vehicle and was on his way to hit the Coralville dam after class to target walleye, crappie, flathead, or blue cats. Jeremy was a veteran of the US Navy and always known to put a smile on everyone’s face. Until next time brother: We will meet you at “Lake Crisco”.