Walleye Time Approaches
By Joel “Doc” Kunz

The cool weather and recent rains have gone a long way to get me excited about the fall walleye fishing. There a re so many opportunities it is hard to decide what to do. It is ay too easy to stay on my home waters of the Wolf River and catch plenty of walleye. Maybe even a few big ones. Although not as easy to target as they are in places such as DePere on the Fox River, there are a good number of females in the Wolf this time of year. Some come out of the lower lakes and some are resident fish, spending their entire life in the waters of the Wolf. These fish are arguably noticeable by their darker over all color, garnered in the tea stained waters of the river. The lake fish are usually a lighter color due to the lesser amounts of tannic acid in the water caused mostly by the leaves and trees that line the upper river. Fishing the trees with Lindy No-Snagg jigs or just being lucky enough to catch one is about your best chance. The Wolf is more known for its quality fall fishing where large schools of male walleye can stack up and provide excellent fishing, and a few meals. The Wisconsin River is another place where you can catch some big fish, but most anglers there are in search of schools of active fish and some to take home for the frying pan. I fish from Nekoosa to the Dell quite a bit this time of year. Sometimes the bite is much better and worth the drive. Usually, there are fewer boats, except the Dells which occasionally gets pretty crowded. Still. it’s never been so crowded I didn’t enjoy myself, there’s plenty of places to fish away from the
common” holes.

As far as the rest of the walleye world at hand, we are right in the middle of some of the best trophy fishing in the midwest. Sure places far away such as Lake Erie and the Bay of Quintette are a potential step above, but I feel pretty confident that the next tug on the line will be a 13 pounder anytime I’m at DePere, Bay de noc or the Bay of Green Bay along Door County’s west shore.

DePere is the closest for me, and among the most fun. I like nights of windy snowy weather for big fish, and have been called crazy when launching the boat in such conditions. Properly outfitted with heaters and a windshield, I’ve been able to fish under some of the worse conditions I’ve tolerated and still catch fish. If I can’t cast due to conditions, I’ll long line a crank bait, twitching it or reeling it slowly back to the boat. Instead of casting, I’ll just put the bait in the water and let out line until I have it in the spot I want. Sometimes I’ll start with a bright floating bait or even BIG bobber and let out line to certain spots in the current, like eddies or boils. That way, once it’s dark, I can put the bait where I want it without a lot of effort.

Bay de noc and the bay of Green Bay in Door County are more of a trolling bite if you want big fish. Lead core line is a favorite among anglers there. Used to provide the best action when trolling in this situation, big crank baits such as Rouges and Husky Jerks are common. I like Dave’s Kaboom baits, and do very well with these trolling rod in hand along specific break lines. A good GPS is an important tool, especially if it has the lake map technology available today. A good 7 1/2 foot rod with line counter reel and 12 pound test line is what I set up with.

So pick your passion, big fish or fish fry. There’s plenty of action to chose from when it comes to fall walleye fishing. From Wolf River Country to Wisconsin River Country and even places such as Rock River Country in southern Wisconsin. That’s another very good fall fishery that I spend some time on each year, often breaking ice to get to the best holes. With so much to choose from, it’s hard to know where to go. Visit my web site www.wolfrivercountry.com for more information on the Wolf River and all the fall walleye fishing in the areas I fish. IT’S A COMPLETE NEW SITE! With more information, a new blog, video and more. You are sure to like the NEW Wolf River Country.Com
Joel “Doc” Kunz
For Outdoor Gazette