Jigging Fall Walleye Tips

Jigging Fall Walleye. Tips to help you catch more walleyes when using jigs in the fall. Fall walleye can often be found on deep structure off the ends of deep points that protrude out into lake basins or river channels on reservoirs. These locations often require surgical boat control and vertically jigging below the boat is a precise way to fish these locations. We offer six tips for catching more walleye on deep structure below the boat in the fall.

Tip 1: We often attempt to use the lightest jig possible when walleye fishing but when vertically jigging over deep water in the fall, don't be afraid to use the heaviest jig possible. Heavier jigs track below the boat and keep the line more vertical. Larger jig heads also get hung up in rocks less and make more noise when making contact with the bottom. Keep the jig straight below the boat when fishing deep rocks and boulders.

Tip 2: Use a tiny barrel swivel two to three feet above the jig to take out line twist. Twisted line that wraps up on the rod tip will cost you fish.

Tip 3: Over deep water, the no stretch properties of braided line like Suffix 832 can improve hooksets and sensitivity for determining bites. We typically use 8-pound test braid for the thinner diameter. In stained water, we often simply use direct braid but in clear water, use a three-to-four-foot leader of 8-pound test fluorocarbon. If, however, you are missing fish, don't hesitate to switch up to six-pound monofilament as the stretch of mono can sometimes help fish suck in the bait without as much resistance.

Tip 4: This deep structure fishing in the fall is often over or near big rocks and boulders. Always have a hook file in the boat and touch up hooks constantly when you make contact with rocks. The Northland Deep V Jig is a phenomenal jig for fishing deep rocks below the boat because the jig tracks below the boat well with the aspirin pill shaped head and the long shank Mustad hook takes a file really well after getting bent or damaged on rock.

Tip 5: Bulk up the profile on the jig by adding a soft plastic body like the Eye Candy Paddle Shad or some other type of soft plastic. We often add a minnow on top of the plastic and use the plastic to add more bulk, water displacement and color. Fall walleye often seem to prefer bigger baits. Don't hesitate to use larger shiners, creek chubs or suckers if legal. If only small minnows are available, bulk up the jig by using two minnows piggybacked on top of each other.

Tip 6: Experiment with your cadence below the boat. There are some situations where simply holding the jig on the bottom or inches off the bottom with a do-nothing approach works well, especially on river systems. There are other times when the fish prefer a constant tapping of the bottom. Jigs can also be lifted off the bottom softly or abruptly at different heights. Don't be afraid to try lifting the jig four to six feet off the bottom and let the jig hit the bottom hard for additional sound. Use 2D sonar or Forward-Facing Sonar in down mode to watch how fish respond to your presentation if possible. Experiment until you find a cadence or hold that triggers fish.

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