Best Time to Fish for Walleye​

April 26, 2025

Since walleye become more active after a long winter, spring is one of the finest seasons to fish for them. Moreover, walleye migrate toward shallow locations to spawn as the ice melts and the water temperature rises. And this usually occurs when the water temperature hits between 40-50º F.

When is the** best time to fish for walleye**? Well, that for sure is a great question that a good angler must know how to answer. But in order to do that, it’s indispensable to know that their behavior changes with the seasons.

So, when we talk about the best time to fish for walleye, we need to talk about the best time for each season.

That’s why we’re now giving you a little guide about the best time to fish for walleye for each season. Let’s go!

Spring is the awakening season

Since walleye become more active after a long winter, spring is one of the finest seasons to fish for them. Moreover, walleye migrate toward shallow locations to spawn as the ice melts and the water temperature rises. And this usually occurs when the water temperature hits between 40-50º F.

In addition, because walleye can see quite well in low light, they frequent the low light levels of the day to chase smaller fish. Hence, early morning and late evening are the ideal times of the day to fish for walleye in the spring. And that’s when!

Well, now you know that when fishing for walleye during spring, you have to wake up early or go to bed late!

Summer and its Golden Hour

During summer, walleye migrate to deeper waters as temperatures rise in order to avoid the heat. Thus, for ambushing prey, they frequently remain close to weed beds, drop-offs, and underwater structures.

Furthermore, it can be difficult to fish during the midday hours since walleye are less active in bright light.

Without a doubt, the "golden hour", or the hour before sunset and the first few hours after, is the ideal time to fish for walleye in the summer. As a plus, because walleye migrate into shallower areas to feed in the dark, night fishing can also be fruitful.

Fall is when walleye fall

Due to the fact walleye feed aggressively in preparation for winter, fall is a great time to fish for them.

As a matter of fact, walleye congregate in huge numbers near structures and deeper waters as water temperatures decrease. So, this is a great time for anglers because they are more likely to strike at bait.

During fall, early morning and late afternoon are the best times to fish for walleye. However, because walleye prefer dark environments, overcast days may also result in increased activity.

Winter with walleye!

It takes organization and patience to catch walleye in the winter. But when ice fishing season starts, fishing for walleye becomes interesting.

Due to the frigid temperatures, walleye tend to travel slowly and remain close to deep structures during winter.

Since walleye are still active in low light, the best time to fish for walleye in the winter are at dawn and dusk.

For sure, this information is quite valuable for you to know. But remember, at the end, you can make the best time to fish for walleye by just embracing the fishing journey!

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