Midwest Angler: Targeting Fall Walleye

Featuring Nick Harrington, Mack's Lure Pro Staff

As the calendar flips from summer’s heat to autumn’s crisp promise, walleye anglers across the Midwest know that some of the year’s finest fishing lies ahead. After years of guiding on the Missouri River reservoirs and countless hours perfecting techniques on waters from Lake Sharpe to Lake Oahe, Harrington has learned that fall fishing presents unique opportunities, but only for those who understand the seasonal transitions and adapt their strategies accordingly.

The Fall Transition: Understanding the Change

Fall walleye fishing differs dramatically from summer patterns, and success requires recognizing these fundamental shifts. While summer fishing centers around consistent patterns with fish holding in predictable locations, fall brings constant movement as walleye migrate from the deeper, lake-like portions of reservoirs back toward the upper river sections.

This migration creates what Harrington calls a “time of transition” where traditional patterns become short-lived. The key to success lies in understanding that you’re not just fishing for walleye; you’re intercepting fish that are actively moving and feeding aggressively to prepare for winter.

The Forage Factor: Gizzard Shad Dynamics

On gizzard shad-driven fisheries like Lake Sharpe and Lake Francis Case, fall presents exceptional opportunities. Gizzard shad continue spawning as long as water temperatures remain warm, creating an abundance of varied-sized baitfish by the time temperatures drop into the 60s and 50s. This abundance of forage in multiple sizes creates feeding opportunities that walleye simply cannot resist. However, this abundance also means your presentation must stand out from the crowd. 

Essential Mack’s Lure Tackle for Fall Success

Smile Blades: The Foundation of Fall Success

The Mack’s Lure Smile Blade has become Harrington's absolute favorite tool for bottom bouncing walleye throughout the entire season, but it truly shines in fall. What makes these blades special is their ability to turn effectively at speeds as low as 0.5 mph, making them perfect for cold-water periods when fish are less active.

My preferred setup utilizes the 0.8-inch Smile Blade in silver, pink, purple, and blue—colors that have consistently produced throughout my years on the Missouri River. The beauty of these blades lies in their versatility; you can fish them slowly with minnows during early fall or more aggressively with crawlers as temperatures drop.

The design provides just the perfect amount of flash and vibration to attract walleye without overwhelming them, which is a critical factor when fishing pressured waters. Harrington particularly appreciates how easily these blades slide over a standard Double Surgeon’s knot, allowing for rapid color changes as conditions dictate.

Colorado Blades: Fall Aggression

For fall’s aggressive presentations, I rely heavily on large Colorado blades—#3 and #4 sizes specifically. These substantial blades produce significant flash and vibration that help presentations stand out among the clouds of natural bait present during fall migrations.

Harrington says his morning strategy always begins with the gaudier colors, such as purples, blues, and bright chartreuse that trigger aggressive strikes from active fish. As the sun climbs higher and light conditions change, he transitions to more metallic colors and natural tones like silver and gold.

When facing dingy water conditions—common during fall weather patterns, he increases blade size to #4 Colorado blades and employ even brighter color schemes including pinks and chrome finishes. The key is creating maximum attraction in reduced visibility conditions.

Seasonal Presentation Strategies

Early Fall: The Dink and Dunk Approach

September fishing often requires what Harrington calls a “dink and dunk” strategy--hitting multiple areas and covering substantial water to contact scattered, transitioning fish. During this period, fish haven’t yet concentrated into predictable fall patterns, requiring constant movement and adaptation.

Bottom bouncing becomes crucial during early fall, and I prefer running 1.5-ounce bouncers from the front of the boat and 3-ounce bouncers from the back. This setup allows me to let more line out from front rods while keeping back rods directly below the boat, preventing tangles while maintaining proper presentation angles.

Harrington's rod choice for bottom bouncing involves 6’6” to 7’ medium-heavy rods with fast or moderate action, paired with 8-12 pound Berkley Fireline. The no-stretch properties of this line provide exceptional sensitivity, allowing him to feel every pebble the bouncer contacts and detect the subtlest bites.

Peak Fall: Aggressive Tactics

As September transitions into October, fish concentrate on the expansive flats characteristic of Missouri River reservoirs. These flats, often stretching one to two miles in length, require coverage strategies that combine speed with attraction.

During peak fall periods, I fish “very fast and aggressively,” pulling large Colorado blades with three-quarters of a crawler at speeds ranging from 1.4 to 2.2 mph depending on current conditions. This aggressive approach serves two purposes: covering maximum water to contact scattered fish and creating presentations that stand out from abundant natural forage.

The violent strikes that result from this approach are among the most exciting experiences in walleye fishing. When fish commit to these fast-moving, flashy presentations, rods often bend completely to the water.

Late Fall: Precision and Patience

As temperatures continue dropping and fish concentrate further, late fall tactics require more precision. During this period, staying on active fish becomes paramount because bite windows can change rapidly and fish group tightly together.

Harrington's late fall strategy emphasizes making short, fast passes over proven areas rather than exploring new water. "When I locate active fish, I work the spot methodically, returning immediately when bites stop to capitalize on concentrated schools".

Jig presentations become increasingly important during late fall, particularly in areas with minimal current. Harrington's preferred approach involves “long lining” jigs off the front of the boat during early morning periods when current is minimal, allowing natural drift to drag jigs downstream while maintaining bottom contact.

Jigging Techniques and Tackle

Equipment Selection

For jig fishing, Harrington relies on medium-light, extra-fast action rods that provide sensitivity while maintaining adequate backbone for hooksets. His preferred setup includes a 6’10” 13 Omen Black rod paired with 10-pound Berkley Fireline main line and 12-pound Berkeley Vanish fluorocarbon leader.

Jig weight selection depends entirely on depth and current conditions. He prefers using the lightest jig possible while maintaining bottom contact, typically ranging from 1/8 ounce in shallow, calm conditions to heavier weights in deeper water or current.

Presentation Techniques

Harrington's jigging approach emphasizes patience and subtle presentations, particularly during cold-water periods. Rather than aggressive hooksets typical of bass fishing, walleye jigging requires “reeling down” to fish and allowing them to feed before setting the hook.

When using plastics, he employs a distinct lift-and-fall cadence, moving from approximately six o’clock to one o’clock rather than straight up-and-down motions. This creates a more natural presentation that mimics wounded or dying baitfish.

Light Intensity and Color Selection

Understanding light intensity’s impact on walleye behavior is crucial for fall success. Walleye possess exceptional low-light vision capabilities due to their tapetum lucidium, which is the organ responsible for their distinctive eye shine. This adaptation makes them most active during twilight periods when prey species lose their visual advantage.

Fall’s changing light conditions require constant adaptation in blade selection and color choices. Early morning presentations benefit from larger blades and brighter colors when fish are most aggressive. As daylight increases, he recommends downsizing  blades and transitioning to more metallic or natural colors.

Advanced Fall Strategies

Current Utilization

On reservoir systems, current generation creates feeding opportunities that savvy anglers can exploit. During periods of minimal current, he employs drift presentations that allow natural movement to work jigs downstream. As current increases, he transitions to spot-lock presentations that maintain position while working vertical presentations.

Structure and Location

Fall walleye concentrate on specific structural elements within expansive flats. Rather than fishing entire flats uniformly, Harrington focuses on subtle variations he calls “dunes”, which are small depressions and rises that concentrate fish. These areas, while appearing minor on electronics, often hold fish while surrounding waters remain barren.

Staying Mobile

Perhaps the most critical aspect of fall fishing is maintaining mobility while recognizing when to stay put. The balance between covering new water and working active fish determines success during this transitional period. When fish are located and actively feeding, he commits to the area, making repeated passes until the bite window closes.

Weather Adaptation

Fall weather patterns significantly impact fishing success. Wind events that stir sediment require adjustments in blade size and color selection. During these periods, Harrington increases blade size to #4 Colorado blades and employ brighter color schemes to maintain visibility.

Barometric pressure changes also affect fish behavior. Falling pressure often shuts down feeding activity, while stable or rising pressure typically improves fishing conditions. Understanding these patterns helps optimize timing for fishing trips.

The Complete Fall Strategy

Successful fall walleye fishing requires integrating multiple techniques and maintaining flexibility as conditions change. My systematic approach begins each day with aggressive bottom bouncing using large Colorado blades and bright colors. As conditions dictate, Harrington adjusts blade sizes, colors, and presentations while constantly monitoring fish response.

The key to fall success lies in understanding that walleye behavior during this season is driven by two primary factors: migration patterns and feeding opportunities. Fish are moving consistently, following baitfish and seeking optimal conditions for winter preparation. 

Successful anglers position themselves to intercept these migrations while using presentations that trigger aggressive feeding responses.

Mack’s Lure products provide the tools necessary for this challenging fishing, from the subtle attraction of Smile Blades during tough conditions to the aggressive flash of large Colorado blades when fish are feeding actively. The versatility of these products allows rapid adaptation as conditions change throughout the day.

Fall walleye fishing represents the pinnacle of Midwest angling, combining technical skills, equipment selection, and environmental understanding into strategies that consistently produce outstanding results. For anglers willing to adapt their approaches and embrace the seasonal transitions, fall offers some of the year’s most rewarding fishing experiences.

The violent strikes, consistent action, and trophy potential make fall the season Harrington says he anticipate most each year. With proper preparation, quality tackle, and proven techniques, anglers can consistently experience the exceptional fishing that makes fall the highlight of the walleye season.