Catching eyes after dark?

[7outof10]

I live and do most of my fishing in southern minnesota but I am wondering what works for you for night fishing walleyes this time of year or even any open water time? After sun sets I cannot get a bite trolling cranks! I have tried some jigs and gulp with no luck. I tried throwing lip less cranks tonight with no luck either. Help please!

[solbes]

Well, I would say some lakes are very suited to night time walleye fishing and some aren't. Deep and clear lakes are a pretty good bet. Dark murky lakes are better suited for day time. Are there others catching walleyes after dark on the lakes you fish?

I can't tell you that I have great success trolling after dark, but it's usually a 50/50 chance game depending on time of the year. Usually trolling the deep weedlines with something that gets within 3-4 feet of bottom works for me. Trolling over deep rock piles also works well. Lures that have worked well for me trolling are Rapala deep husky jerk-baits, Rapala Tail Dancers, and Reef Runners. I have crept up on some structure and casted silver/blue Rattl Traps with good success. This is on a lake that is fairly deep and clear (14' clarity). Good Luck!

[7outof10]

the lake that i have been fishing is really green and dark and deep for lakes down here i have been on a good eye bit dering the day but can i even get a hit at night at all ......i know the fish are there im marking a lot of them .....day time they will bit come night thye stop ever day lol

[fishuhalik]

Solbe is right, for the most part. But before you give up your search, try heading shallow. I've done very well on eyes at night in less than 3fow. Just go to sandy/rocky shorelines and start casting jerkbaits. I haven't noticed too much of a preference, really anything that's dark-colored with a rattle in it should work.

[thrax]

Walleyes after dark can be one of the most fun fishing experiences there are. Getting on fish, often lots of them, with a spectacularly great average size helps. This is usually not the daytime finess bite, but crazy aggressive fish. I prefer long-lining in my area, and should cast more often as I have particularly good spots on spots I run trolling and could really tear up casting. I catch so many when its good, catching more might actually feel bad. Averaging 20 inches a fish is not uncommon, and at least 18 is almost always.

I prefer to run Rapala Original Floaters and in black and gold. Sizes vary but this time of year its 11's or 13's for me, and usually 13's. I own and will occasionally switch it up if I need to, but basically have never been outfished after dark fishing that color. And it works great after dark in almost all water conditions, dark, algae, clear doesn't matter much to me after dark. When running really shallow or depending on how high cabbage is grown up, I'll run no weight. If I have a little room to play with (and I am talking about running usually 5 to no more ever than 11ft and mostly not more than 9ft) I run a varying size of split shot in front of the bait. I hook the lure in the hookholder, and put the shot on about 2 inches short of the tip eye (all 7ft rods when trolling). The shot gives this very shallow bait a little more depth and acts as a freakin awesome weedguard, as it still will pull slightly below the level these shallow baits run at, when you contact a weed, rip the rod a time or two and run through perfectly clear. I also only use Fireline on these rods, cuts through weeds like a charm and you can usually easily shed any that do get hung up. Helps a ton when longlining and right when you got that perfect distance back you hook up some greenery.

This time of year this tactic can get particularly hot, darkness is earlier every day, so staying out till 1-2am is not necessary. And with reduced water temps for the season in northern MN, this pattern is going to nail a ton of large to super large fish this fall, and its basically going to start getting better from now until the full moon beginning of Sept. and continue on from there for a good while still. I am a muskie fanatic and this is my "secondary" specialty and I have a lot of friends coming from around the country this fall to visit in my area. I'll have to give up some muskie nights to take them out and fish but walleye pics with after dark backgrounds will start showing up with regularity. There is much in this post that should apply very well to southern MN lakes, try some stuff and see. Lol.

[Team Otter]

i have been on a good eye bit dering the day but can i even get a hit at night at all

It seems as if there's no reason to fish at night. I only do it when absolutely necessary.

[solbes]

I agree. If they bite well during the day, that probably means they are not actively feeding at night. Don't fight it!

[fishuhalik]

I agree. If they bite well during the day, that probably means they are not actively feeding at night. Don't fight it!

I whole-heartidly disagree. A lot of times the bigger fish in a lake really turn on at night. Take Winnie as an example. Very few people fish it at night because there's a good day bite, but they just don't know what they're missing out on. And if you're set up right for it, fishing at night is not much of hassel at all.

[SledNeck]

I always have my best luck night fishing in fall

[Borch]

I love to solitute of fishing at night in the fall. Even Mille Lacs has lessm traffic at night in the fall now. Other lakes I fish frequently don't have a nother boat on them much past an hour after dark. Just me, the stars and hungry walleyes.

[Whisker Warrior]

I learned how to fish by hunting eye's at night during the ice season as a kid....Love the Night Bite!