By late summer, lakes have entered their warm-water phases and most insect hatches have slowed to a trickle. Walleyes become more lethargic at this time of year. Some are still digesting bellyfuls of mayflies, while others sit with empty stomachs but little interest in feeding. It’s the season when walleyes follow jigs, swimbaits, rattlebaits, or ‘crawlers up to the boat—and then turn around to go back to the pod you’re watching on forward-facing sonar. Sometimes, the entire school moves from the spot. Walleyes may not actually be crabby, but they sure can act like it.

Technology has changed how anglers see fish, but it still doesn’t make them bite. On clear lakes, I’ll sometimes drive clients directly over the schools so they can watch 19- to 27-inch walleyes scatter beneath the boat on my Humminbird XPLORE MEGA Live 2. I call it “visiting Jurassic Park.” What exactly is going on? Walleyes are resting and digesting on the edge of the sand. Some lakes have several resting areas, but one common factor is that they are always near the top on the edge of a sharp break.

Bro Pro Tip: When fishing with a friend or switching boats, I bring my own graph on a Fish Armor Shuttle and Pro Pole so I can fish like a pro no matter what boat I’m in.

Spending lots of time on the water has helped me see different behaviors on different spots. Leave the barren sandbanks where walleyes are resting and using the extra warmth to digest. Rocks, weeds and spots where the fish are swimming tend to have more aggressive fish to fill angler limits.

Roaming biters

All year long, look to good structures in a central location near deep basins to hold biting fish. Some structures will have scattered rocks/boulders that act like magnets for feeding walleyes. Add vegetation, such as cabbage on the edges, and you have the perfect ambush point where walleyes can pin fleeing minnows to an edge.

During the warm-water months, walleyes on these high-percentage spots tend to roam the edges, looking through the minnow and crayfish options for forage that fits their appetite. As late summer progresses, bigger perch and baitfish are on the menu. Large redtail chubs, creek chubs, and sucker minnows are effective when dragged on a rig through these areas. Four- to 6-inch minnows are often a guaranteed bite.

As water temperatures begin to cool in late summer, the minnows that the walleyes take are big. Six- to 10-inch minnows aren’t really minnows anymore; they are small fish, and walleyes attack them aggressively. Dragging a large creek chub can feel like walking a small dog that suddenly spots another dog; the bait becomes frantic when a walleye starts following it. The walleye strikes hard because it has to catch the minnow.

That’s why anglers drag chubs with the reel bail open and a finger lightly on the line. When the fish hits, the angler releases pressure and lets the walleye run with the bait. Feeding line is important to allow the fish to stop and swallow the bait before setting the hook.

A widely used setup includes a size 4 or 6 red Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap hook tied to 4 to 6 feet of 8- to 10-pound Sunline FC leader, which holds up well to abrasion when dragged along the bottom behind a slip sinker. A 7-foot, medium, extra-fast St. Croix Legend Elite rod paired with a larger, 2000-size SEVIIN GX reel helps quickly pick up slack during the hookset. Reel in fast to absorb slack until the rod bends from the weight of the fish, then finish with one smooth, sweeping hookset to drive the hook into the bony mouth of a large walleye.

They like to chase

Warm water brings different walleye personalities to life. Anglers pitching bobbers with ‘crawlers or leeches, along with jigging plastics and bait, watch fish follow all the way to the boat and retreat. This is the time for old-school trolling. Slowly dragging ‘crawler harnesses or single-hook spinners tipped with a leech or minnow triggers bites, even in gin-clear water.

The reason is simple: Walleyes love the chase. A cast eventually runs out of room when it gets to the boat, but a slow troll or drifting presentation keeps moving naturally until the fish finally bites. Drifting can be extremely effective on clear lakes, especially when setting a straight line through rocks and structure. Using Minn Kota Drift Mode helps keep the boat moving in a useful direction where the fish are scattered. In clear water, longer casts or letting more line out away from the boat produces better results.

Personally, I prefer jigs over harnesses. Jigs with an underspinner work best. A Northland Deep-Vee, tipped with half a ‘crawler or a fathead minnow, can be epic when drifting with subtle, 1- to 2-foot hops. Try different colors until one gets hit multiple times. With more people in the boat throwing different colors, you can quickly see what the fish prefer.

The underspin jig may be one of the most underutilized walleye weapons. Between the jig color, the flashing spinner blade, and the movement of a ‘crawler threaded onto the hook, the bait resembles a molting crawfish. The blade flashes directly above the fish’s line of sight, while the plastic keeper pins the ‘crawler in place, creating a presentation that walleyes have a hard time ignoring.

Bro Pro Tip: I guide throughout the summer in flat, calm water and bright sun. I always recommendthat anglers protect themselves by covering exposed skin to reduce the risk of sun damage. Lightweight, high-performance gear like Fish Monkey performance face guards, Stubby Guide Gloves and AFTCO Samurai Hoodies help keep skin protected.

Trolling plastics

I use plastics for 60 to 70 percent of the guide season because they consistently work well. The key is matching different shapes that work better at different times.

In warm water, Northland Eye Candy Paddle Shads put a lot of fish in the boat. The Grub shape also shines in heat, especially when paired with a Deep-Vee Underspin, drifting on brisk days. When the boat drifts anywhere from just over 1 mph up to 1.8 mph, match the wind speed with the right size jig: lighter with less wind and heavier when it’s gusting. The goal is to stay within 2 to 3 feet off the bottom.

Retrieve matters just as much. A quick, jigging snap of 2 to 3 feet can trigger bites, while other days a steady, “buggy whip” jigging motion of 1/2 to 1 foot is more effective. Trolling at 1.5 to 1.8 mph with lines extended about 60 feet behind the moving boat also keeps baits in the strike zone.

Whether your boat has a 24- or 36-volt setup, I’ve enjoy longer run time and less weight with Amped Outdoors lithium batteries. A single or double, 24- or 36-volt setup replaces two or three batteries wired in series, weighs less than half of lead acid batteries, and delivers more, efficient power throughout the day.

Happy walleye hunting. Just remember that sometimes walleyes want to chase before they bite!