Night trolling walleye

[fishinator]

Anyone have any tips for trolling for eyes at night? Areas to target? Baits and depth? I have had limited success in the past at maxinkuckee. Going to give it another shot tomorrow night.

[Teacherpreacher]

Have fished at night my whole life. Bass and walleye both. 1/2-3/8 oz spinners. Singles deep, doubles shallow. Plus Hot-n-tots, my go to bait, day or night. I don't troll!!! Very dangerous, many have fallen asleep, fallen overboard and drowned!!!!! Boring!!!!!!
Lakes I fish have shallow humps in deep water, humps come up to as shallow as 5'. I call it "circling the wagon". Put boat in 16' of water and cast toward the shallow hump, from dusk until about 11:00pm. If lake has a flat I fish the drop off early then move up shallower as night goes on.Fish the spinners shallow as they don't get hung up and deep because bass and walleye love 'em! Have caught many doing this.
Teach

[meandcuznalfy]

I toss jigs in the shallow flats where they feed in the evening, from before sundown to 10. I troll small rapalas from sunup until the sun gets on the water, then toss jigs in deeper water.

[RoeBoat]

Stick baits on planner boards work or if you're afraid of failing out of the boat you could cast!  These pigs were caught on Erie using stick baits behind planner boards.   They were close enough to shore you could have casted to them from the bank!  Maybe if your holding one pole and not doing it right it's boring but if you have 3 eight pounders on at once it's more like a fire drill!!!

[filetandrelease]

 Nice fish boat 👍

[RoeBoat]

Yes they were, looking forward to September for more reasons than just big eyes!

[Teacherpreacher]

Roeboat, I'm just pulling legs. I have trolled some and have caught fish, just prefer to cast. Whatever puts them in the boat!!!My old buddy use to say that about trolling. Sure miss that old friend.
Tight lines.
Teach

[fishinator]

Thanks for the replies. I really like the idea of a spotlight. I threw one in the boat. And you don't have to worry about nodding off and falling in with the guys I fish with, now getting drunk and falling in is always possible.

[RoeBoat]

Roeboat, I'm just pulling legs. I have trolled some and have caught fish, just prefer to cast. Whatever puts them in the boat!!!My old buddy use to say that about trolling. Sure miss that old friend.
Tight lines.
Teach

Old fishing buddies die hard.  I'm not 50 yet but I've already lost some great ones that can't be replaced!

[Jig_Head]

Yes they were, looking forward to September for more reasons than just big eyes!

College football!!

[RoeBoat]

Yeah that too!

[fishinator]

Well we tried casting, trolling and jigging about everything we had. Just one bass.
  We couldn't see anything with the spotlight but it wasn't the brightest. Probably need to try with a better one.
  We did see several other boats trolling. What's the secret to keeping floating weeds off your bait?

[RoeBoat]

Never tried s light.  Most guys don't fish it at night, too risky for them I guess.  Definitely a no no for licensed captains due to increased liability.

If they're in there good you don't need any lights or windchimes lol!  My buddy has been trolling it at night for years, typically in a small boat (16' v).

He's limited out with big fish in the fall in a little as 2 passes.  Literally can't get all the rods in the water.

From what I hear it's been a slow year for perch up there, better go work your magic!!!!

[RoeBoat]

Nothing quite like it (that I've fished)  for big (8lb+) eyes spring and fall.  No better way to put them in the boat than pulling big stick baits.

I would much prefer catching 15-20"ers in Ontario though.  Grew up on one of those rock bottom lakes and will never get enough of that. 

Back in the day it was 15lb mono going to a baitholder hook with half a night crawler tied to the business end of a 20' fiberglass pole.  Walleye, smallmouth,  perch, you just never knew! If you've never caught a 5lb+ smallmouth on a 20' cane pole you better put that on your bucket list!

[charlys1954]

……..I have read where guys will spotlight shallow areas and see the fish, then go back and fish it later...….

I would check with the DNR first, not sure if its legal.

I know in some northern states it used to be illegal to shine for eyes at night on some lakes, it may be on some Ind lakes too.