How Cold Fronts Affect September Walleye

Walleye fishing in September can be one of the best times all year. Water temps are starting to drop, the fish are in a feeding frenzy, gearing up for winter, and they’re generally in pretty predictable areas. But what happens when a cold front rolls in? Many anglers would say the bite shuts off and it isn’t worth trying. While cold fronts definitely affect walleye behavior, you can still go out and get your limit. Here’s how.

When a cold front rolls in, walleye definitely feel it and react. Whether it’s the barometric pressure, the changes in the water, or figuring out where the walleye actually go, there’s a lot going on.

The first piece to pay attention to with cold fronts and walleye is the barometric pressure changes. As a cold front rolls in, the barometric pressure in the area is going to start dropping. Walleye notice this, and it actually triggers one of their most aggressive feeding times in the fall, as they want to feed heavily before the weather rolls in. After the cold front moves out, the barometric pressure in the area tends to rise sharply, and the fish aren’t in an active feeding mode anymore. Instead, they’re in more of a security mode, acting defensively and not feeding nearly as aggressively. This time can be some of the toughest fishing until the fish stabilize and return to normal again.

When a cold front rolls in during September, it’s common for water surface temps to drop a few degrees rapidly. This drop can be enough to make walleye in shallower water much less aggressive and less likely to feed. It’s also pretty common for skies to clear up after a front, which can be an issue as walleye are light-sensitive. This tends to push them out into deeper holes and out of shallow flats. However, one good thing about fronts in September is how quickly the walleye recover from changing water conditions. During the summer months, post-front walleye can take a long time to recover and start feeding again. However, in September, temperatures are already trending downward naturally, so the recovery from a cold front is much faster.

The main way that a cold front is going to affect a walleye’s location is going to be if they’re in shallow flats when the front rolls in. They’re going to get out of those shallow areas and hold in the nearest significant depth change they can find. They won’t go far, but they will move.

It’s common to find them piled up on steep vertical structure like sharp break lines, inside turns, and deep edges along whatever structure they were holding to before the front hit. If you’re fishing in an area that has moving water like a river or stream system, the walleye are going to be much less affected by the front. The walleye that are in this current when a front hits are more likely to stay pretty much in the same place as they were before.

When you know a cold front is headed your way, there are three main phases that you should pay attention to if you’re planning on chasing after a limit of walleye.

The 12 to 24 hours before a cold front hits are typically the best fishing you’re going to find. As barometric pressure falls, the bite gets hot. The walleye are all going to start feeding heavily and aggressively, moving all throughout the body of water looking for food. A wide range of depths and presentations can work really well before a cold front. If you know a front is on the way, it’s worth planning to spend some time out on the water chasing these fish before it hits.

Once the front is actively in your area, the fishing tactics change. First off, the weather isn’t going to be great during a cold front, so plan accordingly and bring some rain gear. As for the fish, they’re not going to be in the shallows anymore. Instead, find those deeper areas near the shallows. The fish aren’t going to completely shut down during the cold front; they’re just going to be a bit harder to figure out. If you can find the fish, good reaction presentations can still work really well.

After the cold front moves out is going to be the toughest fishing you’ll find. The skies are going to be clear, the temperatures are going to be down, and pressure is on the rise. It may be a great time to be outside fishing, but it’s probably going to be tough to get your limit. The fish are still going to be out deep, even more than usual. They’ll still be stacked up together, but they’re far less likely to chase after any presentation you put in front of them. After a cold front, you’re going to have to work really hard and be very patient in order to hook into walleye.

While it’s pretty tough to catch these fish immediately after a cold front, it’s not impossible. To start, you’re going to have to find the fish. Use your electronics and search areas of deeper structure somewhat near shallow flats and points. Chances are they’re going to be stacked up in these areas.

Once you find the fish, you need to put the right presentation in front of them. You don’t want fast-moving baits that move horizontally through the water. Instead, you want very slow presentations that you can drop right in front of them. Vertical jigging a walleye jig with some live or artificial bait is going to be your best bet after a cold front.

You need to take it slow with these fish after a cold front, so it’s actually better to size down your jig and let it slowly sink through the water column. Once you get it down to them, do slow jigs with plenty of time on the fall. This gives the fish a lot of opportunities to inspect your presentation and strike if they’re feeling up for a meal. If you’re using live bait, it’s not a bad idea to simply drop it down to the fish and dead stick it on the bottom, letting the fish go to it and bite when they’re ready.