Slow Fall for Cold Water Walleye Success

Walleye fishing can be some of the most fun you can have out on the water. There are plenty of methods out there to try, like trolling stickbaits or jigging with live bait. They can all work, but when the water temperatures start to drop, nothing works quite as well as the slow fall method for walleye. 

Once the water temperatures drop to around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, walleye metabolisms start to drop dramatically. They feed far less frequently than during warm months, they move around less, and they look for more opportunistic feeding on easier prey.

Additionally, these fish start to hold tight to the bottom, looking for areas with structure, humps, or deep transition zones.

These factors all play a large role in why the slow-fall presentation works so well for walleye. With this method, you’ll be doing very subtle vertical lifts and pauses, followed by a slow and controlled drop back to where you started. This style puts your presentation in the strike zone for longer, and doesn’t require much energy at all for the fish to grab on. When doing this, you’re essentially mimicking a slow or dying baitfish, trying to trigger an opportunistic bite.

There are some great options when looking for the right lure to use for the slow-fall method for walleye this time of year.

Flutter spoons are designed to act just like the name suggests. These spoons typically slowly spin as you lift them up through the water column, then they slowly flutter back down on the descent. This is great for mimicking a dying baitfish or a suspended minnow that a walleye would want to eat. 

Jigging raps are another solid choice for the slow-fall method for walleye. These lures are designed to look just like a small minnow, making them ideal for a lazy walleye. You can slowly lift these to get minimal movement as they travel upward. On the descent, you can drop them or do a controlled drop, depending on how much down and outward movement you want from the lure. 

If you want to go even smaller, consider using a typical winter walleye jig. You can use these with some smaller bait like small minnows or small soft plastics. These are a much more vertical option, as they won’t have any fins or fluttering built in to slow them or move them, so try to go as light as you can for the water depth you’re in. 

In general, you’ll want to use smaller baits that imitate baitfish well. However, different conditions can impact this. If you’re fishing in cold water with good visibility, then stick to the more natural looking colors and go as small as you can get away with. If you’re fishing in stained water, you may want to go for something brighter or flashier to try to grab the attention of a walleye in the nearby area.

One thing that may impact the size you can use is the depth you’re fishing in. If you’re finding walleyes in depths of 20 feet or deeper, you may need to try something larger than you’d normally use, just so that you can easily get to those depths and still maintain bottom contact.