Targeting Deep Structure for Late Summer Walleye

When most anglers think of walleye fishing, they remember those days before, during, and shortly after the spawn. This is when walleye are concentrated into specific areas, and it’s (relatively) easy to go out and catch a limit. However, when this window closes, these same anglers may have a hard time finding walleye and move on to other species altogether.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here’s how to find walleye in deep structure during some of the hottest months of the year.

Walleye can be tricky to find in those late summer months. One key thing to be on the lookout for is the thermocline. This is the sweet spot for water temperature for these fish. Oftentimes, the shallow water is going to be too hot for them during the day, so they’ll look to go deeper. In some larger lakes and reservoirs, the deepest points can actually be too cold and without enough oxygen, so walleyes will actually be in the sweet spot in between. In general, you’re going to want to look for deeper water with specific features (more on that later).

Another factor to pay attention to is where the baitfish are going. Walleye are actively feeding this time of year, and baitfish are one of their favorite meals. These baitfish are typically going to move into the deeper water that is oxygenated as well, so the walleye will follow. Dying vegetation can help push the baitfish deeper, too, as without the cover they were hiding in, they’ll need to move to deeper structures for protection.

So we know they’re not usually going to be pushed up shallow, and instead opt for deeper water. But what kinds of structures and features should you be on the lookout for?

One of the most popular places to look for walleye this time of year is on sunken islands and mid-lake humps. These are generally going to be isolated areas in the open water that come up from the deeper water, anywhere from 12 to 20 feet. It’s a good idea to work over these areas, as well as around them, as the walleye may use them as a transition zone to go deeper as needed. If you can find either of these features next to steep basin drop-offs or river channel edges, those are going to be prime spots to fish.

Another great area to look for walleye in the late summer is along deep points and extended breaklines. These areas are main lake points that extend far out into the open water and drop off into the deeper areas of the main lake. Similar to humps, walleye will use these areas as a transition zone. It’s a good idea to work all around these, focusing on areas where there are steep drop-offs, as well as areas that are more gradual into expansive flat areas. Additionally, if you can find any rock piles or other small pieces of structure along these points and breaklines, those are going to be hot spots for walleye.

If you’re having a hard time finding the other kinds of features listed above and you’re fishing in a deep body of water, don’t be afraid to try for the open water bite.

Instead of keying in on a specific piece of structure, you can try to find walleye on the bottom or suspended throughout the water column as they’re chasing after baitfish in the most optimal water.

If you’re doing this method, it’s a good idea to have some electronics along so you can identify where the fish are and how deep you need to go to fish them.

Once you’ve got some good fishing spots identified for these late summer walleye, it’s time to actually fish for them. There are two tried and true methods that work really well for these fish this time of year.

One of the most common ways of fishing for walleye all year round is vertical jigging. For this method, you’ll just need a walleye jig and some bait. Leeches, worms, and minnows are all great live bait options, but there are plenty of soft plastic alternatives on the market that work incredibly well for these fish.

For this method, you pick your spot, drop your jig down, and do a consistent vertical jig where you think the walleye are hanging out. Alternatively, it’s not a bad idea to have a few jigging-style blade baits with you. These work incredibly well for walleye and don’t need bait attached in order to be effective.

Another really common way to fish for walleye in the late summer is trolling. For this, you’ll want to use jerkbaits, stickbaits, or crankbaits. The one you choose will largely depend on how deep you need to fish. This time of year, you’re usually going to need something that dives down deep. However, if you’re trolling the edges of points where the water is pretty shallow, make sure to switch your lures accordingly. Trolling is going to be most effective when you follow the edge of a breakline or a point, keeping your lure in the strike zone along the transition line as long as possible.

Another great option when trolling is a live bait spinner rig. These are designed to hold worms and be trolled along some of these deeper areas. If the walleye are ignoring your lures, this might be what you need to switch to.

While deep water is typically the place to look for walleye in the late summer, it’s not a bad idea to find a night when the moon is bright and do some night trolling. If you do this, you’ll instead want to find shallow, expansive flats and troll your lures in these areas, as it’s pretty common for walleye to push up shallow at night to feed.