Fall walleye and bass settle in as Indiana waters cool

What's biting

What's next

Expect temperatures to keep sliding toward the low 60s over the coming week, which is the trigger for fall feeding. Largemouth and smallmouth bass should keep tracking baitfish to remaining green weed edges, a pattern Fishing the Midwest describes as fish relocating to live weeds as others die back. Plan for low light mornings and late afternoons for shallow presentations, then slow down with jigs when the sun is high.

For walleye, Fishing the Midwest rates the plain rig, a bottom bouncer with a snell and nightcrawler, as a dependable choice in cooler water. Gauge 03335500 is carrying 4,660 cfs, a lot of current, so river anglers should look for slack water and seams, and expect faster flow to make bottom contact harder. The waxing crescent moon gives dim nights, so dawn and dusk windows matter more than moon timing this week.

Context

Mid October is typically a transition period for Indiana rivers and Lake Michigan tributaries. Surface temperatures in the upper 60s are slightly warm for the date, so the full fall pattern may lag a little behind a cooler year. As water drops through the 50s, bass tend to feed more aggressively ahead of winter, and walleye move onto structure and current breaks. Check state regs before harvesting.