Fall walleye bite builds as Western Basin tributaries cool

What's biting

What's next

Expect water temperatures to keep sliding a degree or two over the next several days if nights stay cool, which tends to bring baitfish shallower and walleye with them. The warmest gauge, at 68°F, should drop first and the fish tied to it will likely follow the cooling trend.

The bottom-bouncer and crawler setup Frisch describes suits this window, since it covers the water column slowly when fish are feeding but not aggressive. Trolling also fits Erie's open water, and the Michigan Sportsman Forum poster is planning exactly that, though one forum post is not enough to call it proven.

The waxing crescent moon means darker evenings, so dawn and dusk are the periods worth planning around. Flows at the three gauges are modest, so water clarity should hold unless a front brings rain. A jump in cfs would be the signal to shift toward the lake side and away from the tributaries.

Context

Mid-October is typically the start of the fall walleye run in the Western Basin. Fish move off summer haunts as the lake cools and chase baitfish toward reefs, harbor entrances and river mouths. Tributary temperatures in the mid-60s are about on schedule for the date. The pattern generally strengthens into November as water drops into the 50s, so anglers hoping for the best fall action usually have several weeks. Check state regulations for current limits and seasons before harvesting.