Yet, many outdoors enthusiasts have packed away their rods and exchanged them for guns or bows. I concentrate on walleye between early September and mid-October on mesotrophic shield lakes that offer a variety of depths and fish species. During summer, many of these lakes stratify and develop a thermocline. In fall, surface water cools and, combined with strong winds, ruptures the thermocline.
Surface water turns over and mixes with deeper, usually less-oxygenated, water.
It means a lot of deeper areas are now open to walleye. Timing of the turnover varies with the location, size, shape, and depth of the lake. Walleye fishing then isn't easier than in summer, but it is more straightforward. To be successful consistently there are key points that anglers should understand, but finding the fish is the main task. A general rule of thumb is to look deeper than you would in summer.