I bring back this OG TargetWalleye.com write-up each fall back because it’s tough to beat "the chubbin’ bite" now that water temps have finally dropped. Oh, and it's only going to get better! Travis Sorokie knows what's up:

Water temp

“You can catch fish all year doing this, but I really get excited for the big-minnow bite once the water has cooled down to 62 degrees...ideally 58-60. It stays good until temps hit 45 or so...after that the fish have already fed heavy for a couple of weeks and are now transitioning to winter patterns. You can still catch ’em, just not nearly as many.

“This time of year I hit the water as soon as I can be out there – especially in clear-water lakes. You’ll have your best shot at sticking a big fish during the typical low-light periods. Later in the fall you can sleep in [or get yard work done in the morning lol]. The bite will pick up later in the day after the water has a chance to warm up, and they’ll continue to bite all day.”

Location

“Many weeds start to die off when the water temps drop below 68 degrees. That’s why you’ll notice piles of weeds floating around out there. A lot of the baitfish have pulled out of those dying weeds and are now schooled up in open water. The wind positions the baitfish on structure and the fish follow.

“Pay attention to which direction the wind has been blowing from in the days leading up to your trip. Even fishing in deep water such as 35-50′ the fish will still typically be stacked on the windblown sides of underwater points, bars and breaks.”

The meat

“Walleye prefer a larger minnow in the fall when the water temps are on the drop. It’s the 4-7” redtails and creek chubs that seem to work best most days, but sometimes even bigger.

“Why creek chubs and redtails? Because they’re hardy minnows that will often swim right along with the boat. There’s times you’ll actually feel them ‘getting excited’ down there the moment before a walleye smacks them.

“You can catch the occasional fish on a sucker minnow, but they’re usually too lethargic for this technique and will end up being drug behind the boat [versus lively darting from side to side.]”

Weight selection

“I run a 1/2- to 1-oz egg sinker depending on minnow size, wind and depth. The 3/4-oz seems to be good all around, but I bump up to a 1-oz anytime I’m fishing 30′ or deeper. The bigger sinker also helps to anchor that minnow and keep it in the strike zone.”

“Egg sinkers because they’re super dense for their size and work perfect for this application. I’m not dragging them on bottom, I’m trying to fish the sinker like a jig – keeping it 6-18” off bottom and as vertical as possible. Occasionally drop it down to tap bottom and raise it back up.”

Speed

“Trolling between 0.3-0.8 mph covers most scenarios for pulling big minnows in the fall. When it’s calmer I’ll start off on the slow end of that to stay right over the tops of fish. If the wind is blowing there will be a current that seems to get everything moving down there [on the bottom] – that’s when I’ll pick up the speed.”

Don’t set the hook too soon

“When I’m pulling big 5-7” minnows I’ll drop the line as soon as I feel a hit and point the rod tip straight back – that way the fish feels as little resistance as possible [when pulling line out].

“I start out giving them a 25-30 second count before I set the hook. It will seem like forever before you get used to it. I’ll even wait 35-40 seconds on days that they’re sluggish. That gives them more time to turn that minnow around in their mouth after they t-bone it.

“A lot of guys do a low sweeping hookset, but I pick up the slack and set the hook straight up vertically. It helps to drive the hook right into the roof of its mouth. I feel it gives me a better hook-up percentage and lose less fish that I do have on.”

Try tail-hooking your chubs

“I like tail-hooking chubs with a longer 5-7’ leader when the fish are a little more aggressive and feeding. The minnows struggle so much more when you tail hook ‘em – can actually feel that redtail get nervous and try to get away when a fish is near.

“That’s when I’ll sometimes open my bail up and let the minnow go for 10 seconds...stop the line with my finger to feel if a walleye picked it up...lot of times they’ll chase the minnow down and smoke it.

“Also find I have a better hook-up ratio when tail-hooking big minnows. Fish are gonna hit the chubs head first...so that hook is already in a good position to hook the fish in the top of the mouth...don’t need to let them take it as long when setting the hook.

“Tends to work best when sitting right on top of fish or barely crawling along...otherwise the chubs will die more quickly from being pulled backwards.”

More info here.

For those of you that can't sit still...it's also Jigging Rap SZN! The ultimate reaction bite, and in my opinion one of the most satisfying (and efficient) ways to catch a walleye. Of course they bite it all year long...but things get extra silly as water temps finally dip into the upper-50s.

This video breaks down the locations I’m finding walleyes at right now in central MN, a rundown of my Jigging Rap setup and cadences for fall walleyes. Hope you enjoy!

All of the gear I used (sizes, weights, rod, reel, you name it) is always linked in the video’s description. ???? Thanks SO much for watching!

Mega props ???? to Michelle Ginn for getting it done from the ‘yak with an 8-lb CO walleye. Posted by @co_yak_fishing on IG:

There’s way too many great shots on the @meul_outdoors IG page to choose just one. Love how he’s getting up close and personal with these Metro-MN walleyes and winning in hand-to-hand combat!

Love at first bite? From @northernkayakangler:

And Jake Billings seems to catch big everything from his kayak ???? but also stays on the SD 'eyes. Cool pic!

Rigging big minnows + slinging Jigging Raps = gets all the glory in fall ‘cuz it’s THE ultimate 1-2 punch...but there’s a 3rd uppercut you need to have in your fall walleye fishing rotation. ????

Those shallow fish always seem to be getting overlooked around here:

I might be biased because I have a 6-yr-old daughter, but this video post was too dang good not to share LOL:

1. SD: Giant 15-lber caught near Mobridge

This Missouri River giant caught by Luke Spickler went 32” long and weighed 15.07 lbs. ????

You think we'll see another record-breaker caught this year?!

2. MB: Father/son duo wins Pine Falls derby

That's James and Randy Hiebert who had a 2-day total of 51.15 lbs (full results) at the St Georges Voyageurs Walleye Classic out of Pine Falls = $22,750 in cash and prizes. Congrats fellas!

3. MN: MTT is having a Mille Lacs Lake shootout on Oct 26

That’s the Minnesota Tournament Trail. Looks to be some bigtime payouts in this derby (1st: $15K. 2nd: $8K, 3rd: 4K) based on 75 boats signing up. ????

And here’s a look at the 2025 MTT schedule.

4. WI: NPAA annual conference is happening Jan 3-4

Will be at Chula Vista Resort and Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells. NPAA = National Professional Anglers Association. Great chance to network with pros who’ve had success on and off the water, and learn about the business side of the sport.

Btw NWT champ Tom Huynh is one of the featured speakers. ????

5. NPAA Dir. Pat Neu awarded Lifetime Achievement Award

At the 2024 ASA Sportfishing Summit.

6. Patterson Leeth now with Megabass

I mentioned last week that Patterson was no longer with Simms, and how no doubt he would be scooped up FAST. Couple days later he was announced the new director of marketing at Megabass. Congrats to both!

7. Great post on how to improve your Humminbird MEGA SI/DI

Tips for cleaner Side and Down Imaging returns in dirty water...by tweaking the settings for Water Column Sensitivity, Dynamic Contrast, and changing your frequency. Helpful stuff!

8. MN: Zeebz confirmed in Rice Lake (Hennepin County)

9. Blackfish x Lund collab ????

10. FishUSA has Hit Sticks buy 2 get 1 free today

11. Custom painters: Bill Lewis has got ya covered...

...with 3 new Precise Walleye Crank colors (chrome body, clear body,​ and bone body) that come with unattached hooks and split-rings so they’re ready to beautify:

12. RBFF adds Lenn Scholz to Board of Directors

13. GA: Huge boat graveyard near Lake Lanier

Feels like I see “car graveyards” in about every little tow I drive thru, but a “boat graveyard” is a first for me haha. Apparently this salvage yard is home to thousands of boats:

Mono vs braid: Rigging big chubs for fall walleyes.

A lot of folks hopped on the braided-line bandwagon and never left...BUT there’s times when mono can out-produce, out-catch and out-kick braid’s butt (lol).

Here’s tourney-nut Jake Caughey talkin’ why he runs mono when soaking big redtails and creek chubs for fall walleyes:

Nearly spit my coffee out when I came across this FB post from Lindner's Angling Edge. ????????

Not sure there’s anything more beautiful in the world than big “greenback” walleyes out of Manitoba’s Lake Winnipeg. Jake Caughey said this 13-lber [!] crushed his Northland Smeltinator Jig while pre-fishing for the St. Georges Voyageurs Walleye Classic out of Pine Falls, where he eventually finished 3rd. ????

Don’t try this at home, kids.... From tattoo artist Joel Marlo:

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026