Full Moon Walleye

Fall means cooler weather, dropping water temperatures and active fish at Starvation Reservoir. As a matter of fact, the biggest walleye of the year come out of Starvation in the fall.

Early morning and evening are good times to go after the lunkers but the best time of all is at night when the moon is full. Get on the water just before dark. Get all rigged up and start fishing as the moon comes up. Troll along break lines or just off of ambush points, jig through rock piles and off of drop-offs. Keep trolling or casting and moving until you find a school of feeding fish.

When fishing for walleye, finding the fish is the most important part of the battle. Once the fish are located it isn't too hard to catch them if you remember a couple of basic things. First: walleye feed near the bottom so make sure your rig is literally bouncing off the rocks. If you aren't snagging rocks you aren't fishing deep enough. Second: walleye don't generally strike a lure or bait hard when you are jigging. They simply pick it up and suck it into their mouth. About the only thing you will feel is a slight tick or pulse. You will have to almost develop a 6th sense to know when to set the hook. With a little practice you'll get the hang of it.

Starvation walleye range up to about 15 pounds so your chances of catching a once-in-a-lifetime fish are pretty good. And, even if you don't pick up a trophy, there are lots and lots of smaller fish in the reservoir that will keep you evening from becoming dull. It's time to chase down some full moon walleye.