Early Fall Walleye Fishing Tips
September is one of the best months of the year to chase walleyes. Cooling nights, falling water temperatures, and thick late-season weed growth make it a true transition period. Fish are shifting out of scattered summer patterns and beginning to group up on both weeds and structure, giving anglers excellent opportunities to catch both numbers of eater-sized fish and giant trophies.
Whether you’re fishing lakes, rivers, or reservoirs, September is about adjusting quickly, staying versatile, and having the right tools on deck. Here are five early fall walleye tips to help you put more fish in the net—powered by Livingston Lures.
Tip 1: Don’t Ditch Summer Tactics Too Early
Many anglers assume September means switching directly to minnows. While that can be true later in fall, early September still fishes a lot like summer. Walleyes are still feeding on crawlers, leeches, and baitfish in weed edges and transition areas.
Instead of going 100% into fall presentations, use a Livingston JerkMaster 121 or the Voyager to cover water the same way you’d fish live bait rigs. Both lures imitate the profile of summer forage and trigger reaction bites from walleyes that are still hanging shallow. Keep these in rotation before moving exclusively to deep-water minnow tactics.
Tip 2: Target Both Weeds and Deep Structure
Yes, baitfish start pushing out deeper in September, but don’t overlook weedlines. Thick, late-season weeds combined with cooling water temps make them a magnet for active fish.
Use the Livingston Deep Impact 18 to dig into offshore humps and points, or run the Livingston Pro Ripper across weed edges to trigger strikes from aggressive walleyes holding in cover. The key is not limiting yourself—check both shallow weedbeds and mid-depth structure. Many of the biggest fish will bounce between the two throughout the month.
Tip 3: Be Ready to Change Quickly
September walleyes can shift dramatically in just hours. Early in the day they may be piled into a weedline, but as conditions change they’ll slide onto offshore structure. Successful anglers adjust fast.
This is where Livingston’s lineup shines. The Jerkmaster 121 excels when fish are cruising shallow structure early, while the Walleye Minnow 111 can quickly cover offshore breaks if the fish slide deeper. Having a versatile mix of baits tied on lets you pivot with the fish instead of chasing yesterday’s pattern. The Blade Planer boards can be used to dial in on early fall trolling spreads when trophy class walleye are on breaks, structure and open water.
Tip 4: Be Prepared for Changing Conditions
Weather can swing wildly in September. Morning frost can turn into 75-degree afternoons. The same is true underwater—water temps and baitfish movement can flip in hours.
Pack a spread of lures that cover multiple zones. A Livingston JerkMaster for shallow cover, a Pro Ripper for mid-depth weedlines, and a Walleye Shad 70 for probing offshore breaks ensure you’re ready no matter how conditions shift. Just like layering clothing for unpredictable weather, layering your presentations keeps you in the strike zone all day.
Tip 5: Keep a Full Spread of Presentations Tied Up
Early fall walleye fishing is about efficiency. If you’re constantly retying, you’re missing windows of opportunity. Instead, have multiple rods ready with different Livingston presentations:
- Pro Ripper – lipless bait for weeds and aggressive fish.
- Deep Impact – for offshore structure and deeper transitions.
- JerkMaster 121 – for suspended walleyes and erratic triggering action.
- Walleye Sahd 70 and 90 – for breakline walleyes.
By keeping this spread ready, you’ll always have the right lure in your hands when the bite changes.
Final Thoughts
Early fall is one of the most exciting and rewarding times to target walleyes. The mix of late-summer weed action, cooling water, and moving forage creates opportunities to catch both numbers and trophies. By staying versatile, adjusting quickly, and relying on proven Livingston Lures like the JerkMaster, Pro Ripper, and Deep Impact series, you’ll be locked in for success. You can also dial in your fall trolling with Walleye Shad 70 and 90 as well as the Voyager.
Gear up this September and put the walleye of your dreams in the net.
