Well maybe not quite yet, but you can check your equipment and get it ready. October and November usually means a trip out to Luna Pier at night. These cool nights usually drive the walleye in shallow searching for bait fish, I am just a little concerned that this upcoming warm spell we will have for about a week will keep them out further into the lake a while longer.
What can you look forward to while fishing off the pier? Well depending on the times you are out there, well for one, some tough fishing, but with a high reward factor. It might take a lot of casts, but when you get one hooked up, its usually pretty good sized. Do not be shocked to see someone with a 7, 9 or 12 lb walleye already landed. This time of the year it can get windy, and at times I have come back to the truck with a frozen beard from the mist and spray.
As much as I like my baitcasters, this is really one time where you need a spinning reel. Because of the possible winds, some of the stickbaits will get blown back causing a bird’s nest in your spool. Similiar to pier fishing on Lake Michigan, I like a longer rod and use a 8′6″ medium action. A 7′6″ is a good choice, but if all you have is a 7 footer, don’t stay home and miss the action. Have it spooled with either 8 or 10 lb mono, or in my case 20 lb Power Pro. Remember its not the breaking point of the line that I am looking at here, but the diameter of the line, which is size of 6 lb mono. I could go up to 30 lb and the 8 lb dia., but the 20 seems to cast well. Now I have snapped a rod down there before, there are a lot of rocks, so I use an 8 lb clear mono or Vanish leader. Granted with lure prices these days, it does hurt a little to lose a $7 crankbait, but better that than a 40, 80 or $100 dollar rod.
Lure choices are fairly simple; big, loud (rattles) and lots of action. This is night time fishing, and even though walleyes have some of the best eyesight of all the species, it doesn’t hurt to call them in, too. I do not take any lures under 6 inches in length. Floating Rapala’s are a good choice, the chrome sided Vampires are good and so are the Firetiger patterns. One of the best producing lures over the years has been a Bomber 15J in a redhead pattern. Besides the redhead, they have a ghost white back end, and this is a jointed lure. Just don’t expect the local shop or even Cabela’s to carry these, becauze they do not. Call ahead, shop around to find them, or even buy offline directly from Cotton Cordel, in their Bomber Division. You can search through www.lurenet.com, or go directly to the Bomber page here. This basically the only time of the year that I really fish Bombers hard.
Other equipment you might want to take with you is a cooler to put the fish, and to store some of your tackle. This is just a quick trip, a half hour from Ida and I only take one tray with me when I go. Waders are a good option, more and more folks are wading further out into the lake to cut off the angle of the fish. If you stay up on the pier, a long handled net is a must. You just cannot jerk these fish onto the pier like a bass fisherman does into the boat. Somethings going to give. Cold weather gear is a must, you will see folks in their best camo and blaze orange outfits trying to keep warm. Gore-tex with layers is also a good choice.
Some of the rigs/outfits the are out on the pier are worth studying. Some folks have the bigger standup coolers on wheels outfitted specifically for pier fishing. They will have pvc tubes or store bought tubes secured on the sides for holding a number of rods. A holder of some design secured in the front for tackle trays, hookouts and scents. Pretty snazzy and well thought out.
Last topic will be scent. It is dark out and you do want the fish to find your baits. Like muddy water, this is one of the few times I will break out the scent. Berkley makes a walleye scent thats readily available at most stores, including Meijers. There are several other brands available designed specifically for walleye as well.
Finally bring your thermos, its cold out there, and a little coffee, hot chocolate or even tea will help take the edge off. Some will take heaters, but whats the fun in that!