With water temperatures on Chautauqua Lake in the mid-70s in the Southern Basin starting this week, the walleye bite will definitely change from day to night action.

Back in the day, the majority of walleye fishing I did was in the late evening into the wee hours of the morning. Back then we really didn’t understand why, except for the fact that the fish were biting so that’s when we fished.

Oh, the days of the youth, just going with the flow.

Soon we discovered as the water temperature would rise to the right water temperature, walleye would prefer nighttime feeding. Over the years we have figured out once the water temps creep into the mid-70s, that is when it’s time to break out the lantern and flashlights.

Night fishing for walleye is one of the more unique fishing experiences you can have. It gives you the opportunity to catch the especially elusive, larger walleye.

Walleye feed in shallow water at night, so you can fish off a bank, wade in, cast or troll from a boat. Live bait works best when fishing at night like worm harness or leeches off the bottom. Artificial baits work well also; try a shallow-dive crank bait or a thick minnow plug. If you’re casting, use a slow retrieve and scope out the waters before you cast. The glow of the walleye’s reflective eyes can sometimes be seen at night.

When walleye fishing at night, the most important thing to do is prepare. Find where the baitfish/minnows are during the day because that’s where the walleye should be at night. Also, remember that walleye are creatures of habit so if you can learn their feeding schedule, you’ll know the best time to strike.

If you’re trolling at night, stay in water that’s no more than 15 feet deep. Start at dusk so you can establish your trolling pattern while you’re still able to see clearly. Again, remember that walleye feed up, so don’t set your lures much deeper than 3 feet.

A few more night fishing tips to keep in mind: at night, walleye are attracted to light, so use lighted or glow-in-the-dark jug heads; be sure to match your lure size with the bait size; always use a slip bobber; and be sure to reel in the slack before you set the hook.

Because the pace can be so slow and walleye often frequent small areas, anglers find it more important to know which areas work so they don’t see the sunrise before the walleye. While the location of walleye will vary from day to day and lake to lake, on inland fisheries such as Chautauqua and Cassadaga lakes, there are a couple areas that always seem to play a role.

With today’s technology, most of the homework can be done without even seeing the lake. Digital mapping or an old paper map allow you to find all of the productive areas below, except lights.

Man-made structures and added rock or concrete in the water is almost like a main lake reef. The generally shallow water and lights close by make a great congregating place for baitfish and an equally good ambush point for walleye.

Not a surprise to anyone, shallow reefs can hold a lot of life, especially in the fall. Walleye seem to prefer shallow reefs that have access to deep water. Look at decent-size flats on the windblown side for best results.

Primarily found on larger bodies of water such as the Great Lakes, these areas can funnel bait as they look to get out of the current and hide in the slightly warmer water. Large pier heads, secondary break walls and even boat launches can be places to look.

Also don’t forget lights. Lights draw minnows, and minnows draw walleye. Large flood lights that operate every night prove most consistent, so concentrate in the shadows outside of the lighted area.

In an ideal world it is best to scout out these areas just before dark. If you haven’t been to the area before it may keep you from ripping off a lower unit. Even if you know the lake exceptionally well, it will allow you to determine the water clarity and if a mud line exists. Water clarity will determine how far walleye will — or can — chase bait and often can help you eliminate water for that night. Don’t be afraid to fish slightly stained water.Baitfish love it as a cover and it can also make the walleye less spooky and not as aware of your presence.

Night fishing shouldn’t be complicated, actually the exact opposite. Taking the time to eliminate things you don’t need and have everything put away will go a long way to having better efficiency and breaking less gear. If you don’t need it, leave it at home. When you are in the cold and in the dark, everything is more difficult than if you were doing it in July in the middle of the day.

An electric trolling motor will keep you on your spot and in a way that the walleye won’t even know you are there. The Minn-Kota I-Pilot has a feature called spot lock that holds you on a spot at the touch of a button for precise and low maintenance boat control when casting. Using this same trolling motor while trolling allows you to easily steer and make incremental speed adjustments in a low-maintenance fashion, all while being quiet.

Besides being required by law, they could keep another boat from running you over. I prefer at night to replace the typical 3-foot or so anchor light with a taller two-piece light. This taller alternative will keep the light beam out of your eyes and not wreck your night vision.

The first thing most guides like me like to do on a night trip is go around and collect all of the flashlights like a school teacher does with cellphones. Constantly turning lights on and off will spook fish, let other boats know what you are doing and ruin your night vision. Instead, only use lights when necessary and substitute a black light bulb where able. Another trick is to add red cellophane over flashlights and headlamps to keep from spooking fish.

The trolling vs. casting discussion can quickly turn into a Hatfield-McCoy affair. At night, however, it isn’t one or the other, but often both for efficiency reasons. When fishing large break walls or the edges slow trolling is more efficient and can allow you to run in shallower water without spooking them.

Those in the know, know hands-down that stick baits will produce and cover water, whether casting or trolling on most bodies of water. This is not to say that lipless or shad-shaped lures don’t have their moments.

Once we have found a good school and go searching for bigger fish, we break out the lighted slip bobbers or bottom bounce or crawlers. This helps us target a particular area and zone in on limiting out.

Nighttime fishing is and can be a ton of fun but requires little prep and safety. Always be prepared even on the quietest of nights. More than once have we been almost bumped into. Between the darkness and fog, the water can be interesting but also can produce good limits during the heat of the summers.