Walleyes have an excellent vision in the dim light and mostly feed at dusk or dawn. However, on dull and cloudy days, they are likely to feed all day and all night. Walleye are also known to feed more when the waters are rough and there is little light infiltrating the water. Such conditions are normally referred to as the ‘walleye chop’, when the wind reaches speeds of up to seven to twenty four kilometers per hour. The dimly lit conditions give the walleye advantage over their prey.

When the temperature of the water rises, the bigger walleye’s metabolism slows down and they tend to feed less. They are not very active in pursuing their bait, and will go for easy meal options. During the summer months when temperatures are highest, the walleye just focus their hunt near the fringes of baitfish schools. Even the bigger walleye will migrate to the shallow waters in the hunt for these baitfish, especially in the Western Lake area in the month of July.

From late May to July, two year old walleye become ravenous and forceful eaters. During these months, their feeding shifts to larger forage such as river shiners, chubs, young perch and cisco. They are also likely to feed on prey such as crawfish, frogs and even younger walleye. In the summertime, the walleye go on a ravenous feeding spree. The reason for this is that walleye have to feed more as the summertime activity rises. During early fall and turn-over, the forage migrates to shallow waters and the walleye follow them there.

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