The Walleye Zone

09/10/2026

STOP FISHING THE WHOLE POINT! 🎣

Finding a good-looking point is only the beginning. Fall walleyes often aren't using the ENTIRE structure—they may be concentrated on one small, high-percentage section.

That's why two of my favorite places to check in fall are POINTS and INSIDE CORNERS.

As walleyes transition from their summer patterns, these areas can become natural travel routes, feeding areas and stopping points.

But here's where many anglers go wrong…

They pull up to a point and start fishing instead of first figuring out WHERE on that point the walleyes should be.

Look at the depth, breaklines, nearby deep water, available forage and what your electronics are telling you. Sometimes a very small section of a much larger structure is where everything comes together.

Don't just find good-looking structure.

Find the BEST spot on the structure.

FIND THE STRUCTURE → FIND THE FORAGE → FIND THE WALLEYES

👉 Want to learn more about finding and catching walleyes throughout the fall transition? Head over to TheWalleyeZone.com

TheWalleyeZone.com — For Everything Walleye.

09/09/2026

September in The Walleye Zone we are talking about the "Late Summer Transition" - a time when many walleye anglers struggle finding and catching fish as they "slide" away from summer spots, but aren't yet ready to head to fall migration routes.

Join us at www.thewalleyezone.com to learn where fish go, how they act and the best ways to catch them during this transition.

09/09/2026

Another Michigan Walleye Tour flashback, this one from May 2000 on Houghton Lake.

I learned my basic walleye fishing on Lake Nepessing in Lapeer, a shallow, w**dy lake that taught me how to understand how walleyes used w**ds, how to fish them effectively, how to not get frustrated in the w**ds and how to pattern consistent w**d bites, so Houghton Lake become one of our favorite MWT stops because it fished exactly the same.

We had great success on Houghton, cashing good checks every time we were there and winning the big fish check at least one day every time we were there. This fish, just under 5 lbs., was big fish of the 2000 event, caught off of a lonely clump of coontail in 12' of water just off the edge of a sharp dropping point with cabbage growing to the edge - one of my FAVORITE spots for hunting big w**d walleyes!!

The infamous "W**d Drift Rig" my brother Kirk Valentine put together the first time we visited Houghton caught this fish that couldn't resist a big juicy leech!

09/07/2026

Fall walleyes are starting to move…but where are they going? 🎣

Finding inland lake walleyes in the fall isn't just about knowing a few good spots. It's about understanding WHEN fish begin moving, WHY they're moving, and WHERE they're likely headed next.

Cooling water, shorter days, changing forage locations and eventually turnover can all change where walleyes spend their time.

The trick is learning to recognize the clues BEFORE the fish show up in their traditional fall locations.

Don't just find the fish — learn to track the movement.

That's exactly what we're covering right now at The Walleye Zone with our Fall Walleye Playbook.

👉 Head over to TheWalleyeZone.com and check out the Fall Walleye Playbook for more information on locating, patterning and catching walleyes throughout the fall transition.

READ THE WATER → FIND THE FORAGE → TRACK THE WALLEYES

TheWalleyeZone.com — For Everything Walleye.

09/05/2026

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Big John Here

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09/04/2026

Yes, I know it's September, but this never gets old!!

I will be heading back to the Detroit River to guide for a few weeks this October and there are a lot of fish like these waiting to be caught!! Stay tuned for details and open dates!!

09/04/2026

Where should you look for walleyes on an inland lake this fall?

Before you start looking for spots, start by understanding the TYPE OF LAKE you're fishing.

Not all inland lakes fish the same—and differences in depth, structure, forage and available habitat can have a big impact on where walleyes move as fall progresses.

In this Fall Walleye Playbook video, we look at different inland lake types and how understanding the lake can help you narrow down your search for fall walleyes.

Instead of asking…

“Where should I fish?”

Start asking…

“What type of lake am I fishing—and what should the walleyes be doing here?”

That's how we start turning fishing spots into fishing patterns.

READ THE LAKE → FIND THE FORAGE → TRACK THE WALLEYES

Check out the video and let me know in the comments: What type of inland lake do YOU fish most often?

For more great walleye fishing information check out www.thewalleyezone.com

09/03/2026

STORY TIME!!

Okay, it's 2001 and I'm getting ready the night before my first ever Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) tournament as a pro on the Detroit River. Putting the final touches on getting rigged, getting stuff in the boat, plugging in the chargers and covering for the night. My good buddy Steve Bohn is at the same hotel and it's getting late (about midnight).

We are walking down the halls, talking a little louder than we should at midnight with a bunch of grumpy old fishermen in the hotel.

All of a sudden, a door busts open, an old guy with a beard, standing in the hall in "tighty whities" and old man legs bellows "God Damn it, it's midnight, you little sh*ts should be sleeping" and slams the door!

I look at my buddy and say, "we just got yelled at by Gary Roach"!

A core memory from my first ever PWT tournament....Sorry Gary!!!