There’s a reason suspended walleye get missed by most anglers — they aren’t pinned to structure, and they aren’t showing up where you'd normally expect. These fish roam mid-depth basins chasing bait, especially in late spring and early summer. You might pass right over them thinking the screen is empty. But learn to read those faint arcs and adapt your presentation, and you’ll tap into some of the biggest, most aggressive fish in the lake. Let’s break it down.
Why Suspended Walleye Are Hard to Find (But Worth Targeting)
When walleye suspend off bottom — say 8 to 15 feet down over 25 to 40 feet of water — they’re often feeding. These aren’t resting fish. They’re tracking bait like smelt, young perch, or shad schools mid-column. But because they’re not holding tight to structure or hugging bottom, they disappear on traditional 2D sonar unless you know what to look for.
Most sonar users focus only on the bottom half of the screen. Suspended fish show up as soft, arching marks higher up — sometimes barely noticeable. Use side imaging or forward-facing sonar to locate pods of baitfish and track the fish orbiting above or below them. When you do find suspended walleye, you’ll often find active biters.
How to Use Electronics to Dial Them In
Side imaging is your best scout. Run your units wide (100–120 feet out) looking for scattered bait balls and the smudged returns of larger fish hanging near them. Suspended walleye often cruise just under the bait — not deep, not tight to structure, but just high enough to go unnoticed.
If you’re using forward-facing sonar, slow your boat and pan the water column. You’re not looking for clusters — you’re hunting for “loners” or tight pairs moving with intent. They’ll often move horizontally through the screen rather than sitting still.
Once you mark a depth range — say 12 to 18 feet — you need to match your presentation to sit above the fish. Walleye almost never eat down. They’re vertical predators, and if your bait’s below them, you’re wasting your time.
Getting Your Bait to the Right Depth (And Keeping It There)
Here’s where the mistakes start. Most crankbaits, unless perfectly tuned and precisely deployed, run deeper than suspended fish. If you’re marking fish 15 feet down and your bait’s diving 20+, you’re trolling under the strike zone.
Use line-counter reels to dial in your depth — or leadcore if you’re running longer sets. Snap weights and planer boards give you more control if fish are spooky or spread out. Shallow-diving cranks can be deployed with more line to stay up in the strike zone. In cleaner water, consider using a long fluorocarbon leader to reduce visibility.
If fish are higher in the column — 10 to 12 feet down — you might need to run lures just under the surface. Don’t be afraid to go unconventional. Shad-profile cranks on 50 feet of mono, spinner rigs with split-shot, or spoons trolled high can all do the job.
Vertical Presentations for Suspended Fish? Yes — But With Adjustments
When walleye are tightly grouped mid-column, you can drop on them vertically, but it’s a finesse game. Traditional jigging blades or spoons drop too fast and sink past them. Instead, use lighter baits with wide glides or hang-time — something like a 1/4oz Ghost Jig on mono or a flutter blade. The goal is to keep the bait in their face longer without shooting through the strike zone.
Watch your sonar closely — if a fish starts tracking upward, stop moving and let the bait hover. Trigger them with a snap or short pull and then let it flutter. Most bites come when the bait slows or pauses above the fish.
Final Thoughts
Suspended walleye demand more attention, more electronics work, and better bait control — but they also offer some of the most exciting bites of the season. These fish are actively hunting and willing to chase, especially when you're precise with your depth and speed.
Dial in your electronics. Learn to read between the lines — literally — and stay above the fish. Once you’ve cracked the suspended bite, you’ll start boating fish when everyone else is still staring at empty bottom.