October is when Lake Pend Oreille's walleye start to roam. Recent tagged-fish data shows that walleye cover more ground in early fall than at any other time of year, spreading out across the lake but reliably turning up in the same handful of places year after year. For fall anglers, the map is clear.
Start with the Clark Fork River. Outside of the spring spawning run, more tagged walleye show up in the Clark Fork in early fall than at any other time, a pattern that has held in most years since 2019 and lines up with the biggest monthly walleye harvest of the year in the Clark Fork area. Work the deep holes and runs, especially as kokanee move upriver.
Next, the Long Bridge and the Dover to Sandpoint stretch. Many walleye that spend the summer in the Pend Oreille River head back upstream toward Sandpoint or into the main lake in fall, and those movements funnel fish through this corridor, including the popular water around the U.S. Highway 95 Long Bridge and the nearby bridges.
On the north end, Kootenai Point and the Fisherman's Island area consistently produce high numbers of tagged fish in fall. And do not overlook the southern basin: the south end of the lake sees more walleye in fall than in any other season, with up to one-third of tagged walleye moving into the southern basin each year, often including some of the biggest tagged fish in the lake.
Depth is the other key variable. Depth-sensing tags show walleye sliding into deeper water as the season cools, from an average of about 13 feet in September to more than 20 feet by December. Fish a little deeper with each passing week, and favor presentations that reach the fish where they are holding.
A few October practicalities: lake levels begin dropping from summer pool, and the drop can affect launches by early to mid-October, so check your ramp before you tow. Dress for cold mornings on big water, and keep an eye on the wind. Fall walleye fishing on Pend Oreille rewards anglers who follow the fish, and this month the data says they are on the move.