For most anglers, the strong fall winds are regarded as a real nuisance. But for a walleye angler in the know, it's a sign that it's a time for some great fishing.

Windy conditions are the friend of an walleye angler. Under conditions like this, walleye become aggressive feeders, especially in areas that contain rocky, slow-tapering shorelines that eventually drop off into deep water.

Flat, tapering, long points that reach out into the main body of water are excellent spots to start your search.

When the wind is blowing either toward or across the area, small baitfish and other small species that the walleye feed on will be washed into the area. It's a real buffet for the walleye to feed. The smaller fish have a tendency to become disoriented in the churning waters of the area and become easy prey.

Many anglers find rough water conditions to be difficult. Precise boat control and holding your position are critical. By not holding your proper position in shallow water, you will not only spook the walleye from the area, but can find yourself striking rocks with the bottom of your boat.

If you're not experienced at good boat control, there is a solution. You can anchor just off the area you intend to fish and make long casts into the fish-holding areas. Make sure you have enough anchor line so that you can adjust the angle of your anchor line for a steeper angle on the anchor line, which will help insure a good hook-up with the bottom. Work over the area completely with baited jigs.

For those who feel more confident in boat-control skills, here is your chance to shine.

Start out fishing some small jigs in the 1/16th-ounce weight range and tip it with a nice lively minnow. This weight range has proven to work well in windswept areas used by the feeding walleye. This is especially true if the water depth does not exceed 6 feet or so. If you find that this is the case, you can move up to a 1/8th ounce jig for better lure control.

Keep in mind that the heavier you go in jig size, the faster your jig will fall through the water. When fishing these more shallow conditions, you want as slow a fall rate as possible. Start light and work your way heavier, only if necessary.

A lot of folks seem to worry about what color they should be using. In the fall and into early winter, you will do much better by using either bright colors like white or yellow, or by using natural colors that match the forage.

At times, you can get excellent results by using a plain, unpainted lead head jig, which has a resemblance to a natural forage minnow.

Another style of lure that works well is the simple hair jig. The hair jig will catch a lot of fish all year, but is a real killer in the fall. It's hard to beat a nice white fluffy hair jig cast out over the rocky, windswept areas. I tie my own jigs and always carry a large assortment of hair jigs in my boat. The reason? They just plain work.

The most-used method by anglers is to cast. Casting an area allows you to work over every nook and cranny completely. Look for areas such as cuts and current breaks. Walleye will use these areas to hide from the current and use as an ambush point for baitfish.

When casting into shallow water, keep your rod higher than you normally would while making your retrieve. Keeping steeper angle on your line will help you avoid snags. You still will get snagged on occasion, but this will help.

When making your casts, vary the depth at which you work your lure until you find the depth where the fish are feeding. They may be cruising the area anywhere between the surface and the bottom, so make sure you cover all depths.

When the winds of fall and even early winter are blowing, there are plenty of walleye to be caught.