What kind of lure for walleye

I really like natural colors like black, white and brown. Tails tipped with chartreuse in these colors are effective in stained water. Jig, drag, or swim these along the bottom. Many of these techniques produce about a foot or so off the bottom. Walleye crankbaits are predominantly known for their trolling applications, typically behind planer boards to spread multiple lures apart and to avoid the commotion generated from the boat and motor.

A deep diving crankbait that drives Ft. These should be trolled along expansive Flats and Reefs during the summer months. Trolling requires a boat and is somewhat advanced, but I recommend having a crankbait in your arsenal if you are a shoreline angler.

These lures are great for searching out walleye, then alternating to a more targeted approach, like a slip bobber rig, once you can zone in. They will also catch a fair share of pike and bass which makes for exciting evenings on the water.

I like to use paddle tails when I can locate schools of baitfish. Full Nightcrawlers are typically saved for spinner rigs but can also be a great float option. For more information on how to use live bait in various Freshwater fishing scenarios check out our post Live Bait Fishing.

Jigging is the most popular technique for targeting Walleye, we will cover this tactic in more detail near the end. To jig you will need jig heads. For jigging live bait, it is critically important to use Fireball style jigs.

These are Walleye specialized jig heads that have no lead barb on the base of the jig and the hook shank is short with a wide gap. You tip your jig by the lips of your Minnow or the head of your Leech so they can panic lively as you fish. Chartreuse is my go to color for Live Bait jigging, however I always have some glow colors as well for late evening and night bites.

Barbed Jigs do have an important spot in your arsenal for Soft Plastics. That is what the lead barb and long shank is molded for on all the popular jigs you see. Barbed Jigs are commonly used for all Freshwater species, their size should correspond to the Soft Plastics you are using. Your plastic should be fully secured, covering the barb, and the shank should be long enough to exit the plastic with a gap long enough to get a good hook set.

Once again Chartreuse is my go to, but I like to use White jig heads on Swimbaits in Pearl to match the Baitfish as closely as possible. Whether drifting by boat or casting off the dock, Walleye Rigs are next in your line up. Rigs are typically the default when the Walleye bite is timid and jigging presentations are too aggressive.

All three are methodically used to cover large expanses of water, but each tactic differs. I highly recommend this set-up as the primary tactic for anglers just getting started on Walleye. Slip Bobbers allow you to set your bait at any depth, offering the most natural presentation, while still covering water. Thread the Slip Tie onto your line first and pull it in place. Thread the Bead, then the Float and tie on your Hook. Add a 7 Split Shot about a foot above the hook, and clip the ends of the Slip Tie down.

Let your line out and adjust the depth of the tie until your bait is a foot above the bottom and your Slip Bobber is upright. Let the wind or current take your float, which will gradually drift your bait over a greater area. When jigging is not producing this is a go to for rocky or hard bottoms. This creates a very natural struggle as the Baitfish or Leech is treading against the slow drag. If no chop is available, use a Trolling Motor at the lowest setting, or cast and retrieve.

A more advanced tactic, Spinner Rigs are beaded blade rigs that can sport a single hook for trolling Minnows and Leeches, or a double-hook harness to sport a full Nightcrawler. Trolling involves running your lure or rig roughly yards behind the boat at low speeds, preferably with a Trolling Motor. The later is my recommendation, I like a Perch color blade for clear water and an Orange blade for stained. These are usually trolled with a Bottom Bouncer in Oz. Spinners are a flashy way to cover a lot of water, I have found them effective during the warm summer months on Mud Flats or Sunken Reefs when Walleye are spread out across mid-lake.

I recommend starting out with Live Bait, either jigging or rigging, to get your hands on some fish first. Here are some of the most historically popular lure options for Walleye. If you want to fish fast and avoid keeping bait alive this is your primary option.

I really like natural colors like Black, White and Brown. Tails tipped with Chartreuse in these colors are effective in stained water.

Barbed Jigs. Jig, drag, or swim these along the bottom. Many of these techniques produce about a foot or so off the bottom. Walleye Crankbaits are predominantly known for their trolling applications, typically behind planar boards to spread multiple lures apart and to avoid the commotion generated from the boat and motor. A deep diving Crankbait that drives Ft. These should be trolled along expansive Flats and Reefs during the summer months.

Trolling requires a boat and is somewhat advanced, but I recommend having a Crankbait in your arsenal if you are a shoreline angler. These lures are great for searching out Walleye, then alternating to a more targeted approach, like a Slip Bobber Rig, once you can zone in.

They will also catch a fair share of Pike and Bass which makes for exciting evenings on the dock. Known for their effectiveness in Rivers, the vibrating ring worm is a go to for big Walleye in fast moving current. Getting the attention of Walleye in stained, fast moving water can be challenging. The worms top heavy design lets the tail end float up when sitting on the bottom. Pausing on the retrieve sparks the majority of my bites. I like to rip these upward and let them sink.

Many times dragging, swimming or regular jigging along the bottom is the ticket instead. Experiment until you spot a pattern. I like to use Shads when I can locate schools of Baitfish. During the Mayfly Hatch when Baitfish are near the surface I will swim the Shad through the upper half of the water column. Beware, there will be a mixed bag of species in this approach.

The general rule of thumb for Paddle Tail Shads is to match-the-hatch so stick with natural colors like Pearl, Shad, Smelt etc. This is what you will primarily tie onto your Slip Bobber Rig.

Most Rigs come pre-tied with gunsmoke or bronze colored hooks, if your using minnows or leeches it may be worth the effort to replace them with Red Octopus Hooks. Bronze Baitholder hooks are a classic and work well when using Nightcrawlers. If you are balling them up you can get away with a single 2. This is a classic approach, but I like to use 2 x 6 Baitholders to harness my worm, elongating it while covering up as much Hook as possible.

Try both approaches. However, years of guiding experience has taught me that it is very difficult to catch any fish in what often amounts to a muddy mess. Inversely, the gin-clear water that takes on an almost Caribbean blue hue is nearly void of life, due in part to its cooler temperature. Between the two is chalky water, which is off-color enough to hold a decent population of baitfish yet provides enough visibility to allow walleyes to feed. Instead of driving around aimlessly in search of optimal water color, you can use new marine electronics to find critical clues such as temperature breaks.

You can also use available satellite images on the internet to narrow down the hunt for the best places to fish. The satellite images are especially useful given the speed with which water clarity changes—not only day to day, but hour to hour. It is not uncommon to make a trolling pass and then head back for another, only to find that the same area has changed to a completely different color, either cleaner or dirtier. Armed with this water-eliminating information, further pinpointing the fish-holding water becomes a simpler process.

Professional walleye angler Joe Okada of Fitchburg, Wis. This experience has taught him some simple tricks for getting on big spring fish. Look for Weeds: Emergent weed growth indicates the first sign of new life in many lakes and a tip-off to nutrient-rich areas that attract and provide cover for baitfish.

This is also a signal that the water temperature is optimum. Find Major Points: Points hold fish virtually year-round, and can actually act as underwater barriers that keep cold water from rushing back into warmer, more sheltered bays.

Hydraulically, they behave similarly to the way wing dams force warmer water toward main channels in rivers. Watch for Discharges: Culverts, water discharges, or power plants can provide the warmest water on the lake. These easy-to-spot locations are a great place to fish, especially early in the spring, when general water temperatures are still very cool. What We Like Great for casting and trolling Quality-tested.

What We Don't Like Lightweight affects casting distance. What We Don't Like Reviewers note lure didn't match picture online.

The 8 Best Fishing Poles of Buy on Basspro. What We Like Dense Slices water better than lead lures. What We Don't Like Not as many colors as other options. What We Like Adjustable retrieval Has a rattle chamber. What We Don't Like Hooks could be better. The 9 Best Fishing Lines of Buy on Walmart Buy on Basspro. What We Don't Like Smells. The 9 Best Largemouth Bass Lures of What We Like Has side-to-side searching and diving action Realistic look. Size Walleyes can grow up to 30 inches long and weigh more than 10 pounds, so select a lure that can handle the big guys.

Color Start with more naturally colored lures like silver, gray, and white—especially when using crankbait. How should the seasons influence which lure I should use? Why Trust TripSavvy? The 8 Best Bass Lures. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Tell us why! Continue to 5 of 7 below. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TripSavvy. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

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