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Walleye Starter Kit
Oneida Lake, long revered for its walleye fishery, can at times frustrate novices as well as seasoned anglers. Let’s not forget the basics. Here is my version of an Oneida Lake walleye starter kit.
Walleye Starter Kit
First and foremost item is the black/purple bucktail jig dressed with a nightcrawler! Throughout the months of May and June, jigging accounts for the lion’s share of the walleye catch.
Whether it be shallow or deep, the presentation of a jig slithering and hopping across the bottom for whatever reasons is deadly to foraging walleyes.
To some, jigging is an art, to others it is a dedication, and to the beginner it can be an enigma. My advice: “Maintain contact with the bottom and be relentless until that first strike.” Of course, all this is predicated on the presence of bottom oriented “eyes.” Good fish detection equipment is a must. I use a “Lowrance HDS-10.”
The second item in the kit is a blade bait. This is a metal, vibrating lure fished similar to a jig, but more vigorously. Popular brands are the “XPS Lazer Blade,” “Heddon Sonar” and “Mad River Sports” Jigging Blade. You will need the 1/4, 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 oz. models depending on the depth and mood of the fish.
The smaller models have a higher frequency to the vibration and vice-versa. Sometimes walleye need motivation to strike. I classify this lure as a strike instigator. Gold is my primary color. This is a must addition to your kit!
Sometimes bottom oriented eyes need that little extra trigger to get active. “Mad River Sports” is now inserting the E-Chip in the blade for extra appeal.
The third item would be the spinner/worm combo. Spinners and worms whether trolled, drifted or casted, also account for significant catches of walleye, particularly during July.
In the open water where schooled, walleye suspend in the summertime, the spinner/worm is best used in a trolling mode. Inshore, along weed lines and on structure, the spinner/worm combo used casting, will keep you busy with not only walleye, but every other creature that has tails, scales and fins.
Fourth on my list are the hardbaits or walleye crankbaits. These space age plastics in the shape of minnows with shallow bills, deep diving bills, holographic designs, floating models, jerking models and suspending models, are great to retrieve over structure or troll in the deep environment.
Standard colors are: chrome/silver, blue/silver, chartreuse, firetiger and shad. I like the Bass Pro XPS series, the Rapala divers, and the Cotton Cordell deep divers.
On any given day, one of these weapons in this walleye starter kit will out fish the others. It’s up to you to find out. Not a bad assignment! Have a safe and successful fishing season on Oneida.
Trolling for Walleye – How to Guide
During the winter and early spring months most walleye fishing usually involves a jig or bait.
However, once the spawning season ends and the temperatures begin to rise your focus should turn to trolling. The best walleye lures for trolling will be crankbaits, spinners, small flatfish lures and Rapala’s.
Walleye trolling is much like other trolling for other freshwater species like salmon or lake trout except the gear may be slightly lighter and you may use a hybrid rig like a crawler harness.
Traditional trolling rigs for walleye are just as effective as a harness. But in the early season when you need to slow things down a bit a harness allows you to troll at super slow speeds.
Trolling for Walleye
Trolling for walleye consists of trolling one of the following setups behind a boat usually in conjunction with a fish finder to help determine the depth:
- Crawler harness
- Crankbaits
- Rapala’s
- Spinners and spoons
The types of lures you choose will vary depending on the time of year and the depth at which you are trolling.
Crawler harnesses in the late spring and early summer and then larger crankbaits such as Rapala’s Shad Rap in the summer.
Spinners and trolling spoons for walleye can be used at speed in the summer but spinners are most effective when used as part of a crawler harness at slower speeds when walleye are feeling lazy.
Smaller light lures such as walleye jerkbaits can also be trolled but to get the best performance from them you will need to twitch the rod tip and troll with rod in hand.
Walleye tend to love structures so best to start there and if it is not producing you an head for more open water.
In deeper open water walleye can start to school in smaller groups hitting one of these schools can be a little bit hit and miss.
Weed beds, drop offs and other sub-surface structures and features should always be your first choice.
Once you find them at these structures try to make long sweeps along the structures rather than directly over them.
Walleye Trolling Speed
The best trolling speed for walleye will fall somewhere in the range of 0.5 to 3 mph. It will of course depend on a number of factors such as:
- Season
- Type of lure
- Depth
During late spring and into the early summer your speed will need to be on the slower side. Walleye are often quite lazy following their spawning season and as a result are less inclined to chase a lure that is moving too fast.
Once the warmer summer days arrive walleye will tend to feed in a much more aggressive manner. There is also a lot more food on offer.
Once they are done with spawning you can start to use lures that require a slightly faster speed to get the best action out of them.
When trolling larger crankbaits you can troll at the higher end speeds up to around 3 mph.
However, most walleye crankbaits will perform best at around the 2 mph mark.
Walleye Trolling Tips
Although there are a lot of fishermen who will just tie on a crankbait let out lots of line and hope for the best this really is not the best approach to catching walleye from a boat.
You need to stop and think about some of the factors already mentioned above, some walleye trolling tips to follow:
- Season can determine your trolling speed
- Use a fish finder to find the walleye
- Pay attention to the contours of the bottom
- Cover as much ground as you can
- Change your speed
- Move the boat in an ‘S’ pattern
Walleye Trolling Setup
The type of walleye tackle required for trolling is a lot different to when you are jigging.
If you are using more than two rods on your boat then you may need to use planer boards to get keep the out side lines as wide as possible from the inner lines.
To get to the desired depth you can control your lure by adding weight to the line. There are usually two options used when using weight whilst trolling:
- Bottom bouncing
- Three way rig
Both require a little experimentation to get the desired depth just right.
If your budget allows for it you can of course invest in a downrigger.
A downrigger allows you to get a much more accurate running depth for you lures.
But a downrigger can require the use of a heavier rod as the constant strain is likely to ruin a lighter rod.
Jigging Rap for Walleye
Although a lot of angler are familiar with using a jigging rap for walleye when ice fishing what they don’t realize is that it is one of the most versatile year round walleye lures available.
The Rapala Jigging Rap is a strange lure, not quite jig, not quite hard body stickbait.
Instead it exists in a grey area between the two.
A hard body jig who’s shape allows it to swim in a rather unique pattern as it rises and falls.
To only use the Jigging Rap as a vertical jig is to not unlock it’s full potential.
Of course there are similar lures such as the Shiver Minnow, Puppet Minnow and the Snap Rap for walleye.
It is still considered one of the most successful ice fishing lures for walleye ever invented and has spawned a bunch of imitators.
Jigging Rap for Walleye
The Jigging Rap like other hard body jigs has a very particular swim and fall action that forces fish into striking like no other lure.
Varying your action and getting the right depth are probably the two most important aspects, even more so than size or color.
It can be used in a variety of locations and with several different techniques not just the usual vertical jigging action everyone is so familiar with.
Vertical
Probably the most popular way to fish a Jigging Rap is as a vertical jig.
Whether that’s on ice or out in deep water the approach is fairly similar. Lower it down and then raise it up a foot or two with an upwards jerk of your rod tip.
If you know the exact depth that the fish are holding at as seen on a fish finder then you can lower it directly to them and continue to work the jig in a depth range that over laps.
However if you don’t know the exact depth then the best option is to let it fall to the bottom and the jig it upwards allowing it to fall to the bottom again naturally and repeat.
This works really well on open bottom that is free from snags, so sandy bars, gravel beds or rocky bottoms that don’t snag too easily.
On sandy bottoms in particular the jig will actually throw up a small cloud of sand that looks really natural as it hits the bottom and then raises off it.
A good tip is to vary how you do the jigging, so instead of a single jerk upwards vary the number of vertical pulls you put on the rod before you allow the jig to fall to the bottom.
This more random type of jigging action is a lot more natural that straight up, straight down.
A lot of anglers will use a bow mounted trolling motor set on it’s lowest speed in conjunction with a fish finder to gradually move across a school of fish or a drop off.
As the boat moves slowly so too will your jig across the bottom with every few jerks of the rod.
This allows you to cover a bit more water than just staying stationary although it is nowhere near as fast paced as pitching described below.
Pitching
Pitching across structures or at natural drop offs and contours is a much more aggressive form of power jigging than the more usual vertical jigging.
You’ll want to cast away from the boat towards a specific point or better yet just beyond it.
Allow the jig to sink right down and then jerk it up a few times.
After the jerk pulls it off of the bottom reel in a few feet of line. This will then force to move the jig back towards you and hopefully over where there walleye are holding.
If pitching towards weed lines then position the boat about 50 feet out, cast to right on the edge of the weeds and then start to jerk and retrieve.
More often than not you get a strike just as the contour of the bottom starts to go deeper in anywhere from 3 to 10 feet from where the weeds end.
Dragging
Dragging lies somewhere in between trolling and vertical jigging.
Think of it as extremely slow trolling with a jig.
It is particularly effective on rivers but can also be used to great affect in shallower waters on lakes.
You need a trolling motor as your speed will need to be somewhere around 0.5 mph.
Cast your jig out behind your boat and let out a sufficient amount of line so that the jig will run at roughly a 30 degree angle to the water surface.
Also Read: Difference Between Walleye and Sauger
30 degrees means you will get a better hook up rate as a 45 degree or more angle means that your line might start to bow and sag which results in less speed when striking and setting the hook.
You can move along a particular structure or at a depth that walleye are known to be holding.
To run deeper use a larger size Jigging Rap and for shallow work use a smaller size.
What Size Jigging Rap for Walleye ?
The best size Jigging Rap for walleye in open water is a #7 or #9, for shallower water work the anything from a size #2 to a size #7 will work best depending on the depth and structure.
In 15 feet or more you really need the larger sized #7 or #9 to get down to your required depth quickly.
The smaller sizes of Jigging Rap will not sink quick enough to cover the type of depth that you want especially if you are on top of a large school of walleye, you need to get the jig down quickly after landing every fish.
The smaller sizes work best when out on the ice and in depths of 10 feet or less. They have a nice soft swim action when they are lighter and it’s not very often you will get a winter walleye to chase a large lure.
What Color Jigging Rap for Walleye ?
The most successful color Jigging Rap lures are perch, chrome/blue, gold, fluorescent orange/gold depending on the day and the light conditions.
I truly believe that the color is not the most important aspect of how to fish a Jigging Rap, it’s more about the correct size and the action that you put into it.
Getting the action of the jig right is normally the difference between getting skunked and catching.
That being said sometimes only one color will produce on a given day so you need to have a small collection or different colors and sizes.
Tackle Considerations
To get the very best out any walleye fishing jigs you need a rod that can transmit as much action into the jig as possible.
A fast action walleye rod with a medium to medium/light power rating will work best.
Monofilament has too much stretch in it so use either braid or fluorocarbon. If you are using braid as a main line then always use a fluorocarbon leader as braid is too visible.
When jigging your rod needs as much feedback from the line down through the blank and into your hand.
If your line has some stretch to is then you will loose some of that sensitivity.
This is why you should always use a low stretch line when using a Rapala Jigging Rap for Walleye.
Best Fishing Line for Walleye
Choosing the best fishing line for walleye will depend what type of setup you are using and how, where and why you are targeting them.
The most popular methods for catching walleye are:
- Trolling
- Spinning
- Jigging
What is suitable for one may be a disaster for the other!
Matching your line to your technique is one sure fire way to improve your hook up rate.
For example mono has too much stretch in it for deep jigging work and lead core lines are really only suitable for trolling.
Some anglers will swear by braid for almost everything and others are life long fans of monofilament purely because it was the first line they ever learned how to use as a kid.
Whilst you these fishermen may never change from their favorite walleye fishing line it does not mean that you don’t have to.
What Pound Test Line for Walleye ?
The best pound test line for walleye will vary be technique but for braid use 8 to 10 lbs , monofilament use 6 to 8 lbs , fluorocarbon leader use 10 to 12 lbs and lead core line use 12 to 18 lbs.
The above are rough estimates. Given that braid is thinner than the others you can go slightly heavier in rating that say mono.
Lead core lines don’t really vary that much in terms of thickness unless you start hitting 30 lbs rating or higher. It is the external sheath around the lead core inner that is made stronger and not the inner core.
Lead core line has fallen out of favor in recent times with most anglers preferring to use a down-rigger setup.
Best Fishing Line for Walleye
1. P-Line TCB
P-Line TCB makes a great main line braid for a lot of walleye fishing applications.
It’s one of the best walleye lines for jigging. Whether that’s deep vertical jigging or throwing lighter walleye jigs in and around structures or vegetation.
A special Teflon coating allows it to slip through you line guides with minimal friction. It’s extremely thin for it’s line rating so you can really load up a spool with quite a bit.
Pair it with a high quality fluorocarbon leader such as Seaguar Blue Label and you have yourself an amazingly super slick, low stretch walleye fishing line setup.
2. Power Pro
Power Pro braid is one of the most popular braids ever made. It’s relatively cheap, casts quite well and low stretch.
Personally I use Power Pro on my multipurpose spinning setups. Lower chances of wind knots and it cuts through weed like crazy.
Again you’ll need a either a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader depending on the setup.
3. Berkley Triline XL
Berkley Trilene XL is the best monofilament line for walleye. It casts extremely well on light gear and has a little less memory than other mono brands.
It is makes for a great trolling line as it is pretty durable, thin and does not have a massive amount of stretch.
It also knots well which is super important for a trolling line as they need to be able to handle lots of different trolling accessories like swivels, planer boards and tough enough to handle rubbing off the bottom, so abrasion resistance is super important.
4. Suffix Elite
Suffix Elite is great for when you want those softer hook-ups(this is where mono excels) especially if you are throwing really light walleye jigs or using small crankbaits.
If jigging in less than 20 feet I’ll choose Suffix Elite every time vs braid.
At that depth the stretch is not really a big issue. However, it is a lot less visible than braid and much better at casting smaller jigs especially on a light spinning tackle setup.
5. Seaguar Blue Label Fluoro
As a fluorocarbon leader Seaguar Blue Label really is hard to best. If you are fishing in an area that has a lot of northern pike then a good quality, abrasion resistant fluoro leader is a must.
The Blue Label Fluorocarbon also has incredible knot strength. It’s a little bit stiffer than if you were using mono so if you are throwing really light jigs or bait rigs then I’d ditch the fluoro in favor of mono.
6. Suffix Performance Lead Core
Although they may be falling out of favor there are still some die hard lead core trolling fans in the world of walleye fishing.
Suffix Performace Lead Core is the perfect match for many trolling scenario’s where you don’t want to run a downrigger.
Performance is a very thin lead core line so you really do need to avoid line twist on your walleye tackle as much as possible, always run high quality swivels!
Line twist will ruin lead core line and after one season you will end up with the lead beginning to poke through the outer sheath.
The only way to avoid this is to set your trolling rig up correctly, many anglers will blame the line when in reality it is a setup issue.
Walleye Fishing Line
Choosing the best walleye fishing line means matching your line to the type of setup you are using.
Understanding the characteristics of the types of fishing line for walleye that you are using will help you greatly in deciding on what kind of line is best.
Braid
Braid when compared to mono is very low stretch. It is also toughly half the diameter of mono for the equivalent breaking strain.
Braid is most useful when using single hooks, adding life into your lure by twitching the rod tip or if you working your walleye lures in and around heavy weed cover.
Single hooks usually require a firm hook-set to get them to hook properly. So if you are using jigs or a similar type of lure then braid is the best line to use.
But it should nearly always be used with a leader of either fluorocarbon or monofilament. Braid is far too visible even in low light scenario’s.
My personal preference when jigging is to use a fluorocarbon leader as it has much less stretch than mono.
Mono
Mono as we have discussed has quite a bit of natural stretch. As a general rule if you are using large lures that have treble hooks on them it can be best to use mono.
That extra bit if stretch in the line also means you need to give your strike a little more power so as to set the hooks.
Mono also floats better so if you are working the topwater then it is a better option
Fluorocarbon
As a fishing line for walleye I have yet to see anyone using fluorocarbon as their main line.
Where it really excels though is as a leader. It’s pretty translucent and has better abrasion resistance than mono.
It also sinks better than mono, so if you are trying to get your lures down deep and using braid as your main line then fluorocarbon is the best leader to use.
Best Walleye Lures to Have in Your Tackle Box
Although there are literally thousands of walleye lures available out there, narrowing down your choices is what will yield the best results.
Even the best walleye lures are never going to work in all situations and every possible light or season.
You need to pick the right tool for the job. Crankbaits, trolling lures, blade baits, crawler harnesses and jigs have always been the most productive lures for walleye that have stood the test of time.
Best Walleye Lures
The most reliable walleye fishing lures to have in your tackle box are:
- Cotton Cordell Wally Diver
- Rapala Shad Rap
- Salmo Hornet
- Lindy Fizz-E Grub
- Storm Hot’n’Tot Mad Flash
- Rapala Husky Jerk
- Rapala Jigging Rap
- Strike King Red Eye Shad
- Reef Runner Deep Diver
- Rapala Original Floating
1. Cotton Cordell Wally Diver
The Cotton Cordell Wally Diver can be considered as one of the most successful walleye lures ever.
Great for trolling thanks to an aggressive lip which gets them running down to just under 20 feet depending on your setup.
A slim design profile gives a tight wiggling action on the retrieve.
There are two sizes available a CD5 and a CD6.
The CD5 is 2-1/2 inches in length will dive down to a depth on about 8 feet when casting and when on the troll down to roughly 11 feet. Like all trolling lures for walleye this can be extended down to deeper depths with the use of a down-rigger or lead core line.
The CD6 is 3-1/8 inches in length. When using a casting setup it’ll go down to about 11feet, when trolling it’ll go to 18 feet.
Between both sizes you can cover pretty much any depth that walleye are commonly found at.
With a big range of colors available there are lots of options depending on the time of year and the what kind of light you are fishing on.
2. Rapala Shad Rap
The Rapala Shad Rap along with the Wally Diver above is one of the most popular crankbaits every built.
Personally I have a pretty even split of Shad Rap’s and Wally Diver in my tackle box. Of those Shad Rap’s I tend to favor the size 5 with a few number 7’s thrown in for good measure.
Available in a shallow diver(with a shorter angled lip) and a deep diver variation. Once you find the most productive colors for the water you are fishing it is a good idea to get those colors in both the shallow and deep diving models.
This way you can use the colors that you know are working at a variety of depths.
The Shad Rap is a solid performer and with only a handful of the size #5’s you should be able to catch walleye in almost any type of light and water.
3. Salmo Hornet
The Salmo Hornet is quite the stocky looking little crankbait. For walleye it can be fished in a size #3 or a #5. Occasionally you may need to move up to a size #5.
With a big dive lip and short stocky body it produces quite an aggressive swim action.
There is also a ‘rattlin’ model available with a built in rattle. Personally I only tend to try those types of lures in very bad light situations.
4. Lindy Fuzz-E Grub
Fuzz-E Grubs are an all time classic walleye lures. Often described as one of the top walleye jigs the distinctive marabou tail gives them an extremely life like action when jigging.
Personally I have found any color variation that contains chartreuse or black to be the most effective.
When they are feeling lazy jigging is one of the better methods available.
5. Storm Hot ‘n Tot Mad Flash
One of the go to walleye lures for late spring or early summer the Storn Hot ‘n Tot Mad Flash has a highly erratic left to right action.
The action needs to be tuned to the speed at which you run the lure for the best results.
The 1/2 ounce size is a particular killer if trolled in lakes. The black/chrome and black/gold are the basic colors that work well.
You can experiment with the brighter colors depending on the day. Sometimes the fire tiger will produce all day long other times it’s the more naturals looking lures that work best.
6. Rapala Husky Jerk
The Husky Jerk from Rapala is a really versatile lure for walleye. It is just as good a performer as a casting lure as it is for trolling.
Unlike the Original Floating Rapala featured below the Husky Jerk is a suspending model meaning that it has an almost perfect neutral buoyancy.
This neutral buoyancy allows you to use a stop/go retrieval method when casting from the shore over gravel bottoms and on the outside edges of weeds beds.
When casting from the shore line you can throw the Husky Jerk retrieve for a few seconds then pause. Instead of starting the retrieve again give the it a little ‘jerk’ by twitching the rod tip.
This tactic is particularly effective in cold water as walleye will be generally a little lazier. You’ll find this can be more effective than trolling as a winter walleye will try to expend as little energy as possible.
When trolled they will run deeper than the original floating Rapala without the need for lead core line or split shot to be added to your setup.
7. Rapala Jigging Rap
Often thought of as a ice fishing lure only, those in the know have used the Jigging Rap to murder walleye in the early season.
It has a very distinctive circular swim pattern when used for vertical jigging in open water. A good choice to use when the bottom structures change in depth such as a drop off shelf or some thing similar.
8. Strike King Red Eye Shad
A great lip-less crankbait the Strike King Red Eye Shad gets it’s name from the distinctive red eye that shimmers when light reflects off of it. They also have a built in rattle which helps walleye to hone in on them.
These walleye fishing lures work well in shallower waters. They are a sinking lure so you can control the depth at which they run by using a slow count after they hot the water before you start to retrieve them.
9. Reef Runner Deep Diver
When a Rapala is just running too shallow and you need to get your lures down into the depths it is the Reef Runner Deep Diver the reigns supreme.
Available in a large range of colors this lures are responsible for producing some of the largest walleyes ever caught.
10. Rapala Original Floating
The Original Floating Rapala is one of the top selling lures of all time. They’ve taken monster musky, salmon, trout and walleye. When you troll one of these you get one of the most life like swim actions ever produced.
Each one is individually hand tested in a tank to ensure the most natural swim action.
There is a big range of colors and sizes available. They can be flat lined or used with down-riggers and lead core lines alike.
Built from balsa wood they are a floating lure and will generally dive to shallow depths on retrieval.
Best Walleye Ice Fishing Rod 2023
If you plan on hitting the ice this winter chances are you’re in the market for a new walleye ice fishing rod.
Ice fishing is one of my favorite times of the fishing year and the run up to it is just as important. Like me you are probably chomping at the bit to get out there:
Religiously watching the weather reports for that all important drop in temperature!
Comparing notes with your friends as and to when the ice is just right. So dust off your shelter and ice boots and get out there!
Rods for ice fishing are of course some what specialist pieces of equipment especially if you are inside in an ice shack/shanty.
Walleye Ice Fishing Rods
| Rod | Type | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Croix Mojo Ice | Jigging | $$ | Check on Amazon |
| Fenwick Elite Tech | Jigging | $ | Check on Amazon |
| Berkely Lightning Combo | Spinning | $ | Check on Amazon |
| St Croix Avid | Jigging | $$ | Check on Amazon |
| 13 fishing Widow Maker | Jigging | $$ | Check on Amazon |
The best ice fishing rods for walleye are sensitive enough to feel what whats going on down below yet have enough backbone to handle a stubborn walleye that doesn’t want to surface.
There are a number of important factors to get right when choosing an ice rod. Although they may look like small, cheap kids rods for panfish they are usually purpose built especially he shorter rods for indoors.
Rod Length
Ice fishing rod length is generally determined by how and where you intend on fishing.
All other things being equal a longer rod will generally cast further and more accurately than a shorter rod. When casting crankbaits or spinners the length can be an important factor.
However, when ice fishing you don’t need a rod that is built for casting. The majority of ice fishing is either done using a small bait under a bobber or more commonly jigging with any number of different walleye ice fishing lures.
Fishing through a hole in the ice does need any kind of casting setup so you can tailor the rod to whether or not you are indoors or outdoors.
Inside
Ice fishing in a shelter or shack is certainly one of the more comfortable ways to spend a day out on the ice, however it will limit your rod length greatly.
Space is usually limited in there unless you spend a lot of money on buying a really large ice shack.
Less space around the ice hole requires a shorter rod. The majority of indoor ice fishing rods will fall somewhere in the range of between 24 and 32 inches in length.
These shorter rods can need to have enough backbone in them yet still sensitive enough to feel whats going on when it comes to setting the hook.
With a longer rod it is easier to get this balance right, that’s why manufacturers will build the blanks on these shorter rods with a specialized taper. https://www.youtube.com/embed/4uszcwi4rkY?rel=1&modestbranding=0&controls=1&showinfo=1&fs=1&wmode=transparent&start=undefined
Outside
If you plan on braving the elements without the comfort of an ice shelter then you are going to be a lot less limited in the length of your ice fishing rod.
Anywhere up to about 38 inches in length is more than enough to get the most out of it. Any longer and you run the risk of not being able to control the fish through the ice hole once hooked.
A long rod at normal fishing times will give you more control and generally more power, but when your line is running through a small hole in the ice you need it to be short enough to make quick adjustments in direction as you fight the fish.
Rod Power
Depending on the depth and the weight of the lure that you will be fishing with for most ice fishing applications a medium to medium heavy power should work.
These rods are already light enough and if you stray into the light to ultra light power rating then chances are they will be just too light.
Action
Most of the rods on the market will have a fast action i.e the will bend sooner closer to the tip as opposed to a slow action that will bend more towards the reel seat.
Best Walleye Ice Fishing Rods
1. St Croix Mojo Ice
With one of the most innovate split grip designs on the market the Mojo Ice from St Croix is feels like a true feather weight yet is capable of handling walleye and large lake trout without feeling like it is going to buckle under the pressure.
Not only does it feel slightly lighter but due to it’s exposed design you have the added advantage of being able to feel exactly what feedback is coming back through the rod blank.
The stainless steel guides help to reduce freezing even in the harshest of winters.
The reel seat is a custom designed “twist lock” which allows for a very positive locking mechanism. This results in the reel staying tightly pinned to the blank with no movement and very little chance of loosening.
- Tapered carbon blank
- Innovative split grip
- High quality reel seat
- Stainless steel guides
2. Fenwick Elite Tech Ice
One of the cheapest ice fishing rods available from Fenwick these Elite Tech rods are still built to a pretty high standard.
There full cork handle is nicely shaped and is still comfortable after several hours of jigging.
The high modulus graphite blanks have been furnished with snaked stainless steel guides, completed with zirconium oxide inserts.
With a big range of sizes and powers available it should be noted that the action on these rods is fast only.
- Lock down reel seat
- Full cork handle
- Stainless steel guides
- Zirconium oxide inserts
3. Berkeley Lightning Combo
Available in a 24″, 28″ and a 32″ model these little combination ice rod and reel from Berkleley offer exceptional value for money.
If you are bring the kids out for their first adventure on the ice then this is one hell of a deal.
There are three rods in the range from ultra light up to medium heavy.
Only thing of note is that the reel comes pre-spooled with some low quality mono that you may want to strip and replace.
- 20 size reel included
- Skeleton reel seat
- 3 lengths
- 3 different powers
4. St Croix Avid Jigging Ice
A purpose built jigging rod the St Croix Avid Jigging Ice fishing rod has a solid carbon blank with Kigan stripper guides and a solid carbon handle.
The jigging rods are a little stiffer than the other Avid ice fishing series rods.
They come in 27″, 30″ and a 36″ length. The power ratings range from a medium/light up to a medium/heavy.
- Kigan Stripper guides
- Solid carbon tapered blank
- Purpose built for jigging
5. 13 Fishing Widow Maker
A serious ice fishing rod, for those who want the level best in performance the Widow Maker from 13 Fishing is built from high quality materials only.
They are extremely durable and can take a real beating. The rod blanks are from 30 ton graphite which results in a rod that is not only extremely light it is also perfectly balanced.
The line guides are some of the toughest you’ll find on any ice rod, double diamond coated ALPS guides ensure that your line slips through them with minimal wear and tear.
- 30 ton graphite rod blank
- Portuguese cork handle
- ALPS double diamond coated guides
- Evolve reel seat
Best Ice Fishing Line for Walleyes 2023
Ice fishing in the winter requires a very different setup when compared to the other seasons especially for walleye.
A dedicated ice fishing rod and smaller diameter reel is usually required and a bunch of other gear that you will only use at this time of year.
The same can be said for fishing line for ice fishing.
Ice fishing puts a huge amount of wear and tear on a line especially if you are jigging. Super cheap mono from a department store is not the way to go here.
Ice fishing line needs to be as abrasion resistant as possible and a lot of modern purpose built lines are designed with this in mind.
That being said if you are on a budget then plain old mono can work, just bear in mind that it does have a lot of stretch in it so you will loose some sensitivity if you are jigging with very small jigs.
Best Ice Fishing Line for Walleyes
| Cell content | Rod | Type | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkley Fireline Micro Ice | Fireline | $$ | Check on Amazon | |
| Spiderwire Stealth | Braid | $ | Check on Amazon | |
| Berkley Trilene XL | Mono | $$ | Check on Amazon |
The two most common methods are either jigging or dead sticking when walleye ice fishing.
Jigging uses either small walleye jig heads or small spoons that have a specific flutter to them. When dead sticking you will normally have a small minnow suspended under a bobber.
Jigging
A good ice fishing line when you are jigging is one that is low stretch and has a pretty thin diameter.
The low stretch allows you to have:
- Better sensitivity
- Better hook setting
Whereas the low diameter:
- Less drag if in moving water
- Potentially less visibility
Ultimately you want the line to have as little influence on the movement of the jig as possible. Heavy monofilament for certain will stop a small spoon from fluttering naturally as it descends down through the water column.
Some of the best walleye ice fishing lures require that they can move as freely as possible through the water without the line affecting there natural swimming motion.
However if you are fishing in really shallower waters then mono can be okay as too stiff a line can cause too much sensitivity when it is only out a small distance. Anywhere up to about 10 feet is okay. After that and you’ll need something a little stiffer.
Some manufacturers have dedicated ice fishing lines and they all perform quite well however they can be a little on the expensive side.
Braid is also a decent option here as long as you use a small leader to the hook of either mono or fluorocarbon.
Dead Sticking
Dead sticking traditionally involves using a minnow suspended at either a foot off the bottom or at the depth you are sure the walleye are patrolling, usually under a very simple bobber.
When dead sticking the choice of fishing line for walleye can be a little bit more relaxed than when jigging.
For a clean bottom with very little snags you can use either a 8 pound mono.
If there are a lot of underwater snags or vegetation then you may need to beef the line up to about a 10 to 12 pound strength.
1. Berkley Fireline Micro Ice
Stronger and thinner than mono Fireline Micro Ice from Berkley is built to be as abrasion resistant as possible.
Nothing beats a line up more that continually rubbing off the side of an ice hole for hours on end as you jig as small flutter spoon.
Regular mono can tear easily when rubbed on by solid ice and at colder temperatures if can become pretty brittle.
Berkley’s Fireline Micro Ice addresses all of these points and is probably the best walleye ice fishing line that you can get.
2. SpiderWire Stealth Superline
An absolute favorite of bass fishermen SpiderWire’s Stealth braid is extremelt versatile as a main reel line.
Low stretch and super thin it slice through the water with ease. You get a lot of feedback through this braid so it is suitable for fishing quite deep.
Just make sure you get your knots right between the braid and whatever leader you choose to use.
3. Berkley Trilene XL Mono
Probably the best mono available the Berkley’s Trilene XL has great sensitivity for a mono and is also quite thin.
For a mono it also has very low memory so you small arbor ice fishing reel will leave less of a mark on it than traditional mono.
Salmo Lures for Walleye – How to Fish Them
Salmo lures for walleye have been one of the top performing crankbaits for decades. Countless large walleye have been taken on lure like the Salmo Hornet.
Without a doubt the the Hornet is Salmo’s most popular crankbait. Walleye love it’s action when trolled.
We’ll take a look at the best way to fish them and some of the best Salmo Hornet Colors for that are tried and tested.
Best Salmo Lures for Walleye
1. Salmo Hornet
The original Salmo Hornet is arguably their most popular crankbait and with good reason; it produces on the water!
They are a real killer when trolled and you generally do not need that many different colors especially if you fish the same lakes on a regular basis.
2. Salmo Rattlin’ Hornet
How to make the original Hornet even better ?
Add a built in rattle to the body of the lure. Hard-bodied lures with rattles have been proven time and time again. The inbuilt sound acts as an added attraction, especially in low light scenario’s or in darker waters.
What Size Salmo for Walleye?
The most popular sizes of Salmo Hornet to use when fishing for walleye are the size 3 or size 4.
You can of course move up to the larger size 5, but for some reason walleye prefer the somewhat smaller sizes.
Best Salmo Hornet Colors for Walleye
The color that you choose can have a massive impact on how well you fish. However I’m still convinced that trolling depth is the most important thing to get right.
The most popular choices would be:
- Viking
- Gold Florescent Perch
- Variety of Sade colors
- Hollywood
How to Fish a Salmo Hornet?
Hornets are probably best trolled from a boat however you can use then to cast near dams and rocky beds or near drop offs in the depth of the bottom on a lake.
When walleye trolling you generally need to troll along some kind of structure. That structure can take the form of a dam wall, weed beds, rocky shallows or a drop off in the bottom.
In summer months trolling along long contour lines of the bottom deep down is highly productive as walleye will tend to favor a specific depth.
You can control the depth with a couple of different methods:
- Lead core line
- Three way sinker rig
- Downrigger
This depth is usually determined by water temperature. How the depth and temperature relate to each other like a lot of other variables will change from venue to venue. The best approach is to experiment at a different depths through the day and record the water temperature if you find fish at a certain depth.
Speed wise you should be looking to maintain a speed of roughly 2 miles per hour. This can of course vary depending on the depth that you are trolling at.
River Walleye Fishing – Tips and Techniques
Make no mistake about is the majority of fishermen will think of targeting walleye from a boat on a lake, but river walleye fishing is one of the best ways to target walleye.
Undoubtedly the best walleye river fishing is in rivers that feed into a larger body of water i.e a lake.
Most walleyes tend to spawn along the shallower banks of a lake however if there are large enough rivers that feed into that lake a considerable amount of fish may decide to move up stream into the river and spawn there.
River Walleye Fishing
Fishing for walleye in a river can sometimes be a little trickier than fishing for them in a lake.
The main difference is that you have to learn how to fish with the rivers current and learn to understand how the bottom of the river and it’s features affect where the walleye will lie throughout the day.
The current in any river will carve out small holes and pockets in the bottom over hundreds and thousands of years. It is in these small holes that you will generally find walleye.
This depends of course on how big the river is and how fast the water flows through the main channels.
Generally speaking rivers that have a lot of turns and corners on them will have a lot more places for fish to wait in ambush of their prey compared to perfectly straight rivers.
What to Use ?
Most of the lures and baits that you are already using to catch lake walleyes are just as good to use on rivers.
- Jigs
- Minnows
- Crankbaits
- Plastics
Depending on the river however you may need to use smaller walleye fishing lures, slightly lighter line and smaller hooks.
In clear running waters it is best to stick to darker more natural colors. Black and silver crankbaits, darker colored jigs and worms.
In muddier water you can use much brighter colors like orange and pinks. In fact in really colored waters you probably have no other choice but to use really bright artificial colors.
You can also try some of the Gulp plastics as they are scented it can really help walleye to home in on your artificial crawlers or grubs.
River Tackle for Walleyes
Across the different types of techniques there is a massive range of walleye fishing tackle it really all boils down to matching your setup to your approach.
Personally I would stick to a light/medium spinning setup when fishing for river walleye.
A spinning rod for walleye gives you a big advantage over a baitcasting setup as the spinning one is a lot more versatile. It can be used as a jigging setup for walleye, bait, all lures and can even be used for light trolling.
A good choice as fishing line for walleye in this scenario is going to be good old fashioned monofilament.
It casts well on light gear, gets virtually no wind knots and has great low visibility.
With the casting setup you are limited by just how small a lure you can use especially when jigging for walleye.
Where to find Walleye’s in rivers ?
Walleye’s are quite sensitive to light and noise. They will tend to seek out deeper water if spooked.
The best places to fish for walleye in a river are:
- Beside dams
- In deep pockets
- Where the river joins a deeper body of water
- Right along the current breaks
When to fish for Walleye in a river
Without a doubt the most productive season to fish for walleye in a river is spring.
Just after the ice melt spring walleye will start to move into shallower water to spawn. During the spawning season walleye will also move into larger river systems especially if the river has lots of suitable spawning sites.
Gravel beds, deep pockets near rocks and points etc are all a favorite of spawning walleye.
The places to avoid are fast open water with flat bottoms or heavy weed beds with muddy bottoms.
The more structure the better as flat open water and the river bottoms will contain very little fish.
Trolling on a River for Walleye
Trolling for walleye along a river is one of the best ways to cover a huge amount of water in one day.
Generally if you are trolling on a river then it would imply that is quite a larger or major river system, preferably that feeds into a large lake or reservoir.
When walleye trolling with the current be sure to reduce your speed. Remember in a large flowing river you don’t need to troll too fast as the natural current in the river will help you lures to swim correctly.
Trolling with the current can mean increasing your speed so that your lure finds it’s correct action.
If you are fishing with a walleye jig head or bait you can also just stop the motor and move along with the natural speed of the river.
Diving crankbaits such as the Shad Rap are some of the best producing lures to use.
On some days larger crankbaits don’t seem to perform I like to switch to using a jerkbait as you can add a lot more action into them by twitching the rod tip.
You can bounce the bait along the river bottom targeting walleye that tend to stay deep during the day or late in the season.
Walleye Crankbaits – Top 10 Crankbaits
Crankbaits for walleye are one of the most versatile lures you can have in your tackle box.
The best walleye crankbaits imitate smaller bait fish that the walleye will naturally feed on.
This imitation combined with an irresistible action or wobble forces the walleye to strike the crankbait lures really hard.
There are a number of different types of crankbaits like lures that you can use:
- Deep diving
- Shad
- Floating minnow
- Lipless
- Jerkbaits
- Jointed
- Sinking
- Neutral
As you can see from the list above there is a huge range of crankbaits that you can choose from.
Along with the vast array of colors and different brands available the choices are seemingly endless.
Below we have profiles the top crankbaits for walleye. With so many walleye fishing lures available to choose from we have tried hard to keep the list short at only 10 lures.
You could easily pick a few 100 crankbaits and every one of them would produce fish depending on your location, time of year and weather.
Best Walleye Crankbaits
1. Rapala Shad Rap
Along with the original floating the Shad Rap is one of Rapala’s most successful lures. It can be see as the ultimate walleye cranking lure. Available in a massive range of colors and 4 different configurations there is literally one for any occasion.
For walleye the most popular sizes would be the #5 and the #7. Casting them on light spinning tackle can be a lot of fun and trolling with the larger sizes has produced many specimen walleye.
2. Cotton Cordell Wally Diver
The Wally diver from Cotton Cordell is a killer on the troll. It has a very aggressive lip which helps get it down to about 20 feet when trolled depending on the size. The action is pretty tight as you would expect from a lure with a slim profile.
If casting is your thing you can do quite well with the neutral/suspending model. Lots of pausing and twitching can tempt fussy walleye that refuse to hit anything that is moving at speed.
3. Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow Deep Diver
The Yo-Zuri Deep Diver is a staple for those out trolling deep for larger walleye when they lie down in the depths in the summer heat. Available in a large range of colors, some of the more popular are the bright reflective ones on dull days and the more natural ones on brighter days.
These lure have a great action and tend to run quite deep. Trolled over larger structures or along steep drop off’s in larger lakes and reservoirs are when they are most effective.
4. Strike King Red Eye Shad Bait
The Red Eye Shad from Strike King is one of the best lip-less lures available. It has a built in rattler and bright red eyes(as the name suggests) that all add to its attractor qualities.
These work great in the summer months cast over a sand bar or flat or a gravel bed when walleye fishing on rivers. Allow the lure to sink and create a small plume of sand as it it’s the bottom, continue this action on the retrieve. You can cover a large area by working each cast over a large arc across the sand flat.
They can also be trolled at very slow speeds along weed beds and other vegetation.
5. Bomber Model A
With it’s large lip and big chunky body the Model A has a big action for a small lure. The large plastic lip can be used to bounce it off of rocks and is a killer when cast along the side of weed beds and other structures.
On the retrieve it will dive to between 6 and 8 feet depending on your set up and speed of retrieval. If you are in really shallow water you can work it with the rod tip up and as fast speed, the resulting wake just under the surface can help to force strikes.
6. Rapala Original Floating
The original minnow lure from Rapala is probably the most successful floating minnow lure ever made.
Each lure is hand tested in a tank to ensure the perfect swim action. The #11 is a a favorite and can be trolled in just about every situation provided you have a means of getting it down to your desired depth.
They don’t dive super deep but because of their shape and lip have what is arguably the most natural swimming action you can find in any lure.
7. Reef Runner Deep Diver
Another deep running crank for trolling the Reef Runner. The range has a lot of of crazy colors to choose from and most will work best on really dull days or when night fishing for walleye.
This are best when water temperatures are low. In summer heat you can try to get them down deep where the water can be may degrees cooler.
8. Berkley Flicker Shad
Yet another shad crankbait, but just as high a quality one as the previous ones listed. Just like all Rapala lures these are individually tank tested for optimal performance.
They have a distinctive flicker when retrieved hence the name.
9. Salmo Rattlin Hornet
One of the smallest lures listed here the Hornet is an excellent choice if you are fishing in really shallow water.
Also Read: Salmo Lures for Walleye
As the name suggests it has an in built rattle that helps entice fish out from under cover.
10. Storm Hot ‘N Tot
Another small lure just like the Salmo Hornet above it but just as effective as some of the other larger crankbaits for trolling.
Crankbait Colors
The type of colors that you choose when fishing with crankbaits for walleye like most other lures will generally depend on the weather or in other words how bright the sun is shining.
To a lesser extent the water temperature can also have a big impact on what to fish with. Just be aware that water temperature and sunlight are of course closely linked, but what season you are fishing in will generally have a larger impact on the water temperature.
Natural Colors
Without a doubt on bright days and in clear water you really do want to avoid anything too unnatural or flashy.
Walleye like most other fish species will be more inclined to strike a lure if it imitates their natural prey that they are used to feeding on.
Presenting them with a lure that is not natural looking is a not going to help your chances especially if they are preoccupied with a particular type of bait fish.
- Non-patterned colors – Choose crankbaits with colors like silver/black or gold/black these are the go to lures of choice. Light chartreuse or other dull natural shades can also work well.
- Patterned naturals – perch/trout and pike patterns are all highly effective
Artificially Bright Colors
Overly bright and flashy colors will work best on dark days or in darker water.
You can use florescent pink as an extreme example especially when down real deep.
Try to pick patterns that have some kind of contrast on them such as a Firetiger or sparkling minnow.