Lures for walleye
Best walleye lures: jig and minnow, crankbait, crawler harness and soft plastic
Walleye are light-shy, bottom-hugging and careful. Jig and minnow in spring, crawler harness and crankbait in summer, soft plastic in fall.
The lure groups
What for, in which size and colour, and how to work it.
Jig with minnow or plastic
Spring at river mouths and gravel bars, edges, vertical from a boat.
- Size
- Jig 1/8 to 1/2 oz depending on current and depth, minnow 2 to 4 in, plastic 3 to 5 in.
- Colour
- Chartreuse, orange and pink in stained water, natural and white in clear water.
- Retrieve
- Hop slowly along the bottom, or hold vertical just off the bottom and lift gently. Bites are a tick, set the hook at once.
Crawler harness (spinner rig with worm)
Summer, trolling over edges and reefs, big areas.
- Size
- Blade size 3 to 5, half to whole nightcrawler on two hooks, weight by depth.
- Colour
- Gold and copper in stained water, silver and pearl in clear water.
- Retrieve
- Troll slowly, just fast enough for the blade to turn. With a bottom bouncer along the bottom.
Deep-diving crankbait
Trolling in summer and fall, dusk and night in the shallows, rivers.
- Size
- 3.5 to 5 in, slim, running depth to match the spot.
- Colour
- Natural (perch, shad) by day, firetiger and black-silver at night.
- Retrieve
- Troll steadily, vary the speed. At night cast in the shallows and retrieve slowly.
Soft plastic and blade bait
Fall and winter, edges and deep holes, walleye on baitfish schools.
- Size
- Soft plastic 3 to 5 in on a jig head, blade bait 3/8 to 1/2 oz.
- Colour
- White, pearl, chartreuse.
- Retrieve
- Jig slowly with long pauses. Blade bait vertical, short lift and drop.
Through the year
- Spring After the spawn at river mouths and gravel bars, jig and minnow. Opener dates differ by state and province.
- Summer Walleye go deep and onto reefs, crawler harness and crankbait trolled, at night shallow on windblown shores.
- Fall Best time for big fish, soft plastic on edges, crankbaits at night. Walleye follow the baitfish.
- Winter Ice fishing with jig and minnow or blade bait over edges and holes, where allowed.
Rules of thumb
Walleye hunt in low light: dusk, night, wind, stained water. In sunshine go deep.
Like the zander, walleye hold near the bottom. Jig and rig must touch down.
Minimum size, slot limits and bag limits are set by each state and some lakes have their own. Check the profile and the US licence page.
Quick questions
What is the best lure for walleye?
Jig and minnow in spring, crawler harness in summer, a deep-diving crankbait trolled, soft plastic and blade bait in fall and winter.
What colour for walleye lures?
Chartreuse, orange and gold in stained water, natural, white and silver in clear water. At night firetiger and black-silver.
When do walleye bite best?
At dusk, at night and on windy overcast days. In spring after the spawn and in fall on the edges.
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Lures for other species
Lures for other species
Everything here is a rule of thumb from practice, not a guarantee. Lures are named as a group, not as a brand. Sizes are guide values.
Licence, minimum sizes and bag limits are set by each state. Fishing licence USA: agency by state
Know more?
Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.
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