Fishing, Hunting, & Trapping

Best Walleye Lures: How to Choose Them

Best Walleye Lures

When you’re out on your own trying to take care of your family the most important thing you can do is make sure you know how to feed them.

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Whether you’re feeding them now while you still have the option of stopping at the grocery store to pick up some burger or you’re doing it when everything seems to fall apart and there’s no such thing as a grocery store anymore, fishing and hunting are going to be excellent skills to learn, so it’s important to make sure you have all the right tools early on and that includes the best walleye lures.

Why Walleye?

There are a number of different ways that you can catch a walleye and that’s one of the reasons that so many people like them. If you’re trying to feed your family you don’t want to spend the entire day out there trying to catch something else only to fail. With walleye you’ll be able to catch as many as you need much more quickly and you’ll also be able to feed more of your family even with just one. So it’s a benefit for you to catch these over a lot of other options (though you shouldn’t throw back whatever you catch if your family is really hungry).

Walleye fish

Another great thing about walleye is that there are so many different ways that you can cook it. That means you’re going to have an easy time of it trying to get your walleye ready for the entire family to enjoy and you won’t need to worry about getting bored with eating it either. If there really is something wrong in society and you don’t have a lot of choice then you’ll get used to it, but having options is always going to be better for your family and variety is going to keep everyone a whole lot happier.

The best lures

Cordell Wally Diver

This is actually one of the best and most popular lures for walleye fishing. It’s actually pretty unique looking with the fish body and a little clear cylinder coming out of the mouth to connect it to your line but it really does work pretty well. That’s because it wiggles a little bit when you troll or cast and when you do troll it’s get down 20 feet. When you don’t do anything is stays still and that definitely draws in the fish, plus it’s an inexpensive option.

Cordell Wally Diver Triple Threat

If you think that this product could be useful for you, then you can check its price here.

Terminator T1 Spinnerbait

If you’re not opposed to spending a little more money on a lure you might want to get this one. It’s made with titanium which makes it extremely sturdy, important when you’re trying to hook a big fish. It also has a ball bearing swivel and a pretty real looking fish right in the middle. As it swivels back and around it’s definitely going to look just like a little fish swimming through the water and that will pull in your big fish. You can even use this bait in the weeds or trolling but it’s going to cost more than a lot of other options.

Terminator T1 Spinnerbait

Like this great product? Then you can check its price on Amazon.

Lindy Fuzz-E Grub Jig

This is actually a pretty inexpensive option because it’s mostly made of plastic with a little bit of fluff at the end. It’s made to look sort of like a grub with its plastic, shiny body. The fish doesn’t even realize that it’s not a grub and dives on it because of the look; attempting to swallow the entire thing in just one bite (it’s that small too). That means it’s easier to actually catch that fish too and this is actually one of the cheaper lures you can find for the quality and success.

If you interested you can buy it here.

Lindy Slick Jig

This is going to be a really inexpensive option but it’s also going to work which makes it worth the money even still. This looks like a little fish though it provides you the option to add your own live bait as well. You can use it right at the bottom of the water and you can even make it wiggle and move around enough to seem like it’s the real thing. That’s definitely going to be important if you’re trying to catch anything.

Lindy Slick Jig

If you think that this product could be useful for you, then you can check the current deal for it on Amazon.

Strike King Redeye Shad

This little thing has a pretty shimmery look to it which mimics the look and style of a minnow. That’s important because any walleye out there is definitely going to be interested in a minnow. It also has bright red eyes and moves through the water quickly (just like that minnow).

Strike King Redeye Shad

Use it to dart through the water and you’re going to have no problem catching that fish. You can even use it when you’re ice fishing and catch fish (great for winter troubles).

If you interested you can buy it from Amazon.

Lindy Watsit Jig

This interesting little thing is meant to weave right through weeds and other things you might find in the bottom of that lake. It looks just like a little grub and has legs as well as the tail and everything. That walleye isn’t going to know what hit him until it’s far too late.

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You’ll also be able to choose from different sizes so you can make sure it’s just the style that you want and for a low price as well.

If you interested you can check its price here.

Rapala Husky Jerk

This is probably one of the most traditional looking lures that you’ve seen but it’s definitely effective. It has a large lip which helps it with dropping deep in to the water when you troll. You’ll actually get down to a maximum of 20 feet trolling though only half that if you decide to cast instead.

Rapala Husky Jerk

Even still, this one gives you a really good response by letting you keep it completely still or move it around, depending on what you need most for catching that fish. With the green and yellow coloring and the tiger stripes it definitely looks like the lure you probably remember from your childhood.

Like this amazing product? Then you can check its price on Amazon.

Storm Hot ‘n Tot Mad Flash

This one is definitely going to shimmer and shine with scales and even a UV finish option. What’s better is that it has holographic eyes that really make it look real to that fish under the water. When you cast it will move around and wiggle side to side, looking just like the little fish that it is supposed to be and you’ll end up with a larger fish jumping on right away. With two hooks and that large lip to help it get lower in the water, you won’t have any trouble catching something.

Storm Hot ‘n Tot Mad Flash

If you think that this product could be useful for you, then you can buy it on Amazon.

Koppers Live Target Crawfish

This may be a little bit creepy looking but it’s definitely realistic and it’s going to draw in fish with no problems. The head looks just like that of a crawfish and it’s available in several different versions that match anywhere you really want to go fishing.

Koppers Live Target Crawfish

Your walleye are going to have no trouble coming after this thing because of the authentic look but it is going to cost a bit more. More expensive than any of the other fishing lures, this is one that’s for the hardcore fisher who really wants to get that fish.

If you like this product you can find and  check its price on Amazon.

Mepps Black Fury Spinner Bait

Completely unlike the other lures we’ve talked about, this one doesn’t look like a fish at all. Instead, it’s a brightly colored piece that attracts the attention of the fish pretty easily. It’ll dive down pretty far because of the blade and it’s going to work no matter where or when you are fishing.

Mepps Black Fury Spinner Bait

That means it’s the perfect thing for day, night, bad weather or good weather. Another benefit is that it’s pretty inexpensive so overall it’s going to be a pretty good balanced lure if you don’t have a lot of space for several different kinds.

Like this amazing product? Then you can check its price here.

Where to find Walleye

Of course, if you’re going to head out fishing for walleye you definitely need to know where you should be looking. Spending a lot of your time in the wrong spot is just going to cost you valuable time and it’s going to take up some of your resources as well.

Sure catching another fish is going to be okay and you’ll be able to feed your family, but if you’re really looking for walleye then you want to make sure that you’re going to get walleye. So where should you be looking? Well it depends on the time of year that you’re heading out. See our article on the best fishing times to help you with a bigger catch.

 

Spring

Spring is when migration starts to happen with walleye as they’re preparing for spawning. That means they’re going to start heading out when the water gets about 38 degrees Fahrenheit and they’ll be really underway by the time it gets up to around 42 or higher. They’re going to look for lower level water which means something that’s under 15 feet and they’re probably going to stay there during the entire period. That’s because they spawn at around 2 – 6 feet and then don’t want to go into deeper water.

Summer 

In the dead of summer you’re probably going to find walleye in deeper water again. That’s because the water gets pretty warm where it’s shallow from the direct sunlight.

Walleye fish in summer

They seem to move a little more during this time however and when the sun starts going down (or when it’s just rising) they tend to come into the shallower areas again because the water doesn’t take on that direct heat anymore. It’s a great place for them to find some cover and definitely a good place to find the food that they’re looking for, so make sure you’re planning based on the time of day.

Fall

During this time of year the walleye really will stay near the shallower areas when the weather is just starting to turn because they can feed even when the sun is up because the angle is much better for their eyes. When it starts getting a lot colder however they’ll start heading towards deeper water. This is because of the oxidization levels throughout the water as it starts dropping below that 40 degrees Fahrenheit mark and the fish are more comfortable in that deeper water again though you may still find them in some shallow water as well.

Winter

This is when you’re going to head out ice fishing and you’re still going to have no trouble finding those walleye. When you get the first ice head out to shallow lakes for the first few weeks or deeper lakes that will give you a great opportunity throughout most of the winter. During this time you’re going to get the best fishing during the early morning or late evening times because the walleye have sensitive eyes that don’t do well in harsh sunlight. You’ll have a much better result of your fishing trip if you make sure you’re going out in those dimmer hours.

Walleye fish in winter

No matter the time of the year you decide to fish you want to make sure are using the right lures and lines and that you’re fishing at the right time. Just pay attention to what you know about walleye, especially in your area, and you’ll be able to catch them a lot faster than you might have thought. It’s even something that you can get the entire family in on and then all of you will be eating heartier meals and putting in less effort than just one person trying to do it all alone

Recognizing the Walleye

If you’ve never really been that big in fishing before you may not really recognize that walleye even if you do see one. So that’s why we’re going to stick this section in to help you understand a little bit more about the fish that you’re really looking for.

They’re known by a lot of different names from just walleye to walleyed pike, jackfish or pickerel but it’s important to know that these fish are definitely not a pike and they’re going to be entirely different from what you might expect if you have seen pike before.

These fish are mainly an olive color with a white to yellow belly and some brown stripes from their backs all the way down to the underbelly on both sides. They also have two fins on the back and one on the belly along with two regular fins and two on the front of the belly.

See also: Best Trout Lures: Trout Fishing with The Best

The most well-known part of the walleye however is definitely their large, opaque eyes. They look like they wouldn’t be able to see very well and in bright sunlight they definitely can’t but they do get around just fine. Also pretty well known are the long spiky teeth and the spiky nature of the dorsal fin.

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More common in Canada and the northern parts of the United States, these fish like clear water, especially rivers with plenty of movement and lakes that have good circulation through them to keep the oxygen levels at a moderate level.

They have started to be added to a variety of bodies of water however and that means a lot of people are finding them throughout the southern parts of the country as well. You may be able to find them just about anywhere you go though they are still more popular in the northern regions.

Walleye fish

The walleye eats a variety of small water creatures from minnows, leeches and small bullheads to night crawlers and small plugs. Any of these can be a great type of bait to use when you’re fishing but be careful because just a small bite from that walleye is not going to lure it in. Because they don’t take a large bite or a very hard bite they may easily be released from the line if you’re too quick to try and pull them in. Make sure you’re being careful of that and getting your fish really hooked.

In conclusion

When you’re looking for a way to feed your family, you want to make sure you’re doing it in the best way possible. That means making sure that you get really good quality tools to help with the process.

You need to get whatever you’re going to need for anything from building your own shelter to hunting for your own food and that means more than just meat you can hunt down with a gun. Fishing is going to be an essential survival skill and it will come in handy when other sources aren’t as plentiful.

Make sure you learn how to fish for yourself and what type of tools you’re really going to need in order to keep your family well fed. The best walleye lures are definitely going to help with that but they’re only one piece of the puzzle. Make sure you’re getting plenty of bait or finding it around you in nature and definitely make sure that you have a good quality fishing pole and know how to use it. That’s the only way that having the best lures for walleye is even going to give you what you need. With these tools though, your family will be ready for anything.

For more tips, check out our article on the best survival fishing techniques to help you.

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About the author

Andrew McKay

Andrew McKay is a seasoned hunter and fisherman from Anchorage, Alaska. Andrew thinks that he is the luckiest person in the world, as he lives in the most gorgeous place in United States and does what he loves to do. As a member of Alaska Professional Hunters Association and International Hunter Education Association, he is always looking for the ways to improve his skills and to teach people around him.

4 Comments

  • The Strike King Redeye Shad Lure is enormous. I had no clue it was this huge! That is alright because it appears to be large baits are turning out to be exceptionally prominent among BiG Bass Hunters. When you are attempting to attract a Big Bass from its cover or home, odds are they to turn out for a Big Mac Vs only a couple fries.

    • Lures are there to attract fish after all and what better to attract them than a bigger lure. You need to be careful in using them though as they add to the weight attached to the fishing line and can cause problems when leering a big catch in.

  • My vote is for Rapala too. I use clown Rapala and it looks like the walleyes love it too. But I can only use Rapala during spring when water is shallower.

  • I myself use different kinds of baits and lures depending on the season and I do not depend on only one kind to reel the fish in. Try mixing and matching with different makes and see what work for you.

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