Five Walleye Lures That Every Angler Should Have In Their Tackle Box

There are definitely some tried and true methods out there when it comes to walleye fishing. Some anglers love trolling for them, while others prefer jigging with bait. No matter your preference in method, one thing stays true: Walleye don’t always bite on your favorite lure no matter how much you think it should work.

Because of that, it’s important to keep lots of options with you so that you can switch it up as needed.

If you want to go out and catch a limit of walleye, you’ll need to consider factors like water conditions, and what the walleye are actually feeding on and doing in the time of year you’re fishing.

Walleye are definitely predators in the fish world, so you need to do your best at matching your presentation to what they’re feeding on in your area. This is also true when it comes to your color selections, keeping in mind water clarity rules as well. If you go to the lake with one random lure in a random color, there’s a chance you’ll hook into a fish, but it’s not as likely compared to going out there with a wider selection to choose from.

Because of all that, it’s important that you have a decent variety of walleye lures with you. Here are five that you should never leave home with any time you go after walleye: 

By far one of the most popular options for fishing walleye is a jig head and some bait. You can pitch these out and jig them as you retrieve, or you can find deeper water fish and jig right on top of them. When it comes to bait, some of the most common options are minnows, leeches, and worms. Don’t be afraid to use soft plastics though. Many of the best anglers around are using soft plastics that mimic baitfish in the area.

Jigs come in a wide selection of colors and features. It’s not a bad idea to keep a good mix of bright, flashy colors, as well as more natural colors to try in various water conditions. Some jigs come with spinner blades and even buck tails, which can all be good variables to test out.

Deep diving crankbaits are another solid option to try. These are effective lures whether you want to try trolling expansive flats, or directly cast at walleyes as they spend time in rocky cover. These can also be effective if you find a group of suspended walleye.

It’s a good idea to keep a variety of depths these crankbaits dive to in your tackle box. If you know the walleye are up shallow, it’s good to have some crankbaits that only go a few feet down. If instead you know they’re out deep, bring some of the deepest diving options you can find.

Blade baits are another amazing lure to use for walleyes. The way they’re designed makes them create a ton of vibration and flash in the water. This is especially useful when you know the fish are feeding aggressively in your area.

With blade baits, you can either cast them out or jig them vertically. The more aggressively you jig the bait, the more vibration and flash it’s going to create, so try mixing up your jigs and retrieves as you’re fishing to dial in what the walleye like most.

Jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits are pretty similar lures, so we’re combining them here. Jerkbaits have a longer, more slender profile that mimics common baitfish. They’re great for fishing in the shallower areas of the lake.

Lipless crankbaits are typically shorter and stockier. The benefit to a lipless crankbait is the built in rattles and vibration they have, which can be extremely effective at triggering strikes from walleye in the area. These are best worked next to areas of dense vegetation or even along the bottom in shallower areas.

The last setup you absolutely have to have in your tackle box is a worm harness with a spinner rig. When someone brings up trolling for walleye, most anglers are going to immediately think of this method.

These rigs can work well whether the walleye are out deep during the day, or even at night when they’re pushed up onto shallow flats looking for food.