walleye tackle

[Dan_L]

as long as i can remember my time has been spent on pan fish and northerns. im really getting the eye itch. what do you guys suggest to get me started in the right direction. on the jig and lure side. i have all the rigs and poles needed?

[toughguy]

The best tool for eyes on ice is a vex/marcum. Just experiment with different lures after that.

[berke99]

My favorite lures for walleyes are- Rattle spoons, Kastmasters, and Chubby Darters. Some days 1 lure is hot, and some days no lure is hot. You just have to try-em to see what is working.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dan there are a ton of lures out there. many lakes will have a color preferance, and a size of lure preferance. I myself, and in no paticulat order like these lures for walleye. Scenic Tackle Angle Eye JR Spoon, Scenic Tackle Go Devil Spoon, JB lure Gem-n-eye, Custom Jigs and Spinns Demon Size 4. Jig-A Bit, Rock and Roll jig, Chubby Darter, Nills master Jigging Shad, And some times.. a plain red hook. It could cost you a pretty penny to get all set up. I suggeste you buy a couple that catch your eye.

[Dan_L]

do you bait the lures at all. or are they best left as is?

[toughguy]

Minnow heads on spoons are popular now.

[captkev]

I love to fish one dead stick with a #8 or #6 plain hook and a minnow, then I jig with a rattle spoon or flyer with a minnow in the other hole. I had great luck removeing the trebs on the spoon and adding about a 8" piece of mono to a plain hook and lip hooking the minnow, lifting the spoon a couple of feet and letting the minnow chace the spoon, that realy drove them nuts last year.

[Rick]

I would suggest going to the Outdoor Pro Store - Click Here and check out Scenic Tackle's Go Devils and Angel Eyes, Custom Jigs & Spins Walleye Kit and JB Lures Walleye Kit. Start with this and then build from there.

I also like Nils Master's Jigging Shad, Fiskas Wolfram jigs, Balances and Swimmers. Chubby Darter is another mainstay as are the old standbys - Swedish pimple and jigging rapala.

[Jeff Dosch]

Dan, I hate to say it but once you get the walleye itch it never goes away. It gets even worse once you've had an 8 or 10 pd whopper thump the end of your rod and doesnt want to move off the bottom. The best advice on walleye tackle is to ask the area bait shop on the lake your going to be fishing. Something is always hot at different times of the season. There are some lures that will consistently catch fish on almost every lake. Rapalas,castmasters,Angel Eye jrs, rocker minnows,buck shots, lead head jigs and a plain hook and a minnow.

Early ice on Devils Lake chubby Darters and Hedon Sonars can be deadly. These are two of my favorite lures when I want to cover a lot of area because you can use them without bait. If I have the fish house set up I like to jig a buck shot or an Angel Eye tipped with a minnow head and have a plain hook and a minnow on my dead stick. Once you get started you will be like every other fishermen hooked on walleye fishing and you'll have more than one tackle box filled with lures. Good luck, now I have the itch!

[Matt Johnson]

A lot of options out there for walleye tackle, many of which will indeed catch fish. Certain lure choices are more productive during certain conditions/situations. Change in fish behavior (activity level), deep or shallow water, daytime/nighttime, clear or stained water... all of these factors can play a role in deciding what to use when targeting walleye.

For me, I like to make sure I'm equipped with several different options when on a hardcore walleye hunt. Jigging spoons are not enough, you also have to have an assortment of swimming lures and jigs as well, not to mention the always-trusting plain hook and minnow approach.

Some options I've grown to appreciate for jigging spoons would be...

Scenic Tackle Angel Eye

The Angel Eye is a flutter spoon with a lot of action. Great for negative walleye, as well as for providing flash, vibration and that "injured minnow look" that many walleyes fall victim to. Gold has always been one of my hot colors for the Angel Eye, but the glow options have been a mainstay for a lot of anglers I fish with.

Scenic Tackle Go Devil

The Go Devil is usually what I start with if I'm going with a jigging spoon for walleye. 1/8oz blue glow has been a hot lure on walleyes, and I've seen my fair share of crappie, pike, catfish and bass take that color and size as well. It's a more aggressive style jigging spoon that is very effective in deep water and can cater to neutral fish as well.

CLICK HERE - Go Devils and Angel Eyes

JB Lures Varmit and Gem-n-Eyes

The Varmit by JB Lures is another option that is similar in action to the Scenic Tackle Go Devil. Some of the color options are a little different than the Go Devil, yet they have there place and time. Another good choice for a jigging spoon. The Gem-n-Eyes are old standbys for walleyes.

CLICK HERE - JB Lures Varmit

Custom Jigs and Spins Slender Spoon

The Slender Spoon from Custom Jigs and Spins was one of my most productive spoons last winter, and on a variety of species. It was just one of those years where I found a spoon that seemed to do the trick when nothing else did. Many times I'd switch to a 1/8oz gold/green Slender Spoon tipped with a minnow head, and it caught fish for me. It's a curved spoon with a unique action that can be used for both aggressive and negative walleye.

CLICK HERE - Custom Jigs and Spins Walleye Kit with Slender spoon

Swimming lures are another excellent choice for walleye and I've become more and more fond of these lures every winter...

Nils Master Jigging Shad

The Jigging Shad is an excellent choice for running and gunning for walleye without live-bait. This lure is designed to imitate a minnow, both with position and triggering power. You can incorporate a lot of actions into this lure, one of which looks like a dying minnow spiraling downward. That can really trigger walleye into striking on some days, and often times they will hit on the way down or right when you begin to pause after the fall. A great option for attracting walleye to an area as well.

Nils Master Jigger and Rapala Jigging Rap

Both of these lures are similar and provide like action, appeal and profile. Nils Master offers a few different color options and the choice of a long drop-hook. Sometimes that will be the one that tags the fish. Both are good choices for swimming lures and present a narrower profile.

CLICK HERE - Nils Master Jiggers and Jigging Shads

And then we have the many various types of jigs available to walleye anglers. The options in this category are almost endless. I've done well with size 6 Shrimpos and Ratsos from Custom Jigs and Spins, as well as their Demons. Lindy Tackle offers a huge assortment of walleye tackle as well, some of which cater to the jig angler. JB Lures also has a color and model for just about every condition when targeting walleye with jigs. And again, I've experienced days where walleye will change on a dime, and it's demanded that I present a wide-array of options and actions for those days of frustration. Eventually there's a lure that will work, but it can go through some trial and error before you find it.

Sometimes it's even just a plain hook with a split shot that takes the cake some days. One of my biggest walleyes came through an ice hole on a plain hook and minnow using a ML action rod with 4 pound test line. It's an option that I always have with me when ice fishing for 'eyes.

So, I like to carry with a nice assortment of jigging spoons, swimming lures, jigs, and plain hooks when chasing winter walleye.

I'm sure my tackle box will snatch up a few more walleye lures this winter... so many choices that can work