Walleye Baits
Walleye Baits covers the best bait and tackle for catching this crafty fish. Compare jigs, lures, and more. Learn their habits and characteristics and the strategies that can help you land one of the craftiest adversaries fresh waters have to offer.
Take a look at all the walleye baits and tackle items available. You’ll find walleye rods, reels and combinations and plenty of lures, jigs, spinners, grubs and harnesses. We also have hooks, snells, sinkers, as well as books and DVDs. All are from quality merchants offering well-known brands like Loomis, Abu Garcia, Shimano, Daiwa, Northland and Lindy. Going with the best names in the business can give you the edge.
Winter is just around the corner
As winter closes in and the ice begins to set, there will no doubt be reports of hungry fish with an aggressive bite. First ice always brings fishermen out in droves to take advantage of what’s considered to be the best time for ice fishing. And it doesn’t necessarily matter if you’re way up in Minnesota, Wisconsin or Michigan, because early season ice fishing can be super just about anywhere. The fish go into a feeding frenzy this time of year and walleyes are no exception.
The question is, why does the action get so hot and heavy while the weather is cooling off? There are a number of theories, but no definitive answer. One possibility is that all the sediment that was kicked up during fall’s unstable weather begins to settle out once the ice puts a lid on it. The water clears and the baitfish are still in the shallows and easy to see, so walleyes don’t stray too much from their earlier haunts and habits. They will continue to hang around their usual breaks and structures. Another point often made is that the females are especially concerned with feeding in preparation for the spring spawn.
It could also just be that early winter is a continuation of fall habits. The sun shines bright, oxygen content is high, and the minnows continue to meander about the shallows. Add the notion that the fish are bulking up in preparation for midwinter and you’ve got the perfect conditions for some hot action.
So, this is a great time to break out the winter gear, because by the middle of January the light will diminish because of the snowpack, the oxygen content will drop and walleyes will move to deeper water and the bite will definitely slow.
Safety First!
Of course, this is a good time to remind everyone that safety comes first. You’ll want to be certain that the ice is thick enough to support whatever you’re bringing to the game. According to the experts, if it’s just yourself and your gear, the ice should be at least 4 inches thick. If you are bringing your midsized truck onto the ice, make sure you’ve got at least a foot underneath you. By the time the ice is that thick, it will be the middle of winter and time for a new strategy to tempt those otherwise lethargic ’eyes to take the bait.
Walleye Weight Calculator
Don’t have a scale or forgot to bring it? Try this calculator. Just plug in the relevant numbers for a pretty fair estimate of your trophy catch’s weight. There are all kinds of formulas for approximating weights, but this calculator has been calibrated to the known lengths/girths of the largest walleyes on record. Be sure to measure from the front tip of the lower jaw to the very end of the tail. Then measure the girth at the widest part around the body.
If you’re using a tape measure, lay the fish flat on top of it. Don’t make the mistake of pulling the tape over the top of the fish, because you’re likely to bend the tape over the fish’s contours. That will give you an inaccurate length that won’t pass muster with Fish & Game on those closer calls.
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Your Walleye Weather!
Use Temperature Drop-down for more choices, Hold left mouse button to move map, + – to change size
Frabill tapped the devious fish-chasing mind of Brian Bro Brosdahl in designing the Frabill Bro SideStep Insulated Ice Shelter. This easy-fishing 2-man shelter comes equipped with Frabills 2-door SideStep Entry, which provides direct access to you.
Fall Walleye Fishing Videos
Best Fall Walleye Lures
How To Catch Fall Walleyes – Tony Roach
Locating Fall Walleyes and Techniques to Catch Them
5 Top Fall Baits
Rapala Jointed Shad Rap
The rattling, suspending Rapala Jointed Shad Rap features a lifelike distressed minnow swimming action that brings a response when other lures can’t. Great in cooler weather.
Rapala Deep Down Husky Jerk
Another Fall favorite and a natural for walleye, the Rapala® Down Deep Husky Jerk is the deep-diving version of the Husky Jerk, designed to reach depths approaching 20′ on the troll and more than 10′ on the cast.
Grubs!
The delicate paddle tail design of the Bass Pro Shops Walleye Angler Paddle Tail Grub really brings this grub to life! 8 Up scent attractant is cooked into every lure to give this Paddle Tail Grub a natural baitfish flavor.
