Species guide
A light-biting, low-light feeder of the northern US. Most walleye tackle is chosen around feeling a bite that you would otherwise miss.
Starting setups for the common ways to fish for walleye, before you pick a bait. Adjust for your water, cover and presentation in the Setup Builder.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Technique | Rod | Reel | Main line | Leader | Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jigging | 6'6"–7' Medium Light power · Fast action |
2000–2500 Spinning reel |
8–10 lb Braided line |
8–10 lb Fluorocarbon |
#1–2/0 Jig hook (leadhead) |
| Trolling | 7'6"–8'6" Medium power · Moderate action |
10 Conventional reel |
8–12 lb Monofilament |
8–12 lb Fluorocarbon |
#2–2/0 Octopus hook |
| Spinning | 6'–6'6" Medium Light power · Fast action |
2000–3000 Spinning reel |
10–15 lb Braided line |
6–10 lb Fluorocarbon |
#4–1/0 Octopus hook |
Many walleye rigs carry live bait, and the bait changes with the season: minnows from late fall through early spring, nightcrawlers and leeches from late spring into early fall.
A leadhead jig tipped with a shiner or fathead minnow, fished vertically or cast and retrieved slowly with the jig touching bottom. A common early-season and fall presentation.
Holds live bait just above a rock reef or hump while you sit anchored. A good choice for fish that are not chasing.
A spinner rig, also called a crawler or worm harness, puts a blade ahead of live bait. A bottom bouncer, a weight on a stiff wire arm, takes it down and keeps the bait just off the bottom while you drift or troll.
A sinker that slides on the main line above a swivel, then a leader to a plain hook, so the bait sits on the bottom in front of walleye.
Large natural lakes and reservoirs across the upper Midwest and northern states, plus river systems. They relate to hard bottom: gravel bars, points, rock humps and current breaks.
Low-light and night feeders with excellent vision in dim water. A walleye bite on a jig is frequently nothing more than added weight, which is why sensitivity drives the whole setup.
Most keeper walleye run 15 to 22 inches and 1 to 4 pounds. Fish over 27 inches are trophies in most systems.
Shallow after ice-out around spawning gravel, on structure edges through summer, and often shallow again at dusk in fall. Windy shorelines and low light concentrate feeding fish.
A walleye.
Pick a bait or lure to get its hook size.
A late-spring to early-fall walleye bait: on a jig, under a slip bobber, or behind a spinner blade on a bottom bouncer.
Hook size for thisA late-fall to early-spring walleye bait. Many anglers start the season with a shiner or fathead on a jig.
Hook size for thisA summer walleye bait, hovered just above a rock reef under a slip bobber or trailed behind a spinner rig.
Hook size for thisOn a 1/16 to 1/4 oz jig head, in white or shad colors, jigged vertically or retrieved slowly.
Hook size for thisA twister tail is the plastic alternative to live bait on a walleye jig; keep the head as light as bottom contact allows.
Hook size for thisOn Lake Erie's spring reefs, anglers drift and jig 3/8 to 1 oz hair jigs or blade baits vertically just off the bottom.
Hook size for thisOn Lake Erie, jigged like a blade bait, or trolled behind divers at about 2.5 mph in summer.
Hook size for thisWalleye are line shy in clean water. A fluorocarbon leader on braid recovers bites without giving up sensitivity.
A jig that falls too fast gets ignored on a neutral bite. Use the lightest head that holds bottom contact in the wind and depth you are fishing.
Walleye bites are subtle. A soft tip that does not transmit bottom contact costs you the bites you never felt.
Regulations
Walleye limits, protected slot sizes and season dates vary by lake and are actively managed. Slot limits in particular change between waters in the same state, so check the specific water body.
Build a complete walleye setup
Answer five short questions and get a complete setup: rod length, power and action, reel size, main line, leader and hook, each with the reasoning behind it.